Panzanella Salad Recipe with Fresh Mozzarella
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Fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes are one of the best parts of summer, and this Panzanella Salad Recipe with Fresh Mozzarella is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them. This classic Italian bread salad starts with toasted rustic bread and a bright tomato vinaigrette, then gets a fresh twist with torn mozzarella, crisp cucumber, and plenty of basil.
Updated August 2026: This recipe has been re-tested with a few improvements to the ingredients and method, plus new photos, tips, and serving suggestions.
An Italian Summer Classic
After years of working in Italian restaurants, I learned that some of the most memorable dishes are often the simplest. Great Italian cooking lets a handful of quality ingredients shine, and panzanella is a perfect example. Sweet, juicy tomatoes, good olive oil, crusty bread, and fresh basil come together to create a salad that’s far greater than the sum of its parts.
My version stays true to those classic techniques, starting with lightly salting the tomatoes and using the flavorful juices they release to build the vinaigrette. It’s a simple step that gives the dressing incredible fresh tomato flavor and helps every bite taste like summer.
From there, I add a few touches of my own. Torn fresh mozzarella brings a creamy contrast, cucumber adds refreshing crunch, and everything is arranged on a large platter before being finished with plenty of basil and one last drizzle of olive oil. It’s the kind of salad that’s just as at home beside grilled chicken on the patio as it is in the center of the table for a relaxed summer gathering.
What Is Panzanella?
Panzanella is a traditional Tuscan Italian bread salad made with stale bread, ripe tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and vinegar. Originally created as a way to use up day-old bread, it’s become a summertime favorite that celebrates the season’s sweetest tomatoes.
This version stays true to those classic techniques while adding a couple of my favorite summer ingredients. Torn fresh mozzarella brings a creamy contrast, crisp cucumber adds extra freshness, and plenty of basil ties everything together in every bite.
If you’re looking for more Italian-inspired summer salads try my spinach arugula salad with shaved parmesan, Italian antipasto pasta salad, or this upgraded classic burrata caprese!
Key Ingredient Notes
Rustic bread: Traditional panzanella was created as a way to use up day-old bread, making a sturdy, crusty loaf the best choice. I love ciabatta or a rustic Italian loaf, but sourdough or country bread also work well. Fresh bread is perfectly fine too—just toast it until crisp around the edges while leaving a little chew in the center.
Tomatoes: I love using a mix of red and gold heirloom tomatoes for their sweet flavor and vibrant color. They make the finished salad especially beautiful, but any ripe, in-season tomatoes will taste delicious.
Fresh basil: Basil is one of the signature flavors in this salad, so I recommend using fresh leaves rather than dried herbs. Tear the leaves just before serving for the brightest flavor and freshest appearance.
Fresh garlic: I use two cloves for a dressing with plenty of garlicky flavor, but you can easily scale it back to one if you prefer something milder. Fresh garlic gives the vinaigrette its best flavor.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens the vinaigrette and complements the sweetness of the tomatoes. If you don’t have a lemon, simply add a little extra red wine vinegar.
Red wine vinegar: This is the traditional choice for panzanella and gives the dressing its classic tang. White wine vinegar is a good substitute if needed.
Extra virgin olive oil: Since the dressing is so simple, this is a great place to use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil. I save my favorite bottle for recipes like this where the flavor really shines.
English cucumber: Crisp cucumber is one of my favorite additions to this recipe. English or Persian cucumbers work best because their thin skins don’t need peeling and their seeds are small and tender.
Fresh mozzarella: I like using fresh mozzarella packed in water and tearing it into bite-sized pieces by hand. I used an 8-ounce package of bocconcini (larger fresh mozzarella balls), but one large ball works just as well. Those rustic edges catch the vinaigrette beautifully and give the finished salad a more natural, restaurant-style presentation. Mozzarella pearls (perline) or cherry-sized mozzarella (ciliegine) are both great alternatives if you prefer.
In Season: Tomatoes
Nothing makes a bigger difference in this panzanella than the tomatoes. While you can make it any time of year, it’s at its absolute best during peak tomato season, when tomatoes are naturally sweet, juicy, and full of flavor.
In the Pacific Northwest, tomato harvest season typically runs from July through September, with the widest variety of heirloom tomatoes available at farmers markets in August.
If you’re shopping at a farmers market, look for tomatoes that feel heavy for their size, have a slight give when gently squeezed, and smell fragrant near the stem. You can also check what’s currently in season in your local area using the seasonal produce guides from Collective Crop.
How to Make Panzanella
1
Toast the Bread
Toast the bread cubes until lightly golden and crisp around the edges.
2
Salt the Tomatoes
Toss the tomatoes with kosher salt in a colander set over a mixing bowl. Let them sit for about 10 minutes, reserving the juices that collect below.
3
Make the Vinaigrette
Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and black pepper into the tomato juices, then slowly whisk in the olive oil.
4
Toss the Salad
Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, basil, and torn mozzarella. Add the toasted bread and gently toss everything with the vinaigrette.
5
Rest, Finish, & Serve
Let the salad rest for about 20 minutes so the bread absorbs the dressing. Transfer to a serving platter and finish with the reserved mozzarella, basil, flaky sea salt, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Restaurant Finish
For the prettiest presentation, transfer the tossed salad to a large oval platter rather than serving it straight from the mixing bowl. Reserve a handful of the mozzarella, basil, cucumber, and tomatoes to scatter over the top after plating. I especially love using a mix of red and gold heirloom tomatoes here—the different colors give the salad a fresh-from-the-farmers-market look. Finish with flaky salt, cracked black pepper, and one last drizzle of good olive oil.
Complete the Menu
Turn this panzanella into an easy summer meal by pairing it with one of these favorites:
Main Dishes
Start with an Appetizer
Recipe FAQs
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Panzanella Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 6 cups rustic Italian loaf or ciabatta, cut into bite size cubes
- Olive oil cooking spray, for coating the bread
- 1½ pounds tomatoes, chopped (or halved if using cherry tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
- ⅓ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese packed in water, drained
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup fresh basil, torn
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Toast the bread. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil cooking spray. Toast for 8–12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until lightly golden with crisp edges but still a little chewy in the center. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Salt the tomatoes. While the bread is toasting, place the tomatoes in a colander set over a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and gently toss to combine. Let stand for about 10 minutes so the tomatoes release their juices into the bowl.
- Make the vinaigrette. Remove the colander of tomatoes from the bowl. Add the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and a few grinds of black pepper to the collected tomato juices. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil until combined.
- Assemble the salad. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and about half of the basil to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Tear about three-quarters of the mozzarella into bite-size pieces and add it to the bowl. Add the toasted bread last, then gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Let it rest. Let the salad stand for about 20 minutes, gently tossing once or twice, so the bread can absorb the tomato juices and vinaigrette without becoming overly soft.
- Finish and serve. Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Tear the remaining mozzarella over the top and scatter with the remaining basil. Finish with flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- Use ripe tomatoes. This recipe is at its best during peak tomato season when tomatoes are naturally sweet and juicy.
- Don’t skip salting the tomatoes. The juices they release become part of the vinaigrette, adding extra tomato flavor to the dressing.
- Toast, don’t dry out, the bread. The bread should be crisp around the edges while still a little chewy in the center so it absorbs the dressing without becoming mushy.
- Tear the mozzarella. Tearing fresh mozzarella into bite-sized pieces creates rustic edges that catch the vinaigrette and look beautiful in the finished salad.
- For the best presentation, transfer the salad to a large serving platter and finish with the reserved mozzarella, basil, flaky sea salt, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil just before serving.
- Serving tip: Panzanella is best enjoyed the day it’s made after resting for about 20 minutes, when the bread has absorbed the dressing but still has a little texture.
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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