We're hedging in on peak tomato season! The brilliant colors, plentiful bounty and the sweet juicy taste. All they really need is a sprinkle of salt, but here sun-kissed heirloom tomatoes are marinated first to enhance their flavor and then tossed with toasted bread cubes and greens to create a bread salad -- also known as panzanella. A dressing of olives, oranges and earthy za'atar brings a Middle Eastern touch that is unexpected yet complements the fresh tomatoes and crusty bits of bread.
I'm a huge fan of za'atar, which is a spice blend with sunflower seeds, oregano, thyme and zesty sumac. The combination of it here with oranges and olives is packed with flavor. The toasted breadcubes soak up all those yummy flavors, elevating this Marinated Tomato and Bread Salad.
This would be perfect served at a summer BBQ with simple kebabs. Serve it along side my Yogurt, Harissa and Aleppo Pepper Chicken Kebabs with Za’atar and Feta Pita Bread. Or with my Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken.
Ingredients
Tomato and Bread Salad
Olive, Orange & Za'atar Dressing
Tomato and Bread Salad
- extra virgin olive oil
- crusty bread
- sherry vinegar
- sugar
- kosher salt
- garlic cloves
- red pepper flakes
- tomatoes, preferably heirloom
- shallot
- fresh parsley
- fresh oregano
- arugula
Olive Orange & Za'atar Dressing
- mixed pitted olives (I used Kalamata and Castelvetrano)
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh squeezed orange juice
- grated orange zest
- za’atar
- ground cinnamon
- ground cumin
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Preheat broiler.
Toss bread cubes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet.
Broil until lightly toasted and golden brown. Turn bread cubes over and repeat. Reserve.
In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic and pepper flakes.
Add tomatoes and shallots, tossing to combine. Allow to marinate for at least an hour -- or overnight covered in the refrigerator.
Prepare dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine all seven ingredients.
Process until smooth. Add more orange juice if the dressing needs thinning.
Add toasted bread cubes, parsley oregano and arugula to tomatoes in dressing.
Toss to combine. Transfer mixture to a serving dish/platter. Drizzle with reserved olive, orange and za’atar dressing, passing any remaining dressing separately.
Hint: leave a useful hint here, like let the grill run for 4-5 minutes to burn off any remnants, then clean it. I like to use this bristle-free barbecue brush (affiliate link) for cleaning the grill.
Substitutions
- Lettuce - peppery arugula is so good here, but spinach or mesclun greens will be fine
- Tomatoes - I used Heirloom tomatoes, but an mix of tomatoes will work including sliced cherry tomatoes, Romas or Campari
- Vegetarian and Vegan - this is guest friendly for vegans and vegetarians. For protein, add in a can of chickpeas.
- Herbs - I used parsley and oregano, but play around. Basil and thyme would work.
- Additions: Toss in a ½ cup of diced roasted red peppers. Coarsely chop some artichoke hearts and add them in.
Equipment
- baking sheet
- food processor or blender
- medium bowl
- zester
Storage
After the salad has been assembled, it won't store well. Consider assembling only what you need. The bread cubes will store for days covered. The tomatoes can marinate covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. And the dressing will keep covered in the fridge for up to a week.
🍽️ Recipe
Marinated Heirloom Tomato and Bread Salad with Olive, Orange and Za‘atar Dressing
Equipment
- baking sheet
- blender or food processor
- bowl
- zester
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon + ¼ cup extra- virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces crusty bread cut into 1” cubes
- 1-½ tablespoon sherry vinegar substitute champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-½ - 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
- 1 medium shallot thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- 3 to 4 handfuls of arugula
Olive, Orange & Za’atar Dressing
- ½ cup mixed pitted olives I used Kalamata and Castelvetrano
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon za’atar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat broiler.
- Toss bread cubes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Broil until lightly toasted and golden brown. Turn bread cubes over and repeat. Reserve.
- In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic and pepper flakes. Add tomatoes and shallots, tossing to combine. Allow to marinate for at least an hour -- or overnight covered in the refrigerator.
- Prepare dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine all seven ingredients, processing until smooth. Add more orange juice if the dressing needs thinning.
- Add toasted bread cubes, parsley oregano and arugula to tomatoes in dressing. Toss to combine. Transfer mixture to a serving dish/platter. Drizzle with reserved olive, orange and za’atar dressing, passing any remaining dressing separately.
Comments
No Comments