Fit Panzanella – Tuscan Bread Salad

Name: Fit Panzanella – Tuscan Bread Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200 g day-old rustic or sourdough bread, cubed; 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks; 1 cucumber, sliced; 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 handful fresh basil leaves; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove; 1 tbsp capers (optional); Salt and black pepper, to taste

A rustic Tuscan salad that turns day-old bread into a fresh, juicy dish with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and basil in an olive oil-vinegar dressing; light and fully plant-based.

Total: 30 min
Servings: 2 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Calories · per serving: 290 kcal

Written by

Ecem Akkaba · Dietitian

Dietitian, graduate of İstanbul Medipol University. She develops the recipes and nutrition values on FitZen.

Updated: July 26, 2026

In short

Fit Panzanella – Tuscan Bread Salad contains 290 calories per serving: 7 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate and 13 g fat. It takes 30 minutes in total and makes 2 servings.

About this recipe

Panzanella is a traditional Tuscan salad born from the thrifty habit of using up stale bread rather than wasting it. Toasted bread soaks up the juices of ripe tomatoes and a tangy olive oil dressing, making it a light yet satisfying plant-based meal.

Method

1
Toast the bread cubes in the oven at 180°C for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden.
2
Rub the warm bread lightly with the cut garlic clove for aroma.
3
Cut the tomatoes into a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and let the juices release for 10 minutes.
4
Add the cucumber, red onion and toasted bread to the tomatoes.
5
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper into a dressing.
6
Pour the dressing over, toss well and let sit for 10 minutes so the bread soaks up the juices.
7
Tear the fresh basil over the top and serve at room temperature.