Review: Ina Garten’s Greek Panzanella Salad Recipe is a Summer Delight

2025-07-07T17:54:26Z

I tried Ina Garten’s Greek panzanella salad.

The easy dish features cucumber, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and homemade croutons.

Garten’s salad is fresh, juicy, crunchy, and oh so perfect for summer.

Growing up in a Greek household, the classic Greek salad was a staple at every meal.

I’ve carried this dish with me across the globe, often preparing it for a quick and healthy lunch or dinner.

While I adhere to certain rules — like skipping the lettuce — I’m always open to trying new variations of the classic Greek dish. When I found Ina Garten’s recipe featuring homemade croutons, I had to give it a try.

It turns out, it’s one of the best Barefoot Contessa summer recipes.

Garten’s Greek panzanella salad adds a fresh twist to the classic Italian dish.

Ingredients for Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — Ingredients for Ina Garten’s Greek panzanella salad.

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To prepare Garten’s Greek panzanella salad, gather the following ingredients:

Good olive oil

6 cups of “rustic” or French bread, diced into 1-inch cubes

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled and seeded, halved lengthwise and sliced ½-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, large-diced

1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, thinly sliced into half-rounds

½ pound of good feta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ cup of kalamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette, you will need:

2 cloves of garlic, minced

¼ cup of good red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

I couldn’t find French or “rustic” bread at my local store, so I used thick-sliced white bread. The croutons still turned out wonderfully!

Before assembling the salad, I needed to make the homemade croutons.

Cutting handmade croutons for Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — Cubing bread for Garten’s homemade croutons.

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After cubing my bread, I added ¼ cup of olive oil to a large sauté pan and allowed it to heat up.

A trick I learned from Martha Stewart helped me know when the pan was ready. If a few drops of water sizzle on contact, the oil is hot enough.

I added my bread cubes to the pan and seasoned them with salt and pepper.

Making croutons for Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — Making the homemade croutons.

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Garten suggests cooking the bread cubes over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, until they’re lightly browned. Feel free to add more olive oil if needed!

While the croutons were cooking, I began chopping my veggies.

Chopping veggies for Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — My chopped bell peppers.

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I seeded and diced my bell peppers, sliced my cucumber and red onion, and halved my tomatoes.

After about 10 minutes, my croutons were ready.

Homemade croutons for Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — My homemade croutons.

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My croutons had turned a lovely golden brown, and I knew they would look beautiful in the salad.

It was time to assemble the Greek panzanella salad!

Adding chopped veggies to a bowl for Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — Adding the prepared veggies to a salad bowl.

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I threw the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into a large bowl and tossed everything together.

Then, I whipped up the vinaigrette.

Making the dressing for Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — Making the vinaigrette for the salad.

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I combined red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl, adding a teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper before whisking everything together.

As I whisked, I gradually added ½ cup of olive oil to create an emulsion. The dressing was ready in no time.

I poured my vinaigrette over the veggies, then added the feta, olives, and croutons. My salad looked beautiful.

Ina Garten's Greek panzanella salad — Ina Garten’s Greek panzanella salad.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I gently tossed all ingredients together and let the salad sit for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Then, I dug in!

Garten’s Greek panzanella salad is a delightful harmony of fresh flavors and crisp textures. It’s crunchy, juicy, and vibrantly colorful, making it an ideal summer dish. The homemade croutons were a worthwhile effort, and adding smoked kalamata olives enhanced the flavor even more.

This salad has been a hit at two potlucks with friends, and I look forward to making it for my parents, who are fans of Garten’s Greek orzo salad.

As a Greek American recently back from Greece, I can attest to the Barefoot Contessa’s respect for our cuisine.

Perhaps my mother was right: Ina might have been Greek in another life.