Fall Panzanella Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple
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This fall panzanella salad pairs toasted sourdough with roasted butternut squash and red onion, crisp apple, and creamy goat cheese. Tossed with tangy apple cider vinaigrette, every bite has that perfect mix of sweet, savory, crisp, and chewy.
An Autumn Twist on an Italian Classic
Panzanella is a Tuscan bread salad typically made with stale bread, ripe tomatoes, and other summer vegetables. I love traditional panzanella, so I wanted to see if I could take everything I love about my Panzanella Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and make it work with fall produce.
Instead of ripe tomatoes, I turned to roasted butternut squash and red onion, then added crisp Granny Smith apple for a fresh, tart contrast. My Apple Cider Vinaigrette turned out to be just what the toasted sourdough needed, soaking into the bread while bringing a sweet-tangy note to the roasted vegetables.
A little arugula and creamy goat cheese round everything out, with just enough fresh thyme to give the salad a subtle fall flavor. Find more seasonal inspiration in my Fall Salad Recipes collection.
Why This Fall Panzanella Works
Key Ingredients
Sourdough bread: A sturdy, rustic sourdough holds up well once dressed and gives the panzanella plenty of chew. Day-old bread is perfect here, but fresh sourdough works too since we toast it before assembling the salad.
Butternut squash: Cut the squash into roughly ¾-inch cubes so the pieces become tender and lightly browned without getting too soft. Pre-cut squash is a convenient shortcut; just trim any especially large pieces to a similar size.
Granny Smith apple: I like Granny Smith here because its tart flavor and crisp texture balance the sweeter roasted squash and onion. Leave the peel on for extra texture and a pretty pop of green.
Goat cheese: Creamy, tangy goat cheese gives the salad a rich counterpoint to the crisp apple and chewy bread. Pop it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before crumbling if you want cleaner, more distinct pieces.
Dressing: My homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette is my first choice for this salad. Its cider vinegar, Dijon, and maple syrup pair especially well with the squash and apple. For an alternative, look for a tangy apple cider or maple-Dijon vinaigrette rather than a sweeter dressing.
*Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
How to Make Fall Panzanella
1
Roast the Vegetables
Toss the cubed butternut squash and red onion with olive oil, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast until the squash is tender with nicely browned edges and the onion is lightly caramelized.
2
Toast the Sourdough
While the vegetables roast, toast the sourdough until golden and crisp around the edges. Let it cool briefly, then toss with half of the apple cider vinaigrette.
3
Toss the Salad
Add the roasted vegetables, cubed apple, and arugula to the dressed sourdough. Pour over the remaining vinaigrette and gently toss everything together.
4
Finish
Finish with crumbled goat cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and a light scattering of fresh thyme leaves, if you like. Serve while the bread still has a mix of crisp edges and chewy, dressing-soaked centers.
The Little Details
Don’t turn the bread into croutons. Toast the sourdough until the edges are golden and crisp, but the centers still have some give. Very dry or day-old bread may need less time in the oven, so start checking it early.
Dress the bread first. Tossing the sourdough with half of the vinaigrette before assembling the salad gives it time to absorb all that tangy cider flavor. A five-minute rest creates that mix of chewy centers and crisp edges you want in panzanella.
Keep the apple crisp and fresh. After cutting the apple, toss the pieces with a small spoonful of the apple cider vinaigrette. The acidity helps prevent browning while giving the apple an extra layer of flavor before it goes into the salad.
Go easy on the thyme. A little goes a long way here. One teaspoon roasted with the vegetables adds a subtle savory note without competing with the apple, squash, and cider vinaigrette.
What to Serve with Fall Panzanella
This is a hearty salad, so it pairs especially well with a simple roasted or braised main dish. When I tested it, I served it with roast chicken, roasted potatoes, and green beans for an easy fall dinner.
For entertaining, I’d start with my Balsamic Caramelized Onion and Gorgonzola Tarts, then serve the panzanella alongside my Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin with Maple Dijon Pan Sauce. The savory tartlets, tender pork, and sweet-tangy fall salad make a cozy but polished menu that doesn’t feel overly heavy.
It would also be a lovely side for my Classic Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy if you’re planning a smaller Thanksgiving or autumn dinner.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: For the best texture, prepare the components separately and assemble the panzanella shortly before serving. You can roast the squash and onion, toast the sourdough, and make the apple cider vinaigrette ahead of time. Wait to cut the apple and toss everything together until closer to serving.
Leftovers: Store leftover dressed panzanella in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I found that it still tasted great the next day, although the bread was softer after soaking up the vinaigrette overnight. It wasn’t mushy, but you will lose those crisp edges that make the freshly assembled salad especially good.
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Fall Panzanella Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple
Ingredients
- 6 cups (14 ounces) rustic sourdough bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cups (20 ounces) butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 medium red onion, cut into ¾-inch wedges
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish, if desired
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into ½- to ¾-inch cubes
- 1½ cups baby arugula, lightly packed
- ½ cup Apple Cider Vinaigrette, divided
- 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange two oven racks to accommodate two rimmed baking sheets.
- Roast the squash and onion: Add the butternut squash and red onion to a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the thyme, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Spread in a single layer. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the squash is tender and browned around the edges and the onion is tender and lightly caramelized.
- Toast the sourdough: While the vegetables roast, add the sourdough to a second rimmed baking sheet. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Place the bread in the oven alongside the vegetables and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through. Start checking around 7 minutes and remove when the bread is golden and crisp around the edges but not hard all the way through. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Dress the bread: Transfer the toasted sourdough to a large salad bowl or serving platter. Drizzle with ¼ cup of the Apple Cider Vinaigrette and toss well. Let sit for about 5 minutes to allow the bread to absorb some of the dressing.
- Assemble the salad: Add the roasted squash and red onion, apple, and arugula. Drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup vinaigrette and gently toss until evenly combined and coated.
- Finish and serve: Crumble the goat cheese over the salad. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and a light scattering of fresh thyme leaves, if desired. Serve right away.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Maplevine Kitchen makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
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