Hello Lovelies, finally we can enjoy the summer and of course today I have a recipe to go with it: Panzanella with tofu. In collaboration with Taifun Tofu*, I created this version of the summer classic for you. I think it's no longer a secret that Taifun's tofu has been one of our favorites for years and is enjoyed by the whole family almost every day. But I also keep discovering varieties in the range that I rarely use and which then surprise me.
For another summery tofu salad, take a look at my crispy tofu salad with matcha dressing – high in protein and ready in 25 minutes.
For the Panzanella I have chosen the Mediterranean varieties: Tofu Basilico, Tofu Rosso and the Tofu Olive. All three go perfectly with the Italian bread salad and I'll show you 3 different ways how you can prepare the tofu and serve it with the salad. It is guaranteed not to be boring.
**Panzanella **
The bread salad, called Panzanella in Italy, comes from Tuscany, but is also served in other Italian regions. There are different views as to where the dish originally came from. But it is called "poor people's food". referred to because stale bread is used to make it edible again. Today the salad is very common and with the few ingredients it tastes simply delicious! It is also a great way to avoid food waste.
Panzanella with Tofu
The classic summer salad - refined with tofu
- Backofen
Brot
- 1/2-3/4 (ca. 250 g) Ciabatta or baguette (from the day before)
- 200 g firm tofu (e.g. Basilico, Rosso or Olive)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1-2 tsp salt
Salat
- 500 g tomatoes
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2 red onions
- 8 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt & pepper
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- fresh basil, capers and olives as desired
Bread
Heat the oven to 160 degrees
Cut the bread into cubes, approx. 2x2 cm
Cut the tofu into cubes
Press or finely chop the garlic, mix with the oil and salt and turn the tofu and the pieces of bread in it until everything is well distributed
Place on the baking sheet and bake for about 20-30 minutes until crispy
Salad
Cut the cucumber (cut away the inside) and tomatoes into cubes (pieces), put the onions in thin rings, everything in a bowl
Mix the dressing with the oil, vinegar, S&P and maple syrup and pour over the cucumbers, tomatoes and onions, let it steep for a while
Add the bread and tofu, mix everything and add fresh basil, capers and olives if desired
You have to try the salad, it's just perfect for the summer days. And if you don't want to put the tofu in the oven, you can fry it in the pan until crispy. To do this, cut the tofu into cubes, pat dry with kitchen paper, dust with a little starch and then fry in oil until crispy. We used the Tofu Rosso for this, which was very tasty.
Another version - especially popular with olive lovers - is to add the tofu olive raw to the salad. Simply crumble a little with your hands and add extra olives to the salad and you have another delicious variation.
Now you have many options to enjoy this fine salad. I'm curious what you like best. And if you are looking for more tofu ideas, you will find many recipes here on the blog.
If you love light summer salads, you will probably also enjoy my tomato-peach salad or the refreshing vegan watermelon-feta salad – just like the panzanella, both are perfect for warm days.
Enjoy your summer!
Love Verena
If you have Pinterest you can find me here and you can pin one of these pictures if you like:
*This blog post was created in collaboration with Taifun Tofu - the recipes are my own.
