Charred Corn and Tomato salad with toasty sourdough bread makes for the best Panzanella Salad to enjoy all summer!
I’ve teamed up with Dandy® to share today’s corn and tomato salad. I love to use their sweet corn for this dish because it is so naturally sweet, pre-shucked and ready to grill!
You have GOT to make this incredibly flavorful corn summer salad. It’s the perfect side to any summer cookout, and since you’ve already for the grill on to char the corn, might as well also make Grilled BBQ Chicken Kebabs to go along with this one.
If you’re looking for more charred corn salads, make this Chopped BLT Salad with Corn, Charred Corn Caprese Salad, or my Roasted Corn Salsa.
Ingredients in this recipe
- tomatoes: cherry tomatoes or fresh summer tomatoes of choice, quartered.
- garlic: perfect aromatic for the dressing.
- shallot: also for the dressing.
- olive oil: for the dressing and to toast the bread.
- red wine vinegar: adds tang to the dressing.
- rustic bread: can’t have a panzanella salad with out crusty bread!
- Dandy Sweet Corn: the perfect sweet to toss with the acidic and flavorful tomatoes.
- Softened butter: for grilling the corn.
- fresh herbs: helps add an earthy, fresh flavor for this salad.
- Parmesan cheese: optional. adds a nice nutty taste and texture!
Dry and toast your bread for panzanella
The best bread for this kind of salad is a crusty, rustic loaf with a dense, chewy center – this allows it to sit in the dressing without getting too soggy. I suggest sourdough or ciabatta, but even a French baguette will work in a pinch.
Whether you use stale bread or fresh bread, you want your bread to stand up to the dressing without getting too soggy.
how to dry out bread
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
- Place the bread cubes on a small baking sheet, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Toast 12-15 minutes, until crisp – just toasty enough to soak up the dressing. The bread should have some squish to it. Not too hard, and not too soft.
How to char corn on the grill (or stovetop)
Grilled corn is one of the easiest things to do. I love charring my Dandy Sweet Corn for this recipe, because it brings a whole extra level of sweetness and texture that is just SO good in this bread salad.
Since this is the perfect recipe to use both summer corn and summer tomatoes, I love to fire up the grill – but you can easily char in a skillet or grill pan on the stovetop if preferred.
- Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F.
- Coat corn in softened butter and place corn on the grill for 10-12 minutes over indirect heat, turning the cobs 1/4 turn every 3 or so minutes.
- If you’d like to grill indoors: heat a skillet or grill pan on medium high heat, and follow the same instructions above. Here is the grill pan I’ve had for years and use often.
- Once cooled, cut corn away from cobs and set aside.
Salting your tomatoes
Traditionally, a classic Panzanella Salad uses ripe and flavorful tomatoes that are insanely delicious on their own, but salting beforehand will help to enhance the flavor AND pull out some of the juice from the seeds, which I suggest using in the dressing recipe below.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes (or quartered tomatoes if using whole) to a strainer, toss with about 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt and a pinch of pepper; let drain over a bowl for 20 minutes.
- Remove strainer with tomatoes from the bowl and set strainer aside.
- The juice that remains in the bowl will be the same bowl you can make your dressing in before adding everything else together which is how to make a Charred Corn and Tomato Panzanella Salad!
Can I add other vegetables or proteins to this salad?
As long as you follow the steps to just lightly toast the bread, and salt the tomatoes, you can get as creative as you want with your own variation of this Corn Panzanella salad!
- Panzanella salad is SO versatile and can be customized in all kinds of ways. Try adding cucumbers, bell peppers, or red onions for extra crunch.
- Grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas can be added for a boost of protein. Feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients
- Try my Peach Panzanella salad or BLT Panzanella next!
How to Make a Charred Corn and Tomato Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved - or whole tomatoes, quartered
- 1 clove garlic, minced or finely grated
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 cups 1-inch cubed sourdough bread - can also use ciabatta, or French baguette
- 3 ears Dandy Sweet Corn, grilled
- softened butter (for corn)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs - such as basil, parsley, chives, etc
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
- Kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season/taste
Instructions
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes to a strainer, toss with about 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt and a pinch of pepper. Let drain over a bowl for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 300℉. Place the bread cubes on a small baking sheet, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Toast 12-15 minutes, until crisp – just toasty enough to soak up the dressing. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Preheat your grill to 400℉. Coat corn in softened butter and place corn on the grill for 10-12 minutes over indirect heat, turning the cobs 1/4 turn every 3 or so minutes. Alternatively, you can cook the corn in a grill pan over the stovetop.
- Once cooled, cut corn away from cobs and set aside.
- Remove strainer with tomatoes from the bowl and set strainer aside. To the bowl with the strained tomato juice, add garlic, shallot and red wine vinegar to the bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Combine toasted bread, grilled corn, tomatoes, shaved cheese and dressing in a large bowl. Add chopped herbs and toss everything to coat. Let rest 30 minutes at room temperature before serving, tossing occasionally until the dressing is absorbed by the bread.
Notes
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