Have you been introduced to the simple and simply magnificent dish that is the Panzanella Salad? When I first moved to Omaha, one of the places I frequented was this brand new contemporary cocktail lounge that also served late-night food. Did I mention it was less than a block from my apartment? Mercury quickly became one of my favorite spots! They changed their menu often and enjoyed experimenting with vegan dishes that were just as delicious and unique as the rest of their menu.

Cue the Panzanella! It was so simple and light with a pop of bright flavor. I couldn’t get enough of it. I’m not too embarrassed to say there were even a few nights where I may have hit it up twice (once during the Friday Happy Hour to start the night and once during that 1AM walk home). That was...until the next devastating menu rotation. After throwing my fist in the air, screaming “WHY?!” to the menu Gods, I was determined to try to recreate it. Like most recipes, there was a bit of trial and error to get something that I deemed worthy to call a copycat recipe. It’s not exact, but I think I came pretty close.

This guy is already fast and easy on it’s own, but I also have a ‘cheat code’ if you will. Just a little something for those lazy day bites.

Notes & Substitutions:

Cheat Code #1: It never fails! Whenever I buy a baguette at the grocery store, it begins to get hard or go bad faster than I can eat it. I like to take half of the baguette right from the store, cut it into cubes and keep it in an airtight container in the freezer. When I am craving a quick snack, I pull out enough frozen baguette cubes as I need. Since they are precut, they toast up really quickly.
Cheat Code #2: Do you ever get into one of those moods where you know you are going to be craving something in the next few days? No? Us event pros would say we were anticipating the needs of our clients. The only difference is the client is myself! Sometimes, I’ll ‘prep’ my dressing in a small container and let the tomatoes marinate in it until I’m ready.
Level Up: Throw in some cubed Miyoko’s Vegan Mozz or mozzarella pearls. Want a little more protein? Add in some Gardein Chick’n Strips grilled chicken strips (or actual grilled chicken if you’re a meat eater).

Ingredients: See ‘A Pinch, A Dash & A Smidge’ for measuring references.

About ¼ - ½ of fresh baguette (cubed)
A handful of cherry tomatoes (halved)
½ - 1 clove of garlic (minced)
A pinch of fresh dill (roughly chopped)
A splash of rice vinegar
A splash of white balsamic vinegar
A few pinches of lemon zest
A pinch of salt & pepper

Instructions:

In a container with a lid, mix your garlic, dill, rice vinegar, white balsamic & lemon zest.
Add in your halved cherry tomatoes and set aside.
Toast your baguette cubes in your oven or air fryer.
While still hot, toss your baguettes in the container with your dressing, pop the lid on and and shake until the dressing coats the bread.
Add a little salt & pepper to taste and enjoy!