Try this mouthwatering recipe for steak panzanella salad. A delightful combination of steak, tomatoes, bread, and basil.
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Why we love this recipe 🥰
This recipe for steak panzanella salad is always a summer favorite in my house, but I figure out reasons to make it all year long, because one season is not enough for this conglomeration of juicy chunks of steak, toasty cubes of bread, a handful of tomatoes and basil and cucumber and speedy wine vinegar dressing.
It’s a snap to put together, and it’s one of the scrumptious recipes that has all you need for lunch or supper in one wonderful bowl. Happiness!
What is panzanella? 🥖
Panzanella is an Italian chopped salad of bread, onions and tomatoes that are soaked in a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. It is a delicious way to use up stale bread, but toasting your bread gives you the same great texture. It often includes cucumbers and sometimes basil.
I like traditional panzanella, but I also like turning it into a main meal by adding a little protein like chicken or fish…and in this case steak!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe 👩🏻🍳
You can use whatever your favorite cut of steak is for this one – I’ve used everything from flank steak to filet – but this time we had a nice strip steak in the fridge, so the Souther husband took it out to the grill and cooked it to a gorgeous medium rare.
Meantime I cut up a baguette into bite-sized pieces, tossed them with olive oil and salt and pepper and toasted them on a cookie sheet until they were just golden. I snacked on a few for, you know, quality control purposes.
After that it was just a matter of slicing up the tomatoes along with some sweet onion for sass and a little cucumber, and then tossing the whole thing with a quick mixture of red wine vinegar and olive oil.
And basil. Happy sigh.
I like to let the salad sit for about 15 minutes or so before I dish it out, just to let the bread absorb a little of the dressing and the steak and tomato drippings. Which is basically torture, but it’s worth it.
And there you have it – a salad that is a fully satisfying meal! Happiness.
Equipment we used for this recipe
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Tongs: We have this essential kitchen tool in all sizes from short to extra long.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowls: These classic sturdy bowls come in all different sizes and are great for everything from mixing ingredients to being casual serving bowls.
- Rimmed Baking Pan: This sturdy baking pan is perfect for everything from catching any drips from pies to making a sheet pan full of pancakes!
Other dinner salad recipes we love!
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe card.
Steak Panzanella Salad
This recipe for steak panzanella salad is a glorious and easy combo of steak, tomatoes, bread and basil.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven and Grill
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 pound strip steak (you can sub in your favorite alternate cut of steak if you like)
- 2 cups French bread, cubed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- 3–4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 small cucumber, cut into small slices
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Heat grill to high and cook steak to your liking – about 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Let the steak rest under foil while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Toss bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Slice steak into bite sized cubes and add to large bowl. Add bread cubes, tomato, cucumber and onion.
- Shake remaining oil and vinegar together in a small jar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss. Add basil and toss again.
- Let the salad sit for about 15 minutes so the flavors can combine and then serve.
Mir says
Kate, I swear to the powers above that if we lived remotely near each other, I would pay you to make me dinners and bring them over. I do not have a handle on dinner now that my work hours are crazier, and I look at the plate on the screen and just feel longing.
This is amazing. That is all. :)
grace says
the basil in this basically seals the deal for me!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Oh I love your version of panzanella, Kate! I’ve never had it with steak before, so I have a feeling my husband would devour this in about two seconds! Looks so perfect for a weekend meal!
Amanda says
I am going to really miss all of this fresh basil in about four months. Have to use it while we can! This looks scrumptious!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
This is my kind of salad Kate! I’m a meat and tomatoes girl at heart! Will be sad to see those Jersey tomatoes go! Boo hoo!