Strawberry & Blueberry Panzanella Salad

Man, this Fourth of July holiday has been a tough one for me to crack recipe-wise! In the past, I’ve posted these star-shaped hand pies and this red, white and blue trifle, but for some reason had such a tough time thinking through something fun to share with you this year.

I set my mind on creating a savory recipe which made things even more difficult because all I could picture were sweets topped with strawberries and blueberries. Then my mind turned to stars and this panzanella salad was born.

I must say, it is a beaut and obviously a perfect fit for the holiday. If you plan on making it, buy these star cookie cutters now because nothing says red, white and blue like a star-shaped piece of bread. I didn’t do this for my photos, but I’d highly recommend grilling or baking your bread to give it extra crunch and char.

If you end up making this recipe, don’t forget to tag, #marinamakeseats.

Strawberry & Blueberry Panzanella Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 cups of star-shaped or cubed day-old french bread
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 cup of baby kale
• 1 1/2 cups of sliced strawberries
• 2/3 cups of blueberries
• 1/2 cup of fresh crumbled feta

Directions

First, start by grilling or baking the bread. If grilling, set a grill to a medium-high heat and place pieces of bread on a grilling tray on the grill for a bout a minute, until they’re slightly charred. If baking, set your oven to 375 degrees and place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Let the bread cool and set aside.

Next, make the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine.

To assemble the salad, add the kale, strawberries, blueberries, feta and bread to a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and stir to combine. Let the salad sit and soak up the vinaigrette for five to 10 minutes.