A traditional panzanella salad like the one I tried in Italy is made with old bread, onions, and tomatoes. This recipe is a version of my friend Ashley's favorite summer recipe, which ironically also comes from a girl named Ashley. It is filled with fresh summer veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and asparagus and would be perfect as a side for a Memorial Day BBQ! Like other veggies as well? Feel free to use eggplant, zucchini, or olives! 

For Dressing:

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon finely chopped basil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

For Salad:

1 lb fresh asparagus

2 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes

¼ cup diced red onion

1 cup chopped cucumber

1 yellow bell pepper sliced and chopped

3 large basil leaves finely chopped

3 ½ cups italian bread cubes

1 ½ tablespoon olive oil

Whisk all Italian dressing ingredients into a small bowl and set aside till ready to dress.

The asparagus is really the star of the show in this dish, especially since it is in season right now. To prepare the asparagus, trim off the ends and coat asparagus in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat your grill to high heat, then place asparagus on the grill, and turn occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Asparagus will be tender and slightly charred. Remove asparagus from the grill and allow to cool a few minutes and chop into 1-inch pieces. Dont' have a grill? Don't worry! This salad is delicious with raw asparagus as well. 

To prepare the bread cubes, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place bread in a bowl and toss in 1 ½ teaspoon olive oil. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until bread is toasted and slightly browned.

Place asparagus, bread, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, onion, and bell pepper in a salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir, gently, to coat.

Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving. The salad can be made up in the morning but do not make this over 6 hours in advance, as the bread will not stay crisp. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!