If any of you follow me on Twitter, you already know what I have been up to for the last week. I have been knee deep in sick kids since last Monday. I won’t elaborate too much ( although I could but this is a food blog and bodily functions are not the most appetizing conversations), but let’s just say that I have run out of towels 3 times in the last week and it wasn’t because we came down with a bad case of OCD.
After 5 days of dealing with my sick kids, I myself came down with the Bubonic Plague and it has taken a couple days to get over. Now that I have caught up on the laundry and I can actually move off the couch without losing my lunch, I thought a nice refreshing tuna and bread salad would do nicely.
I actually found the recipe in the doctor’s office in some magazine that I’m sure has been there for several months ( and now that I think about it, could be where I contracted the plague). I don’t remember which one. I almost ripped out the recipe and took it home with me, but I really hate it when I pick up a magazine and there is a page missing, so I left it alone and scribbled a few notes in a notebook.
Anyway, the salad is nice and light. It’s quick to put together and if you have some old bread laying around, this is perfect. I would let it sit for a little while before eating it. Maybe make it in the morning and then have it for lunch so all of the flavors have time to get all happy together. If you don’t have garbanzo beans, use some white beans or even blackeye peas. And if you can’t find basil, try some other fresh herb instead, like parsley or thyme.
I really like this salad. It’s filling and has a lot of flavor. This could easily be lunch for two people and at about $6 for the whole dish, it beats the pants off drive-thru.
Tuna Panzanella Salad
serves 2 -3 people
start to finish: 15 minutes
8 oz. ( about 1/2 loaf) of Italian bread cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2-4 T olive oil ( to your taste)
2-3 T red wine vinegar ( to your taste)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 ( 15oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 ( 6oz ) can tuna in oil, drained and flaked ( tuna in water works fine too)
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 T capers, drained
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper ( to taste)
Toast bread cubes in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, mix together remaining ingredients in a large bowl, tossing everything together well. Season with salt and pepper.
Add in bread and toss to coat. Add more oil and vinegar if necessary.
Serve right away or make ahead and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. Italian bread cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 Tablespoon olive oil to your taste
- 3 Tablespoon red wine vinegar to your taste
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 15 oz canned garbanzo beans , rinsed and drained
- 6 oz can tuna in oil , drained and flaked ( tuna in water works fine too)
- 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 2 Tablespoon capers drained
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toast bread cubes in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, mix together remaining ingredients in a large bowl, tossing everything together well. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add in bread and toss to coat. Add more oil and vinegar if necessary.
- Serve right away or make ahead and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Glad you are all coming back!! Goodbye, colds. Hello, great dish!
Beautiful photos. I’m glad you’re not dead anymore. I don’t know what it is about winter that makes everybody’s bodies go on strike for weeks on end, but I don’t like it at all.