It’s been strangely warm the last couple of days here in New York so I opted to save my line-up of soup and stew recipes and take on a lighter challenge: Winter Panzanella. Panzanella, or Italian bread salad, is a mix of homemade croutons tossed with your choice of assorted veggies and dressing.
I love the bright colors of the blanched Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash and vinegar-soaked red onions in this recipe I adapted from Michael Chiarello. Fresh sage and thyme give this healthy, simple side a seasonal twist, making it taste just as good as it looks.
Update: A big shout-out to BlogHer for featuring this recipe in their What’s Hot column!
Ingredients
For the croutons:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 6 cups day-old whole wheat baguette, crust removed, cubed
- 8 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
For the salad:
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash
- 1/2 cup plus 1½ Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, then quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Melt the butter in a large pan set over medium heat. Cook it until it foams, and then add the garlic and thyme. Immediately add the cubed bread, tossing well to coat.
- Add 6 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese to the pan and stir.
- Transfer the bread mixture to a baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.
- Bake the bread mixture until the croutons become crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove them and set them aside while you prepare the dressing.
- Combine the sherry vinegar and the onions in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Toss the squash with 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil and the chopped sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the butternut squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until the squash is tender and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the quartered Brussels sprouts and cook them until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain.
- Whisk the remaining olive oil into the red onion mixture.
- In a large bowl combine the croutons, roasted squash and Brussels sprouts. Add the onions and vinaigrette and toss well.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from Michael Chiarello.
I loved both the flavors and the colors of this dish. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thank you so much for rating the recipe, Pam!
Hi Kelly !
I had to share your “Winter Panzanella” on my, “Whacchoo Bloggin’ Bout” section. Looks amazing and perfect to kick off fall without letting go of the summer. Must move on. Can’t move on. Must. Move. On. Thank you for helping with the transition!
http://www.meatandpaprika.com/2013/09/whacchoo-bloggin-bout-week-2/
Justin & Garnet.
Awesome!! Just looks and sounds awesome!!
Pretty bad spelling huh??? LOL!!!!
Thanks for “THE BEAT” website!!! Gteat recipes, and you are SOOOOO pretty!!! Thanks again TOM
Saw this on Say MMM’s FB page. Made it last night and loved it. Thanks!
Thanks so much for your comment, Leslie, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Looks soo good!
I love a good panzanella, but I’ve actually never made it myself. That will be changing though! Can’t wait to try this. Gorgeous blog BTW, so glad I found it!
Thank you, Rachel! And welcome!