Quick Look: Panzanella Salad with Beans
- What it is: A hearty Italian bread salad with juicy tomatoes, toasted bread, creamy butter beans, and fresh basil. The bread soaks up the flavorful tomato dressing while still holding its shape.
- Why Make THIS Version? The dressing uses drained tomato juices for more tomato flavor, while white beans add protein and fiber.
- Key Ingredients: Ripe tomatoes, sourdough or ciabatta, butter beans, fresh basil, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
- Best For: Summer dinners, BBQs, potlucks, entertaining.
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian and Vegan.
- Total Time: 30 minutes (+15 minute resting recommended).
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BRI's NOTE
Why I Make Panzanella Salad with Beans
Every summer, I grow a lot of tomatoes in my garden—and this is one of my favorite ways to use them. Butter beans aren't traditional in panzanella, but I add them for protein. They make the salad hearty enough to serve as a main dish or side.
This salad is one of my go-to easy summer salads for entertaining because it benefits from sitting for 15 to 30 minutes. I toss it before guests arrive—or make it at home before heading to a gathering.
When summer tomatoes are at their best, I also make my Halloumi Tomato Salad and Orzo Pesto Salad. For a make-ahead-friendly bean salad, try my Tuscan Bean Salad.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
Here are the key ingredients you'll need, plus some easy substitutions:
- Tomatoes: Use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find. I like a mix of the small cherry tomatoes and larger heirlooms.
- Bread: Use a high-quality sourdough or ciabatta bread. Both are sturdy, crusty breads with large air pockets (an 'open crumb), so they soak up the dressing without falling apart.
- Butter Beans: These aren't traditionally in panzanella, but they add a wonderful creamy texture. They add protein and fiber, making the salad more satisfying—just like in my high-protein Creamy Lemon Butter Beans recipe! Make sure to rinse and drain them well. You can easily swap in Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans.
- Red Wine Vinegar: This adds a bright tang to balance the sweet tomatoes. You can swap white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if needed.
- Dijon Mustard: Helps emulsify the dressing. I recommend smooth Dijon, but yellow or grainy Dijon works too.
- Red Onion: Adds sharpness. Chop it finely so the raw onion doesn't overpower the salad. Shallot works too.
- Fresh basil: Use fresh basil, not dried. The flavor of dried basil just isn't the same.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
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How to make Panzanella Salad with Beans
This fresh tomato and white bean salad is an easy 30-minute vegetarian dinner. Here's how to make it:
- Chop and salt the tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl. Let them drain for 15 minutes to catch the juices.
- Meanwhile, tear or cut bread into pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake until crisp around the edges.
- Remove colander of tomatoes and set aside.
- Add the olive oil, red onion, garlic, Dijon, and vinegar to the tomato juices. Whisk until emulsified.
- Add all the toasted bread, butter beans, drained tomatoes, and fresh basil to the bowl of dressing.
- Let the salad sit for up to 15 to 30 minutes, if you can. This allows the bread to absorb the dressing. Serve.
Bri's Expert Tips
- Salt and drain the tomatoes: Don't skip this step. Salting draws out excess moisture, concentrates the tomatoes' flavor, and gives you flavorful liquid for the dressing. Catch the juices in a bowl and use them in the dressing.
- Keep the bread pieces big: Aim for 1.5-inch pieces. Larger pieces get crisp around the edges but still have enough structure to soak up the tomato dressing without falling apart. (If you have extra bread leftover, turn them into Air Fryer Croutons).
- Season carefully at the end: The tomatoes, bread, and dressing are all seasoned separately, so taste before adding more salt to the finished salad.
- Give it 15 to 30 minutes: If you have the time, let the salad rest after tossing so the bread can absorb some of the dressing. I find that 15 to 30 minutes is the sweet spot.
- Layer it if you need more time: If you're serving the salad within 15 to 30 minutes, toss it right away. If you need to wait a bit longer, whisk the dressing in the bowl, then. layer the tomatoes and beans on the bottom with the bread and basil on top. Toss closer to serving so the bread doesn't become too soft.
Panzanella Salad with Beans FAQs
Panzanella is an Italian bread salad made with ripe tomatoes, bread, olive oil, vinegar, and herbs. In this Panzanella Salad with Beans recipe, I add creamy butter beans for protein and fiber so it's satisfying enough for dinner. I also use the drained tomato juices in the dressing for extra flavor.
Yes! I actually prefer fresh bread for this panzanella. Toasting fresh bread in the oven until crisp gives you more control over the texture and better flavor than stale bread. Use a sturdy sourdough or ciabatta so it can soak up the dressing without falling apart.
For this Panzanella Salad with Beans recipe, three things help: use sturdy bread, keep the pieces large, and toast them first. I also salt and drain the tomatoes before assembling the salad, which removes excess moisture and gives you flavorful tomato juice for the dressing. Then, let the finished salad sit for 15 to 30 minutes—long enough to absorb flavor without letting the bread get too soft.
Yes, but I don't recommend tossing it hours ahead. For the best texture, toss the salad 15 to 30 minutes before serving. If you need more time, make the dressing first, then layer the tomatoes and beans in the bottom of the bowl with the toasted bread and basil on top. Toss everything closer to serving so the bread keeps more texture.
I like this panzanella best at room temperature. The 15 to 30 minute rest gives the bread time to absorb the dressing, while the tomatoes and basil stay flavorful. It also makes this salad easy to bring to a BBQ, potluck, or dinner because there's no last minute tossing required.
Just keep in mind that the FDA recommends limiting perishable foods to 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). You'll want to serve this salad sooner anyway, before the bread gets too soft.
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📖 Recipe
Panzanella Salad with Beans
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ripe tomatoes (see note 1)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more for seasoning)
- 8 oz sourdough bread (or ciabatta, 4 cups, see note 2)
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) can butter beans (rinsed and drained, see note 3)
- ⅓ cup packed fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Drain tomatoes: Chop 2 lbs ripe tomatoes into bite-size pieces (see note 1). Place in a colander set over a large bowl. Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt and gently toss to coat. Let drain for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
- Toast bread: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (177℃). Tear or cut 8 oz sourdough bread into 1.5-inch (3.8 cm) pieces (about 4 cups). Scatter on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Toss to coat, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bake until crisp around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
- Make dressing: Set the colander of tomatoes on a plate. To the bowl of tomato juices, add 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup diced red onion, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Whisk vigorously until emulsified. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Combine: To the bowl of dressing, add 1 (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) can butter beans (drained and rinsed), drained tomatoes, and toasted bread. Chop ⅓ cup packed fresh basil leaves and add to the bowl. Toss well to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. For better flavor and texture, let sit for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Tomatoes: Ripe, juicy tomatoes are key for this recipe. I like a mix of cherry and heirloom tomatoes, but use your favorites. Chop large tomatoes into bite-size pieces and halve cherry tomatoes.
- Bread: Use a good-quality sourdough or ciabatta that tastes great on its own. This recipe toasts fresh bread in the oven for better flavor and texture, rather than using stale bread.
- Beans: I recommend butter beans because they're creamy yet sturdy enough to hold their shape. Cannellini beans or another white bean work too.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups (assumes 4 main-dish servings or 6-8 side servings)
- Recipe inspiration: Adapted from Serious Eats. I added beans for protein and fiber, slightly reduced the oil and bread, and brightened the dressing to make it a more satisfying main dish.
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