Ina Garten’s Greek panzanella salad will transport you to Greece, no passport required

To make Garten’s Greek panzanella salad at home, you’ll need:

• 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

To make the vinaigrette, you’ll 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

One thing to note: I couldn’t find French or “rustic” bread at my local supermarket, so I opted for some thick-sliced white bread. The croutons still came out great!

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

I knew the pan was ready by using a trick I learned from Martha Stewart. If you sprinkle a few drops of water on top and the oil begins to sizzle, it’s hot enough.

Garten recommends cooking the bread cubes over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, until they’re lightly browned.

Don’t be afraid to add more olive oil if you need.

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

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

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

I added the red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, and Dijon mustard to a small bowl, sprinkling 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper on top, then whisked everything together.

As I continued to whisk, I slowly added ½ cup of olive oil to make an emulsion.

I lightly tossed everything together and let the salad sit for 30 minutes so the flavors could develop. Then it was time to dig in.

Garten’s Greek panzanella salad is a beautiful dance of flavor and texture. It’s crunchy, juicy, and so colorful, making it a perfect summer dish. The homemade croutons were worth the extra effort, and I recommend adding smoked kalamata olives for an even bigger burst of flavor.

I’ve made this for two different potlucks with friends, and it’s always been a crowd-pleaser. I can’t wait to see if my parents love it as much as Garten’s Greek orzo salad.

As a Greek American who just got back from Greece, I can confidently say the Barefoot Contessa knows how to honor our cuisine.