Challah Panzanella Salad

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Challah Panzanella Salad uses leftover challah to enhance a vibrant and robust Italian Panzanella. This innovative dish is a great way to use up spare bread and create something fresh and flavoursome!

I love ‘fusion’ dishes! Taking inspiration from different culinary traditions and mingling them together can create innovative recipes that tantalise the taste buds with their unique flavours and textures.

Calling on diverse food traditions when solving kitchen conundrums – like what to do with leftover challah – leads to the birth of terrific new recipes like this Challah Panzanella Salad. With just a little experimentation and creative licence, I blended classic Jewish challah with the rustic Italian charm of Panzanella salad to create something truly delicious!

Overhead image of challah panzanella - cucumber, tomato, toasted challah cubes, spring onion, olives and basil - in a white bowl on a wooden table.

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What is Challah?

Challah is much more than just bread – it’s a symbol of tradition and history that spans centuries! This special loaf, usually braided or made into decorative shapes, is typically prepared for Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Its rich, slightly sweet flavour and soft, fluffy texture make it a joy to eat! But it is also an excellent candidate for including in other dishes – like this fresh and zesty Challah Panzanella Salad.

Close up image of challah panzanella salad in a white china bowl, showing pieces of toasted challah, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion, olives and fresh basil.

The unique characteristics of challah come from its distinct ingredients. As well as flour, yeast, salt etc, challah dough often includes eggs, oil, and honey or another sweetener. This gives the bread moist richness and a subtly sweet undertone.

In the Challah Panzanella Salad, these flavours complement the sweet and tangy dressing and enhance the freshness of the vegetables. The challah’s fluffy crumb absorbs the dressing and tomato juices, while the crusty exterior maintains a satisfying chew.

Fingers hold a spoon that is scooping up some challah panzanella salad from a bowl.

Traditional Components of Panzanella

The heart of a traditional Panzanella salad lies in its humble origins. Originally a Tuscan dish, Panzanella typically includes juicy ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and pieces of stale bread. These core ingredients are often accompanied by red onions for piquancy, fresh basil for an aromatic lift, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil and vinegar to dress and meld the flavours harmoniously.

Overhead image of a white china bowl of challah panzanella salad, with chunky pieces of toasted challah, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion, and olive, garnished with fresh basil. Serving utensils are poking out of the salad. The salad bowl is on a wooden table and a white cloth napkin is to the left.

The salad is characterised by the use of stale bread, which soaks up the dressing and tomato juices, transforming into succulent morsels that contrast with the crunch of the fresh vegetables. Variations of Panzanella have incorporated ingredients such as capers, olives, and even mozzarella. This apparently simple rustic salad turns not-quite-fresh bread into a complex and vibrant dish that’s singing with flavour.

A white china bowl of challah panzanella salad, with chunky pieces of toasted challah, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion, and olive, garnished with fresh basil. Serving utensils are poking out of the salad. The salad bowl is on a wooden table and a white cloth napkin is to the left.

Creating Your Own Challah Panzanella Salad

To make your own Challah Panzanella, you will need the following ingredients:

Day old (or older!) challah – slightly stale is best as it will absorb more of the delicious dressing and tomato juices
Fresh, ripe tomatoes
Crunchy, cool cucumber
Fresh basil, parsley, or other aromatic herbs
Red onion or spring onions
Olives and/or capers – optional
Extra virgin olive oil – for the luscious dressing
Red wine vinegar – adds a dash of acidity that enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients in challah panzanella - challah, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, spring onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, fresh basil.

To make the Panzanella salad, first cut the Challah into cubes and toast them lightly in the oven. If you’re in a hurry, you can toast sliced challah in a toaster, then cut into cubes, but you won’t get even crispness on all sides of your bread cubes (obviously).

A slice of challah, cut into cubes, on a cutting board. Part of a bread knife is visible top right.

Next, cut your tomatoes and cucumbers into chunky pieces. Thinly slice your onions. Put all the prepared vegetables into a bowl. Add the olives and/or capers if using.

To make the dressing, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss the Challah cubes, torn fresh basil leaves and vegetables with this dressing, then leave everything to sit for a 20-30 minutes so the toasty challah cubes can absorb all the flavours.

On the left, challah panzanella ingredients before mixing. On the right, the salad after mixing, with vegetables and toasted bread cubes coated in dressing.

Finally, garnish with more fresh basil leaves. Serve your Challah Panzanella salad and enjoy!

Nutritional benefits of challah panzanella

This salad is a terrific way to enjoy challah, for multiple reasons. Ripe tomatoes are packed with polyphenols and vitamins, including vitamin C. They are also a terrific source of lycopene, which has been shown to improve cardiac health, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of certain cancers!

Overhead image of Challah panzanella salad - with tomatoes, olives and fresh basil - in a white china bowl on a wooden table. A white cloth napkin is on the left, and salad servers are on the right.

Extra virgin olive oil has numerous health benefits, including improving cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. In this salad, its healthy fats also slow the body’s metabolism of the challah’s refined carbs, preventing blood sugar spikes.

Overall, this delicious salad is not just scrumptious, but also a healthy and nourishing addition to a meal!

What to serve with challah panzanella?

While challah panzanella salad is hearty enough to be the focus of a meal, it’s best when combined with some high protein items to provide balanced nutrition. The following are all delicious with this salad:

Cheeses – for instance cubed or crumbled feta, chalky goats cheese, fresh, mild mozzarella or creamy burrata
Eggs – hard or soft boiled eggs are delicious with panzanella salad
Chick peas or other beans – serve seasoned chick peas (like these arbes) alongside the salad or mix some drained canned beans in just before serving to make the panzanella even heartier!
Oily fish – fresh tuna steak or tuna canned in oil, grilled mackerel or sardines are all delicious with the tangy acidity of this delicious salad

Whichever you choose, be sure to save a cube of challah as your final bite. The toasty bread, soaked in delicious dressing and tomato juices, fragranced with fresh basil… It’s become one of my favourite things to eat!

Fingers hold a fork that is stabbing a cube of toasted challah in a bowl of challah panzanella salad.

Leftover challah – not just French toast!

I hope this delicious salad shows that there are many ways to use up leftover challah! By combining the plush, rich texture of challah with the fresh, robust flavours of this Italian summer classic, Challah Panzanella Salad provides a delicious way to avoid waste, and shows the innovation and excitement that fusion cuisine can bring to our tables.

Challah panzanella salad - with tomatoes, olives and fresh basil.

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📖 Recipe

Use your leftover challah in this vibrant and robust Italian Panzanella salad, and create a fresh and flavoursome dish!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Resting time 30

Total Time 45

Course Salad, Starter

Cuisine European, Italian, Jewish

Servings

Calories 311 kcal

Ingredients

1 slice challah – at least one day old (approx. 3cm/1 inch thick)
300 g ripe tomatoes
80 g cucumber
2 spring onions (see note)
2 tablespoon olives (optional)
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon torn fresh basil leaves (plus a few extra to garnish)

Instructions

1 slice challah – at least one day old
Preheat the oven to 180℃ (350℉).
Cut the challah into 2-3cm/¾-1 inch cubes. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes, turning once or twice, until the cubes are dry and beginning to brown.
300 g ripe tomatoes, 80 g cucumber
Meanwhile, cut each tomato into chunky pieces – about 8 pieces per tomato. Cut the cucumber into similar sized pieces. Place both in a mixing bowl.
2 spring onions, 2 tablespoon olives (optional)
Trim and slice the spring onions and add to the tomato and cucumber. If you're using olives, add them too – either sliced or whole. (I like them whole.)
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and seasonings, and pour over the vegetables. Mix well.
3 tablespoon torn fresh basil leaves
Add the toasted bread cubes and torn basil leaves. Gently toss together to combine. Leave the salad to stand for about 30 minutes, mixing gently from time to time, to allow the challah to absorb some of the dressing.
Garnish with basil leaves, serve and enjoy!

Notes

I used spring onions but if you prefer, you can use finely sliced or diced red onion instead. Around 2 tablespoon onion is equivalent to 2 spring onions.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Challah Panzanella Salad

Amount per Serving

Calories

311

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

Cholesterol

Sodium

237

Potassium

489

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

1644

Vitamin C

Calcium

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword bread, challah, cucumber, herbs, olive, olive oil, tomato

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Challah Panzanella Salad FAQs

Why is Challah a good choice for making panzanella salad?

Challah is an excellent choice for panzanella salad due to its dense, fluffy texture which allows it to absorb dressings and juices without becoming too mushy. Its slight sweetness and richness adds a unique flavour dimension that contrasts nicely with the fresh, tangy components of a traditional panzanella.

Can I use fresh challah for this salad, or is stale bread better?

While you can certainly use fresh challah, day-old or slightly stale challah is recommended for panzanella salad. The drier bread has a firmer texture, making it better at soaking up the dressing and maintaining its structure when mixed with the other salad ingredients. To use fresh challah, simply toast as per the recipe, but for a few minutes longer to ensure the cubes are thoroughly dried.

How long can I store Challah Panzanella Salad?

Challah Panzanella Salad is best enjoyed fresh; the bread will continue to absorb moisture from the dressing and vegetables over time and can get mushy if left for too long. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. Enjoy within 24 hours of preparation.

Can I use other kinds of bread in this salad?

Yes! Panzanella is traditionally made using hearty rustic bread such as ciabatta or a substantial sourdough. You can also use French bread such as baguette, or a dense seeded or wholewheat loaf. Each will bring a different flavour and character to the salad. Avoid using breads that are too soft, such as sandwich bread, as it may turn to mush once it has absorbed the dressing and tomato juices in the salad.