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Panzanella Salad
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Panzanella Salad with Marinated Cheese Curds and Bagna Cauda

This bold and colourful panzanella salad brings together juicy tomatoes, toasted sourdough, and herb-marinated cheese curds in a vibrant mix of textures and flavours. A warm bagna cauda adds depth with garlic, anchovies, and aromatic spices, while fresh herbs brighten the finish. With its perfect balance of richness and freshness, this salad stands out as a side dish that enhances both grilled proteins and seasonal mains. It offers a playful nod to Canadian ingredients, making it a thoughtful and appealing addition to restaurant menus.

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Ingredients

  • Marinated Cheese Curds :

    • 12 oz Cheese Curds
    • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
    • 2 tbsp basil, thinly sliced
    • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper 

  • Bagna Cauda:

    • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
    • 4 filets anchovies, finely chopped
    • ½ tsp coarsely cracked fennel seeds
    • ½ tsp coarsely cracked dill seeds
    • ½ tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
    • 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
    • Zest of 1 lemon

  • Panzanella Salad:

    • 1 lb ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
    • ¾ lb cherry tomatoes, cut in half
    • Kosher salt
    • 6 cups sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
    • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • Freshly cracked black pepper
    • 2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
    • Marinated Cheese Curds
    • Bagna Cauda
    • ¼ cup basil leaves, torn
    • 2 tbsp pickled dill 

Directions

  1. For the Marinated Cheese Curds
  2. Add the cheese curds, olive oil, dill, basil, and pepper to a medium bowl and toss everything together really well.
  3. Spoon the cheese curds and any remaining oil into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. 
  4. Be sure to remove the curds from the refrigerator at least one hour before using to allow the oil to come to room temperature.

  5. For the Bagna Cauda
  6. Add the olive oil and garlic to a medium saucepot and place it over low heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 5-8 minutes, or until the garlic is very soft with little colour.
  7. Add the anchovies and continue cooking and stirring for an additional 5-8 minutes, or until the anchovies have completely dissolved.
  8. Add the fennel seeds, dill seeds, and pepper, and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  9. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the white balsamic vinegar and lemon zest.
  10. Set aside until ready to use.

  11. For the Panzanella Salad
  12. Add the heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to a large bowl and season with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Gently toss the tomatoes to ensure they are evenly coated with salt, then set them aside for 15 minutes.
  13. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  14. Add the torn sourdough to a large bowl and season with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, a few cracks of black pepper, and toss with the olive oil.
  15. Spread the bread out evenly on the lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until the bread is lightly toasted on the outside but still slightly soft inside. Set aside.
  16. Once the tomatoes have sat for 15 minutes, strain the juice collected at the bottom of the bowl and discard it.
  17. Add the shallots to the bowl of tomatoes, along with the marinated cheese curds, bagna cauda, toasted sourdough, torn basil leaves, and dill. Gently toss everything together and serve. 

Recommended Products

We recommend you use these Saputo products for this dish!

Cheese Curds

Cheese Curds

The essential ingredient for authentic poutine, our curds are delicate and slightly flaky with a pleasantly “squeaky” texture. They are available in different sizes and convenient formats including frozen, bulk and portion-controlled bags.

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