Grilled Eggplant Panzanella Salad
Grilled Eggplant Panzanella Salad. Nothing like a Panzanella salad in the summer. Especially a grilled Panzanella salad. Loaded with thick-cut crispy bread, grilled eggplant, cherry tomatoes, green olives, Calabrian chilies, and pine nuts. Drizzled with olive oil and shallot vinegar then topped with creamy fresh burrata. Light, refreshing, summery, and delicious !!
You guys know by now I love my veggies…especially when they’re charred on the grill. And nothing beats a panzanella salad in the summer that is filled with veggies and the perfectly toasted thick-cut bread. I am totally obsessed this one and its super summery so it’s perfect for a mid July mid week pick me up.
The bread is thick-cut and charred on the grill then sliced into big chunks. The eggplant also has that char flavor from the grill, and honestly there is nothing I love more in the summer than some grilled eggplant. So many things to pair it with including this delicious panzanella salad. We also added cherry tomatoes, green olives, Calabrian chilies, basil, and pine nuts for extra freshness, spice, and herby flavors.
The dressing is simple. It’s tossed in a little olive oil and shallot vinegar. Sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. Finally the perfect touch…fresh and creamy delicious burrata. Because you can put burrata on just about anything and it will make it 10x better.
Tonight we are at the shore and I am looking forward to having a half day tomorrow then going to sit on the beach. This whole week has been beautiful so being stuck inside working has been tough. But this morning I went for a beautiful sunrise run and tonight I will be enjoying this panzanella salad and some wine on the deck, so I guess things could be worse !! Happy almost weekend guys !!
Ingredients
4 slices thick-cut bread
1 large eggplant; cut into chunks
1/2 cup olive oil; divided
salt and pepper
10 ounces cherry tomatoes; divided
1/4 cup green olives; whole
1/4 cup green olives; chopped
4 - 5 Calabrian chilies; chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons shallot vinegar
8 ounces burrata
Directions
Drizzle the bread and the eggplant with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the grill over high heat. Grill the bread and eggplant until charred. Slice the bread into chunks.
In a large serving bowl, add the grilled bread chunks, grilled eggplant, tomatoes, olives, Calabrian chilies, pine nuts, and chopped basil. Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and shallot vinegar. Toss to combine.
Serve topping with additional basil and burrata.
