Description
Panzanella with burrata & tuna is a bright, no‑cook Italian‑inspired salad mixing juicy tomatoes, crusty bread, fresh herbs, creamy burrata, and flaky tuna. It’s easy to assemble and bursting with Mediterranean flavor — perfect for a light lunch or a refreshing dinner on warm days.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups day‑old crusty bread (ciabatta or baguette), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3–4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped into chunks
- 1 small cucumber, sliced or diced (optional)
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 can (about 5–6 oz / 150–170 g) tuna in olive oil or water, drained
- 1 ball (about 4–6 oz / 120–170 g) burrata cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, roughly torn or chopped
- Fresh parsley (optional), chopped
- 3 tbsp extra‑virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- A few capers (optional), drained, for briny bite
Instructions
- Place the bread cubes in a large salad bowl. If the bread is very hard, you can wet your hands slightly and rub the cubes gently under cold water, then squeeze out excess moisture (this helps soften slightly while keeping some crustiness).
- Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumber (if using), and red onion over the bread cubes.
- Drizzle the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the bread and vegetables. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper. Toss gently to combine, letting the bread soak up some of the juices.
- Add the drained tuna to the bowl, breaking it into large flakes with a fork. Add torn basil leaves and parsley (if using), and gently fold everything together just to mix; try not to break up the tomatoes too much.
- Transfer the salad to a serving plate or keep in the bowl. Place the burrata ball on top (or tear open and nestle the creamy center among the salad).
- Scatter capers (if using) around. Drizzle a little extra olive oil and a final crack of black pepper. Let the salad rest 5–10 minutes before serving — this helps the flavors meld and the bread to soften slightly without becoming mushy.
- Serve immediately, with extra burrata, basil, or a squeeze of lemon if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad, No-Cook
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: Italian / Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 3 servings
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg