Avocado Panzanella with Snap Peas + Feta Cheese

This is not your traditional Panzanella salad! This twist on an old classic is made with crisp, sweet snap peas, creamy avocado, and feta cheese, all tossed with toasted bread and basil vinaigrette!

a white oval bowl filled with bright green avocado panzanella salad with a gold spoon and an off white tea towel.

Panzanella salad is essentially a salad that replaces lettuce with toasted bits of bread, aka my dream salad! This version is made with chunks of avocado, snap peas, feta cheese, all tossed with a lemony basil vinaigrette. Avocado Panzanella is perfect for your next BBQ or dinner party. Serve alongside grilled lamb chops, or grilled shrimp to make it a complete meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s what you’ll need to make Avocado Panzanella: snap peas, feta cheese, avocado, day old bread, shallot, basil, olive oil and basil vinaigrette.

recipe ingredients on a blue background; a loaf of bread, olive oil, avocado, basil, shallot, snap peas and feta cheese

Recipe Steps:

Step One: Preheat the oven to 350. Toss the torn bread and olive oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet; season well with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes occasionally tossing the croutons to keep them from burning. Let cool completely.

left: croutons on a parchment lined baking tray.
right: panzanella salad in a stainless steel mixing bowl with a spoon.

Step Two: In a large bowl toss the snap peas, avocado, feta, herbs, and toasted bread with the basil vinaigrette, season with salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

This Lemon + Basil Vinaigrette is the magic that ties everything together. It’s super easy to make and perfectly compliments the avocado, feta, peas, and toasty bread. Watch the video below to see how it’s made:

FAQs and Expert Tips

Whats is the best bread for panzanella salad?

You can use almost any type of bread for panzanella salad. Ciabatta, French baguette, country loaf or sourdough are all great options.

Can I use gluten-free bread for this recipe?

Absolutely! You can use almost any type of bread for this panzanella salad, including gluten-free.

What is panzanella salad?

Traditional panzanella salad is an Italian summertime specialty made with stale bread, tomatoes, and cucumbers dressed with olive oil and vinegar.

avocado panzanella salad close up with toasted bread, snap peas, diced avocado and basil vinaigrette

Check out more delicious recipes:

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a white oval bowl filled with bright green avocado panzanella salad with a gold spoon and an off white tea towel.

Avocado Panzanella with Snap Peas + Feta Cheese

This is not your traditional Panzanella salad! This twist on an old classic is made with crisp, sweet snap peas, creamy avocado, and feta cheese, all tossed with toasted bread and basil vinaigrette!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 695kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 c torn day-old bread ciabatta or baguette
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cups sugar snap peas trimmed and cleaned
  • 2 ripe avocados peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced
  • 1 handfull fresh basil or watercress
  • 1 cup basil vinaigrette
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Toss the torn bread and olive oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet; season well with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes occasionally tossing the croutons to keep them from burning. Let cool completely.
  • In a large bowl toss the snap peas, avocado, shallot, feta, herbs, and toasted bread with the basil vinaigrette, season with salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Serve immediately!

Notes

 
Ingredient Notes:
  • What type of bread should I use? You can use almost any type of bread for panzanella salad. Ciabatta, French baguette, country loaf or sourdough are all great options.
  • Feta Cheese: You can omit the feta cheese if you would like your panzanella to be dairy-free. You can also use a different cheese like: goat cheese, grated ricotta salata or even fresh mozzarella or burrata.
Storage: This salad doesn’t keep well due to the sliced avocado and bread. If you do have leftover panzanella store it in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container and plan on consuming with in 1-2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 1025mg | Potassium: 597mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag me: @Craving_California and use the hashtag: #CravingCalifornia!

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3 Comments

  1. OMG….that salad looks amazing. What a great shot of lovely food. Love the alternate recipe title too! I’m currently crushing on snap peas….it seems to be all I see at the grocery. Perfect timing for this.