Have some leftover bread ready for repurposing? Make this hearty Panzanella Kale Salad With Apples, Bacon, And Cheese Vinaigrette!
Every Saturday, after a trip to my local farmers’ market, I make a beeline for my favorite bakery to indulge my love of carbs. It’s such a joy to walk in and ogle those rustic delights while filling my lungs with the tempting aroma of freshly baked bread. Choosing is never easy. The chewy sourdough baguettes! The hearty rye loaves speckled with seeds! The deeply golden braids of buttery brioche! Inevitably, my self-restraint crumbles, and I leave with enough bread to feed an army—plus a box of lavish little pastries because, well, it’s the weekend.
Back home, the first loaf (usually a focaccia) is savored alongside a soup made with the vegetables I scored that morning at the market. Later, a baguette is sliced up for canapés to enjoy with our pre-dinner drinks, and another is left whole on the table for dinner, torn into at will, just as my husband’s family in France taught me. The carb fest continues into Sunday morning with slices of toasted sourdough, slathered in salted butter, and topped with dollops of strawberry jam. By lunchtime, though, those once-perfect loaves are starting to lose their spring and practically begging for a revival. Luckily, slightly stale bread is where my culinary juices really start to flow. I’ve turned it into ribollita (a Tuscan bread soup with beans and kale), croutons, bread puddings, and even pangrattato (those crispy fried breadcrumbs sprinkled on pasta).
Last week, though, my leftover bread found its true calling in a robust panzanella with kale. Normally, I make this vibrant Italian bread salad with olives, tomatoes, basil, and plenty of peppery olive oil. But this autumnal version took a different turn with crisp turkey bacon, sweet chunks of apple, grilled red onion, and a smoky vinaigrette infused with mild, nutty Jarlsberg cheese. If my bread could talk, I’m certain it would have thanked me. And trust me—you’ll be thanking me, too, when you take your first bite of this masterpiece of a salad.
Is This Panzanella Kale Salad With Apples, Bacon, And Cheese Vinaigrette Healthy?
I would certainly say so! Kale and apples are nutritional powerhouses chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This recipe calls for turkey bacon, which is lower in saturated fat than regular bacon, but I’ve also swapped in tempeh bacon with excellent results. As for the bread, the choice is pretty much up to you. Though this recipe calls for a wheat baguette, you could also use whole-grain bread for extra fiber. The star of the dressing is the Jarlsberg cheese, which adds some calcium, but if you’re lactose intolerant, a plant-based cheddar-style cheese works beautifully.
Delicious Variations
The great thing about salads is that they lend themselves to endless variations. And this hearty panzanella is no exception. Instead of apples, you could also make it with crisp pears, perhaps adding in some tangy, dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness and some toasted pecans for a bit of crunch. Grapes would also be a delicious addition to this salad. In that case, I would crown the salad with chunks of a creamy, bloomy-rind cheese, such as Brie or Camembert. Trust me—one can never have too much cheese! For extra color, some shredded radicchio or a scattering of ruby-red pomegranate seeds would make a lovely addition.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
This panzanella kale salad is best enjoyed fresh, as the bread can get a bit soggy when stored in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this salad alone as a light lunch, or with a velvety Sweet Potato Curry Soup to mirror its autumnal flavors. I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it as a side to a succulent Cast-Iron Pork Tenderloin or juicy Smoked Pork Chops.
Looking for more great ways to repurpose leftover bread? Dig into a bowl of this hearty Ribollita or rise and shine to this delicious Overnight French Toast.
Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 cups packed, cubed crusty bread
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 1 1/3 cups red onion roughly chopped
- 4 strips of turkey bacon
- 5-6 cups kale roughly chopped
- 2 cups apples diced, about 1 large apple
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup Jarlsberg light cheese finely grated
- 5 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons hickory liquid smoke
- 5 teaspoons maple syrup
- 4 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium and place the bread in a large bowl. Lightly drizzle the bread with olive oil and toss so that it coats the cubes.
- Grill the bread until lightly charred and crunchy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Watch it closely to ensure it doesn't burn. Then flip and cook the other side until crunchy. Place into a bowl and set aside.
- Place a grill basket on the grill and add in the chopped red onion. Cook until lightly charred, stirring every so often.
- While the red onion cooks, heat a large pan on medium high heat and spray it with cooking spray. Cook the bacon strips until golden brown and crispy, about 1-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel to remove any excess fat, and cut into thin slices.
- Place the kale and diced apples into a large serving bowl. Then, add in the cubed bread, red onion, and bacon slices. Toss to evenly distribute.
- To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.
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