A fresh twist on the classic panzanella!
This isn’t your Nonna’s panzanella—unless she had a beach house and loved a tropical twist. Think sweet, succulent crab mingling with golden, toasty bread in a sun-kissed salad tossed with crisp veggies and a silky mango dressing.
It’s a fresh, luxurious spin on the classic Italian bread salad—perfect for warm days, dinner parties, or anytime you’re craving something light, bright, and a little unexpected.
Big thanks to community member @mhinmon for sharing her clever DIY food ring hack: just remove the top and bottom of a small can, and you’ve got an easy, budget-friendly mold for plating like a pro.
Panzanella Crab Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- ½ cup diced cucumber
- 1 tsp red onion, diced
- ¾ cup small croutons or small diced dried bread cubes (see notes)
- 1½ tbsp dressing (see below)
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- Pinch of Fresh ground black pepper
- 8 oz lump crab meat
- ½ cup chicory or frisee lettuce, torn into 6 small pieces
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup mango puree (store-bought or blend fresh mango)
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small jar, combine the olive oil, cider vinegar, and mango puree. Shake well to combine and set aside. *You will not use all the dressing.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, diced red onion, croutons, only 1 ½ tablespoons of dressing, a pinch of kosher salt, and a pinch of fresh ground black pepper. Stir to combine and let rest for a couple of minutes.
- Place half of the panzanella mixture into the plated food ring—press firmly to compress the ingredients.
- Gently remove the food ring, top the panzanella with half of the lump crab meat and three small pieces of the frisee lettuce. Lightly drizzle a teaspoon of the dressing over the top and serve.
- Note:To make your own homemade dried bread cubes, slice your favorite bread into small cubes. Spray with olive oil and bake in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until crisp on the outside. Remove from oven, let cool, and save for use. cdxd
Want to try another delicious summer recipe? Try our Gnocchi with Mini Meatballs, Mint, and Feta!
Enjoy!
Making this recipe? Be sure and share it with us on the WOT Instagram or Facebook!
All photos by Lorianne DeVita
