Recipes | Salads: Main Dish & Sides

Low FODMAP Panzanella

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What is Low FODMAP Panzanella? It is bread salad, and before I lose you here and you think that sounds odd, let me entice you.

overhead Low FODMAP Panzanella with Tomatoes, Cucumbers & basil in a glass pedestal dish with wooden servers alongside

Cubes of sourdough bread, tossed in garlic-infused olive oil and lightly toasted, combined with farm-fresh juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, fresh basil and mozzarella, all dressed in a red wine vinaigretteand it gets better after it sits for a while – which means it is a fantastic salad for entertaining, yet it is easy enough for a weeknight.

Or, Try The Grill

A variation that we love is to brush slices of bread with the garlic-infused olive oil and toast the bread over a hardwood charcoal fire. The smoky flavor adds an entirely new dimension to the dish. We make this version in the summer all the time when the grill is going.

Make It Fresh

Panzanella is best made when tomatoes are ripe. Really ripe. Perfectly ripe. They must be super juicy – choose one’s that are heavy for their size – and they should have exceptional flavor. (Time to make our Caprese, too.)

vertical low FODMAP Panzanella with Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Basil in glass pedestal dish on the deck

This is the time to shop at the farmers market – or if you grow tomatoes (or your neighbor does), this is the recipe to make.

Low FODMAP, Top to Bottom

Beefsteak tomatoes and cucumbers have both shown no detectable FODMAPs during lab testing.

overhead Low FODMAP Panzanella with Tomatoes, Cucumbers & basil in a glass pedestal dish with wooden servers alongside-2

Persian cucumbers, sometimes called mini seedless cucumbers (see below), are small, slender cucumbers that have very few, if any, seeds. Their skin is tender enough to leave on, which we like. You could use other cucumbers in a total of 6-ounces (170 g); just make sure to seed and you might have to peel, depending.

Mini seedless cucumbers

Sourdough bread – real wheat-based sourdough bread – is low FODMAP. Surprised?

While wheat contains fructans (a FODMAP), the fructans are largely consumed during a long fermentation, leaving the resulting bread low FODMAP. Note that the presence of yeast on the ingredient list does not necessarily mean anything.

Read more in our article, How To Choose Low FODMAP Bread.

It should go without saying that this dish is not gluten-free.

I do not recommend making this with GF bread. I have not found an equivalent that will provide the desired chewy texture and sour wheat flavor as traditional sourdough, but this is your choice.

Low FODMAP Panzanella with Tomatoes, Cucumbers & basil in a glass pedestal dish

This Low FODMAP Panzanella is a traditional recipe that is so easy, even non-cooks will have success.

Try it when tomatoes are ripe!

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overhead Low FODMAP Panzanella with Tomatoes, Cucumbers & basil in a glass pedestal dish with wooden servers alongside
5 from 1 vote

Low FODMAP Panzanella

Panzanella is bread salad! Made with juicy ripe tomatoes and in this case, sourdough bread.

Makes: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Author: Dédé Wilson

Ingredients:

  • 4- ounces (115 g) sourdough bread bite-sized cubes
  • 5 tablespoons Garlic-Infused Oil, made with olive oil, or purchased equivalent, divided
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2- pounds (910 g) very ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 8- ounces (225 g) fresh mozzarella (I use small
    Ciliegine, torn into bite-sized pieces)
  • 2 (85 g total) Persian seedless mini cucumbers, trimmed and chopped crosswise
  • ½ cup (32 g) chopped scallions, green parts only
  • 1 tablespoon drained, brine-packed capers
  • 1/3 cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
  • ¼ cup (8 g) fresh flat leaf parsley leaves chopped or torn
  • 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Generous ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preparation:

  1. Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
  2. Toss the bread cubes together with 2 tablespoons of the oil in a bowl until well coated. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Scatter on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until just beginning to take on some color, about 8 minutes. Toss the cubes around once during baking for even toasting. Cool.
  3. Meanwhile, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumbers, scallions and capers in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in cooled bread, then toss in fresh herbs.
  4. Whisk together remaining oil with red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Dress the salad to lightly moisten and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  5. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. The flavors and textures will meld and it becomes more than a sum of its parts.

Notes:

Tips

  • If you have access to heirloom tomatoes of different colors and flavors, by all means use them for a more intricate panoply of visuals and taste.
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1779IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.