Root Vegetable Panzanella Salad with Balsamic-Herb Vinaigrette
Panzanella, or Italian bread salad, is traditionally made by tossing together tomato wedges, lightly-toasted bread cubes, basil, and sliced red onion in a tangy vinaigrette. However, this winter-appropriate version is made with root vegetables and an herby-balsamic vinaigrette.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Vegetables
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
- 4 large carrots, peeled, sliced, and quartered (about 3 cups)
- 4 parsnips, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- black pepper, to taste
For the Croutons
- 1 crusty whole-grain, seeded, or gluten-free loaf, cubed (about 6-8 cups of bread cubes)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
For the Balsamic-Herb Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
To Make the Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the cubed sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips out over the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To Make the Croutons
- While the vegetables are roasting, spread the bread cubes out over a pan that's been lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Pop the pan into the oven for the last 10-15 minutes that the vegetables are roasting. Bake until toasted (10-15 minutes), tossing halfway through baking.
To Make the Dressing
- Add the olive oil, balsamic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper to a small bowl. Whisk together until blended.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables and toasted bread cubes to a large bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss to coat.
- Serve.
- Refrigerate leftovers.