Spring Panzanella Salad with Asparagus
This Easy Spring Panzanella Salad with Asparagus and Za'atar Croutons is SO good. This salad recipe is filled with ingredients like radishes, asparagus, herbs, lettuce, and MORE.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For your salad
- 3 slices sourdough country loaf torn apart in 1" pieces
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
- 1 bundle of asparagus blanched, can also BBQ with salt and pepper and cool
- 1 head of green lettuce
- 1 head of radicchio thinly sliced
- 1 Persian cucumber thinly sliced in rounds
- 3-4 assorted radishes washed and thinly sliced
- 1 small bundle parsley torn
- finish with shaved pecorino romano your desired amount
- salt and pepper to taste
For your lemon dijon vinaigrette
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- pinch of chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Make your croutons. To begin, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bring a pot of water to a boil. Snap the ends of the asparagus and cut into 3's.
- Blanch asparagus. On a baking sheet with parchment paper, tear your bread into bite size pieces (about 1" pieces/cubes). Lay on the sheet, season with salt, pepper and za'atar with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well. Bake for 10-15 minutes until toasted to your liking, set aside to cool.
- Get an ice bath ready (bowl with a handful of ice and cold water). When your bread is in the oven, and your pot of water if boiling, add in your asparagus and blanch for 5-6 minutes until a vibrant green, remove immediately in an ice bath for another 5 minutes. Drain and dry.
- Prep spring vegetables. While your bread is baking, wash your crisp lettuce, slice your radicchio, cucumbers and radish, set aside.
- Toast your pine nuts. In a dry skillet on medium-low heat, add in your pine nuts and toast until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes), be careful here since they will burn quick! Set aside to cool. You can also not toast them if you prefer not to.
- Make your vinaigrette. In a small bowl, add in your lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Give it a quick mix with a whisk. Now slowly start streaming in your olive oil and mix until creamy and emulsified.
- Time to assemble! In a large bowl, add lettuce, radicchio, cucumber and radish. Add in your toasted pine nuts, blanched asparagus, cooled toasted torn bread croutons. Finish with torn parsley, shaved pecorino cheese, salt, pepper and drizzle on your dressing. Toss well and add in more cheese to top and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg