Panzanella with Pandesal Recipe (2024)

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This Panzanella with Pandesal is a Filipino twist on the Italian Panzanella Salad. Made with toasted Pandesal with creamy pieces of Kesong Puti and Malunggay Pesto. It's summer on a plate.

Panzanella with Pandesal Recipe (1)

First of what is Panzanella?

There is a misconception that it's a tomato salad. Actually it's a bread dish flavored with vegetables. Originally it was made with stale bread, onion and vinegar. Over time this Tuscan dish has evolved to heavily feature tomatoes. Which is what we are going to play with today.

Filipino Style Panzanella Ingredients

From the title of this recipe (Panzanella with Pandesal) one of the key ingredients is Pandesal! You can make it from scratch using this recipe or of course buy it. The best place to buy Pandesal is from a Filipino bakery. Here are a few places I recommend in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Kesong Puti

Another component of Panzanella with Pandesal is Kesong Puti. Kesong Puti is a homemade white cheese, that is super easy to make from scratch. I do have a recipe for it here on my site. It's very similar to ricotta, so if you are not up to making it from scratch it's fine to replace it with ricotta or even burrata.

You can also buy it online from my friends at Marias Bulacan Sweets. They have sourced some water buffalo in New Jersey and they make it from scratch.

Malunggay Pesto

Another easy to make from scratch component is Malunggay Pesto. I like to make mine with cashews. My recipe uses fresh Malunggay leaves that gives it an awesome green color. Of course you can use other store bought pesto, but it won't have malunggay!

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Cocomansi

To replace the vinegar I used some Cocomansi instead. It's made with Coconut Aminos and Calamansi Juice. You can easily buy a bottle in the US. The company is called Saint C and available through several online stores. The calamansi gives it a nice touch of acid.

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Other Ingredients

Of course the core of this Panzanella with Pandesal recipe are tomatoes. Which are great during the summer months. Pick the most vibrant and juicy ones!

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Lettuce is something optional. Not necessary, if this is just going to be a side dish. However highly recommended if it's going to be the main dish on the table.

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How to Make Panzanella with Pandesal

Now that we have all our ingredients, let's make the thing.

First thing you have to do is flavor and toast the Pandesal. You would need about 4 for this recipe. Rip each Pandesal into 4 pieces and place in a bowl. Drizzle some olive oil (about a tablespoon or so) and season with a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Toast in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes until nice and golden. Take out of the oven when done and leave too cool on the counter.

While the bread is toasting cut the tomatoes into wedges. Place them in a colander that has been set over a bowl. Sprinkle a tablespoon of salt over the tomatoes and leave to sit for 10 minutes until the juices have seeped out.

Take the bowl with the tomato juice and add in 2 tablespoons of cocomansi and ¼ cup of olive oil. Stir well.

How to Serve Panzanella with Pandesal

To serve the Panzanella with Pandesal place the lettuce on a large plate and layer on top the tomatoes, toasted Pandesal, kesong puti, and malunggay pesto. Drizzle some of the dressing all over and leave the rest on the side. Have with a nice cold crisp glass of wine.

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How to store Panzanella with Pandesal

It's best to have it all the same day. If you do have left overs aim to eat it the next day at the least.

For more Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox. And if you make this recipe. I would love to see it. Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.

Panzanella with Pandesal Recipe

This Panzanella with Pandesal is a Filipino twist on the Italian Panzanella Salad. Made with toasted Pandesal with creamy pieces of Kesong Puti and Malunggay Pesto. It's summer on a plate.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino, Italian

Servings: 4 People

Author: Rezel Kealoha

Ingredients

  • 4 Pandesal
  • 3 Large Tomatoes
  • ½ Cup Kesong Puti
  • 2 Cups Lettuce
  • ¼ Cup Malunggay Pesto
  • 2 Tablespoons Cocomansi
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt
  • ¼ + 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil Divided

Instructions

Toast Pandesal

  • Pre-heat oven to 350F

  • Rip each Pandesal into 4 pieces and place in a bowl. Drizzle some olive oil (about a tablespoon or so) and season with a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

    Toast for 10 minutes until nice and golden. Take out of the oven when done and leave too cool on the counter.

Season Tomatoes

  • While the bread is toasting cut the tomatoes into wedges. Place them in a colander that has been set over a bowl. Sprinkle a tablespoon of salt over the tomatoes and leave to sit for 10 minutes until the juices have seeped out.es

Make Dressing

  • Take the bowl with the tomato juice and add in 2 tablespoons of cocomansi and ¼ cup of olive oil. Stir well.

Serve The Salad

  • To serve the Panzanella with Pandesal place the lettuce on a large plate and layer on top the tomatoes, toasted Pandesal,kesong puti,andmalunggay pesto. Drizzle some of the dressing all over and leave the rest on the side

Notes

Link to Pandesal Recipe

Link to Kesong Puti Recipe

Link to Malunggay Pesto Recipe

Did you enjoy making it? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @rezelkealoha with the #rezelkealoha!

Panzanella with Pandesal Recipe (9)
Panzanella with Pandesal Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is good to eat with panzanella? ›

It's also a great starter to a fun Italian menu with anything including sundried tomato pasta, eggplant parmesan, chicken pesto, or Fish of your choice. Panzanella can also be the perfect summer salad for your next BBQ with things like chicken kabobs, lamb burgers, or grilled shrimp.

What are the main ingredients in panzanella? ›

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

What does the word panzanella mean in English? ›

Meaning of panzanella in English

an Italian salad made with stale (= not fresh) bread in oil and tomatoes, and often other vegetables: Stale bread can be used in panzanella, a Tuscan bread salad.

In which part of Italy did the dish panzanella originate? ›

Panzanella
Alternative namesPanmolle
TypeSalad
Place of originItaly
Region or stateUmbria, Tuscany
Main ingredientsBread, tomatoes, onions
2 more rows

What is nice to eat with bread? ›

EVERYDAY100 WAYS TO USE BREAD
  • Egg Cups. Eggs on toast is cool, but have you tried our egg-cellent pesto toast cups? ...
  • French Toast. ...
  • Egg Soldiers. ...
  • Big Brekkie, Cafe Style. ...
  • Egg in a Hole. ...
  • Vegemite Toast. ...
  • Smashed Avo. ...
  • Shakshuka Cob.

What does panzanella taste like? ›

Earthy beets, vibrant orange, and fresh herbs like dill, parsley, tarragon, and mint add depth to the entire dish. Food and Wine's roundup of eighteen amazing Italian salads including a panzanella recipe is a great place to start.

Why is it called Israeli salad? ›

It was adopted by Jewish immigrants to the Levant in the late 19th century, who found the locally grown Kirby cucumbers and tomatoes in popular local salad. It was popularized in the kibbutzim, where the Jewish farmers had local fresh produce at hand. The name Israeli Salad is used mainly outside of Israel.

What are the best tomatoes for salads? ›

Cherry tomatoes are small, round tomatoes that are perfect for snacking and salads. As their namesake suggests, they are about the same size and shape as a cherry. Most cherry tomatoes are red, but they do come in other colors like yellow and orange.

What is the word focaccia? ›

Focaccia (pronounced fo-kah-cha) is a flat bread similar to pizza dough that can be either sweet or savory. In Italy, Liguria is the best known region for focaccia, which is called “classica” in Genoa, a focaccia 1/2 to 1 inch thick, with a light crust and an surface full of indentations that hold oil.

What is the meaning of Russian salad? ›

/ˌrʌʃn ˈsæləd/ [uncountable, countable] ​a dish consisting of pieces of cooked vegetables, covered with mayonnaise.

What is garlic bread dictionary? ›

noun. : bread toasted and flavored with butter and garlic.

What to eat with panzanella? ›

What to Serve with Panzanella. Thanks to the hearty bread and mozzarella, this panzanella salad is a great lunch or light dinner on its own. If you're looking for something to pair with it, I recommend grilled eggplant or zucchini to round out the meal. It would also go nicely with any protein you like.

What is the oldest dish in Italy? ›

Testaroli is an ancient pasta that originated from the Etruscan civilization, a civilization of ancient Italy. The book Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking states that testaroli is "a direct descendant of the porridges of the Neolithic age that were poured over hot stones to cook".

What is the oldest bread in Italy? ›

Altamura bread is one of the most famous gastronomic products in Puglia. It has very ancient origins. The latin poet Orazio (1st century BC) in a passage from the "Satire" wrote: "best bread in the world, so much so that the diligent traveler brings a supply for the continuation of the journey".

What do you eat with Arabic flat bread? ›

You can serve this zaatar flatbread as part of a healthy breakfast spread alongside homemade labneh and fresh vegetables like tomatoes, olives, cucumber, mint, etc. They also do well served as part of a mezze spread alongside dips and dishes like this creamy hummus, smoky baba ganoush, fresh tabouli, etc.

How do you eat honey and bread? ›

Evenly spread 1 tablespoon of the melted butter on 1 slice of the milk bread. Top with 1/3 of the honey butter (about 1 tablespoon) and spread into an even layer. Repeat layering bread, melted butter, and honey butter two more times.

Do you eat salad with bread? ›

Salad on its own isn't easily filling and is quickly digested. Its normally served with bread as bread is cheap(much cheaper than salad ingredients in some places) and also filling and is also digested more slowly than salad so if you eat it with salad you will not be hungry a few minutes later.

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