Summer Panzanella Salad with Peaches, Corn, and Roasted Chickpeas Recipe
This vibrant Summer Panzanella Salad is a fresh, colorful twist on the classic Italian bread salad. Featuring sweet peaches, crisp corn, juicy tomatoes, and optional roasted chickpeas, it perfectly captures the bounty of summer in every bite. A simple lemony and garlicky dressing soaks into crusty bread cubes, creating layers of texture and flavor that make this salad a refreshing and satisfying dish for warm weather meals.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or sherry vinegar, more as desired
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- Kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
- 10 small or 5 medium tomatoes, sliced into wedges
- 16 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 3 peaches, pitted and sliced
- 4 to 5 cups cubed crusty bread
- 1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
- 1 cup roasted chickpeas (optional)
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice or sherry vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- Add and marinate onions and corn: Add the sliced red onion and fresh corn kernels to the dressing bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat all pieces with the dressing. Allow this mixture to sit for 10 minutes to soften the onion and infuse the corn with bright flavor as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Combine main salad ingredients: Add the sliced tomatoes (both wedges and halved cherry tomatoes), sliced peaches, cubed crusty bread, and half of the chopped fresh basil to the bowl. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine everything, adding more olive oil if the bread seems too dry and adjusting seasoning with additional lemon juice, salt, and pepper to your preference.
- Let salad rest: Let the salad sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so that the bread can soak up the vibrant juices, making the salad irresistibly flavorful and moist.
- Finish and serve: Give the salad one last gentle toss, then sprinkle the remaining fresh basil on top. If using, add the roasted chickpeas for an added crunchy texture. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil if desired, then serve immediately and enjoy this refreshing summer salad.
Notes
- The salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated for a few hours; just toss again before serving.
- Use crusty, stale bread for best texture—day-old bread soaks up dressing without becoming too mushy.
- Roasted chickpeas add great crunch and protein but can be omitted for a lighter salad.
- Feel free to substitute sherry vinegar with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar as preferred.
- Adjust lemon juice and olive oil quantities to taste based on the acidity and moisture desired.
