Panzanella Pasta Salad
We genuinely can't stop making this one. It's basically a love letter to summer, combining everything brilliant about a classic Italian panzanella with the heartiness of pasta, so you get those jammy tomatoes, golden ciabatta croutons, and fresh herbs all tossed together in one proper crowd-pleasing bowl. The croutons soak up the dressing just enough to go a little chewy in the middle while staying crisp on the outside, and honestly that texture alone is worth making this for. It comes together in about 25 minutes and it's the kind of dish that tastes even better as it sits, so it's brilliant for picnics, BBQ sides, or just a really good lunch. Make this tonight and you'll be glad you did.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Large baking tray lined with parchment
- Large mixing bowl
- Food processor or blender
- Saucepan for pasta
- Allow salad to marinate for 20 minutes after mixing
Ingredients
- ½ ciabatta loaf
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 300g pasta - we've used conchiglie
- 250g mixed cherry tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 2 tbsp capers
- 100g pitted black olives
- 25ml red wine vinegar
- 25ml extra virgin olive oil
- 100g plant-based feta
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 40g fresh basil
- 20g pine nuts
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 100ml olive oil
- ½ lemon
Method
Make the ciabatta croutons
- Tear the ciabatta into small pieces and place on the baking tray
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper
- Toss to coat then bake for 10 minutes until golden and crispy
Cook the pasta
- Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions
- Drain and place in a large bowl
Mix the panzanella
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half
- Peel and finely slice the red onion
- Add the tomatoes and onions to the pasta bowl with the capers, olives, ciabatta croutons, red wine vinegar, mustard and extra virgin olive oil
- Give everything a good mix to coat then taste to season with salt and pepper
- Allow the salad to sit for 20 minutes for everything to soften and marinate
Make the pesto
- Pick the basil leaves and place in the small bowl of a food processor or blender
- Add the pine nuts, nutritional yeast, olive oil and juice of half a lemon and pulse to combine
Finish and serve
- Stir the pesto through the pasta and transfer to a large serving platter or bowl
- Crumble over the feta and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve
Tips & Variations
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find: This is one of those recipes where the quality of your tomatoes really matters. The riper and juicier they are, the better the whole salad tastes, so if you can get them from a farmers market or let them sit on the windowsill for a day or two, do it.
- Make the croutons your own: We love ciabatta here but sourdough works just as well if that's what you've got. Stale bread is actually ideal, so this is a great way to use up a loaf that's gone a bit dry.
- Give it time to rest: Once everything's mixed together, leave it for at least 5 minutes before serving. The pasta and croutons absorb the dressing and the whole thing comes alive. It's worth the wait.
Why This Works
The trick here is baking the ciabatta until properly golden before it goes in, because if the croutons are soft they'll just disappear into the salad. What really makes this sing is letting everything mingle together for a few minutes before you serve it, giving the bread time to soak up those tomato juices and the dressing. Trust us on this one, that resting step is the difference between good and absolutely brilliant.