This spring salad is mostly made up of strawberries and fried bread. FRIED BREAD. Oh, and fresh mozzarella to seal the deal. It’s easy to make ahead, so this makes a perfect side dish for Easter!
Today I went down to my parent’s house in Manteca, and my mom and I sorted through some old boxes of my stuff.
(Manteca is where I grew up and it means “lard” in Spanish. Somebody commented on my blog today, “I am so glad to have found you, and these, although my bum is not.” I’m sorry about your bum, Abbie, but I come from a town called Lard. It’s not my fault. Even the salad I’m posting today is ruined with fried bread. YES FRIED BREAD.)
But anyway, back to the old boxes. Are you a packrat? I’m not. I throw everything away, and somehow I still feel like my house is full to the brim. But my mom convinced me to hang on to some of my old stuff:
Fattest baby/cutest kindergartener award!!
I share a birthday with my Uncle Jim. I think it’s clear that that cake is really all mine though.
POGS!!! Also, me and my bro Nate performing a legendary rendition of “There’s a Hole in the Bucket Dear Liza.”
I’m not in these photos. It’s my sister Nikki. I just really wanted you to see that dress/hair combo and All The Stonewash. The photo on the right is Nikki on top of White Lightning, our family station wagon. I texted her this photo and she said, “I remember that. December of 1998. The shoes were popular in 1988 btw. Posterity will hardly notice the difference.” I think she’s right.
I laughed so hard when I read this poem. Like mother like daughter… On the right, me in London where I travelled with my high school choir as the piano accompanist. Or maybe that’s just a cover for my secret Superman identity.
It’s so weird to see your entire life in a box. Baby announcements right next to high school term papers. I found a letter from a congressman congratulating my parents on my birth. I guess that used to be a thing? Weird right?? My high school reunion is this year. (10 years! How?) I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to go, but after going through all this stuff now I kind of want to.
Panzanella! Do you love it? My friend Kate told me about this AMAZING salad she had in a restaurant a few weeks ago, and I had to recreate it. She came over as I was doing the shoot and I asked her if it looked right, and she just said MORE STRAWBERRIES. More strawberries than greens. My kind of salad.
Can we talk about fried bread?
Why is this not more of a thing? I mean, I’ve fried dough. I’ve fried tortillas. Why not bread? Croutons are usually baked. But Kate told me to fry, and who am I to argue? Best. thing. ever. Eric and I ate the leftovers warm with syrup. I will be coming up with some way to breakfast this idea, just you wait.
The fried bread can be made 1 day ahead of time, so this is a perfect salad for Easter. In fact, the entire salad can be prepped the day before, except the mozzarella. Save that until the last minute so that it doesn’t dry out. And of course keep the bread separate so that it doesn’t get soggy.
Strawberry Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups olive oil
- 1 pound loaf of french bread, day old works great
- salt and pepper
- 8 to 16 ounces mixed greens of your choice
- 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 3 ounce bunch of basil, chiffonade*
- 16 ounces fresh mozzarella
- balsamic vinaigrette, I like Newman's Own
Instructions
- In a high-sided skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- While the oil gets hot, slice the bread into bite size cubes.
- Test a piece of bread in the oil. If it immediately starts to bubble, it's ready.
- Fry the bread in several batches. Stir the bread frequently so it doesn't stick to the pan. When the cubes are golden (about 3-4 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper immediately. At this point you can store the bread for up to 24 hours on the counter.
- When you are ready to serve the salad, add the greens to a large salad bowl. (Use however much you want--it's totally up to you. A traditional panzanella has no greens.)
- Add the strawberries, basil, and mozzarella, and toss. Add as many croutons as you think you will eat, or all of them if you anticipate finishing off the salad. (Once the croutons are combined with the salad, they will start to get soggy, so if you anticipate leftovers it's best to add them a little at a time.)
- Dress the salad with balsamic vinaigrette and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Other salads that would be great to serve on Easter:
More Panzanella from other bloggers:
Honey and Strawberry Panzanella Salad from The Housewife Training Files
Caprese Panzanella Salad from Spicy Perspective
Chickpea Panzanella from The Clever Carrot
Pogs. OMG. Probably one of the weirdest inventions, but also maybe the coolest. Kids these days have no idea what they’re missing. So onto the fried bread. YES. Yes to it all. I mean, you are eating salad so there’s plenty of calorie room to eat all the fried bread.
I love looking through all photos. Love the one of you in the phone booth. Oh my, fried bread. You sure do know a way to a girl’s heart. Pinned.
It’s so funny that I am reading this post today. . I am in Dallas, at my parents house, sleeping in my old room, with my kids! :P I was looking through some old photo albums last night. . I used to be a packrat but I also throw a lot away now. . but with the kids, things just pile up everywhere!! but photos and a few pieces of drawings, cards or art are the things I keep. . :) love love love this strawberry panzanella salad!!!! love strawberries in salad!!! gorgeous!!!
This salad looks amazing! Love the colors!
Also, I thought that was a picture of Jennifer Lawrence coming out of the phone booth. I guess you have two secret identities? :p
HA! That’s funny. Wait, I mean SHHH this is actually Jennifer Lawrence’s blog… :)
This looks AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Stephanie! Glad I’m not the only one who gets excited about strawberries and fried bread :)
That baby picture!! I love it!
And whoa this salad. I have a huge thing for panzanella and this version sounds amazinggggg.
It’s not often that I salivate over a salad but THIS salad looks amazing.
My husband says: “Look at that sexy mamma and that sexy dress and that sexy hair.” Yes, that’s right. Referring me in to the double-ruffled number. That’s how I caught him, girls.
I didn’t even get the deliciously crispy fried bread and I STILL thought this salad was amaze-balls. Especially as leftovers that meant I didn’t have to make myself dinner.
I LOVE that you were born with a full head of dark hair (me too!!) – maybe we really are twins.
What is it with the blondes and the dark hair? Both of my blonde kids came out looking like adorable little Mexicans.
Can i just have a bowl of fried bread!? ;)
This salad is very pretty.
I’m loving all those pictures and suuuper happy I’m not in any of them! Haha
Oh, I bet your turn is coming Misty, there are many choices in the archives :)
Oh Misty, let me go back, I’m SURE I can find you in my archives somewhere!! :) And PS a bowl of fried bread is a glorious thing. Add syrup. I’M TELLING YOU.
Haha!! I love all those flashback pictures. And I’m with Kate, more strawberries than greens! This sounds beyond amazing!
Thanks Julia! It’s so fun to look at old pictures like this right? Talk about a throw back.