This Summer Panzanella Salad with Garlic Butter Croutons recipe is sponsored by Minerva Dairy. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Summer Panzanella Salad with Garlic Butter Croutons combines the season’s best produce with crispy, crunchy, easy homemade croutons which makes for one beautiful centerpiece to feed a crowd!

The countdown to summer is ON!

The kids have 1 day left and this mama can’t wait.

It’s time for fun in the sun, splashing in the pool and soaking up all the together time.

It’s also time for sweet, juicy garden tomatoes which are a plenty at our local farmers markets and produce stands so don’t forget to hit those up and support local!

And I’ve got just the answer to your over abundance of produce (which is never a bad thing)…. this Summer Panzanella Salad.

Just in time for all your Memorial day party side dishes!

What I truly love about a panzanella salad is how you can make it your own.

There are no rules to the salad, you just throw in whatever produce looks great, or is your favorite, a delicious vinaigrette and most importantly the Garlic and Herb croutons!

The secret to the BEST homemade croutons?  “Just Add Butter”  Minerva Dairy Butter that is.

Made in America’s oldest family-owned creamery, Minerva dairy’s butter is made with 85% butterfat resulting in a butter that is richer, creamier, and more flavorful than other butters you could buy.

Why settle for a butter when you can buy the BEST butter!

Grocery list

Here are the ingredients needed for this fresh salad.

For the croutons

• Loaf of Italian bread (It’s best if the bread is a day or 2 old for extra crispy croutons)
• Minerva Garlic Herb butter
• extra virgin olive oil
• dried oregano
• dried basil
• dried dill

For the vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• Tomatoes (any variety; heirloom, globe, cherry, roma, green beefsteak) (I use 2 globe tomatoes, 1 green beefsteak and 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes)
• cucumber
• red onion
• fresh basil
• mozzarella pearls

Step by step instructions

For the croutons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice loaf into 1″ cubes and place onto a large cookie sheet, in an even layer.

Into a small saucepan, over medium low heat, melt butter with extra virgin olive oil.

 

Add in seasonings and stir to combine.   

Drizzle butter mixture over cubed bread and toss to coat to fully cover all pieces.  Place into oven for 10 minutes, remove and toss then place back into oven for 5-10 minutes until bread is crispy and slightly browned.

Set aside.

For the vinaigrette

Add all ingredients into a mason jar and shake vigorously.  

For the salad

Chop the tomatoes (halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes), thinly slice the cucumber and red onion and halve the mozzarella pearls if they’re on the larger side.  Place into a big bowl and toss to combine.

To serve

Drizzle dressing over the salad and top with croutons.  I don’t recommended tossing the croutons too much as they’ll become soggy.  Serve immediately.

Recipe variations and tips

• Use your favorite summer produce, in addition to the tomatoes, such as peaches, watermelon, corn, melon and/or cucumbers
• Switch up the cheese and use either feta, blue cheese or burrata.
• Dress and serve this salad right before serving.  

Common questions

• I can’t find any Italian bread in the store…what else can I use?
  • Feel free to use a French bread loaf, sourdough or even ciabatta to make the homemade garlic and herb croutons.
• How do I store homemade croutons?  
  • Store croutons in an air tight container, or zip top bag, at room temperature, for the longest shelf life.  They should last up to 2 weeks.

Serving Suggestions

We love to bring this salad to BBQ’s and potlucks.  It’s also great paired with grilled meat such as steak, burgers and/or as a main dish with a light summer soup.

This salad is perfect to bring to a potluck or BBQ.  It’s fresh, delicious and tastes great at room temperature.

*To avoid any sogginess, dress salad right before serving and top with croutons! 

MORE BUTTER RECIPES

Easy Popovers with Blueberry Basil Butter

Springtime Lemon Pasta

Garden Herb Frittata

White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake Tart

Use the store locator here so you can snag some Minerva Dairy butter at your nearest store today!

I hope you’ll consider bringing this cold summer salad to your holiday gatherings, picnics, bbqs and potlucks.

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