BLT Panzanella with Quick-Pickled Shallots
All the flavors of your favorite summer sandwich in a hearty salad.
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Recipe Summary
Consider yourself warned: This is not your usual panzanella. Our version, made with two kinds of red tomatoes (be sure they are at the peak of ripeness), is full of bold textures and robust flavors from crumbled bacon, sharp radicchio, and crisp croutons cooked in bacon drippings and seasoned with paprika. This salad will change the way you think about panzanella (for the better, of course).
Regular panzanella salad can be heavy—understandably so, considering it's made from a base of toasted bread. This panzanella salad is equal parts indulgent and refreshing, incorporating plenty of fresh summer tomatoes to balance out the richness of the bacon fat croutons. Yes, we said bacon fat croutons. Mama will love this one.
While you won't find lettuce in a standard panzanella, radicchio provides a nice crunch to the salad. Quick-pickled shallots add an acidic note that rounds out the dish. Serve this summer salad with a glass of light white wine.