Panzanella Salad

Panzanella Salad is a perfect marriage of summer sun ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and spinach tossed together with toasted bread and a light but flavorful dressing. This light but flavor packed salad is SO GOOD, and perfect for your next BBQ, potluck or dinner tonight.

This delicate Panzanella Salad won’t weigh you down. For more light and refreshing salads like this one try Mouthwatering Watermelon Salad with Feta, Caprese Salad or Chilled Cucumber Tomato Salad.

What is Panzanella Salad?

Panzanella Salad a traditional Italian bread salad.  Customarily it was made with chopped stale bread, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes soaked in a flavorful vinaigrette.  Garden fresh basil added a splash of color and zest, creating the colors of the Italian flag, red, green and white.  This Panzanella Recipe is wonderful nod to the traditional salad with a little bit of a fresh twist.

Panzanella Salad is so easy and fresh you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it before. A step away from your typical green salads it’s a bright and unique addition to any meal. Pair with a protein and fresh fruit for a filling, yet healthy meal.

Panzanella Salad Ingredients:

• Italian Loaf: No sandwich bread here. Look for sturdy, crusty Italian or French bread, with lots of holes inside. Day old bread is perfect.
• Olive oil: Olive oil is the oil of choice for this Italian staple
• Italian seasoning: Look for this blend in spice isle
• Mixed Tomatoes: Mixed tomatoes make for a more colorful and unique taste. Sub with regular tomatoes if you can’t find mixed tomatoes.
• Red Onion: Red onions have nice kick that makes the salad irresistible.
• Spinach: Can use basil here if you prefer
• Cucumber: English cucumbers are a favorite in this salad
• Red wine vinegar: Balances with the tomatoes for perfection
• Salt and Pepper: To taste.
• Balsamic glaze: This is optional but I love the extra zing.

How to Make a Panzanella Salad:

1. Toast: Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and Italian seasoning, bake at 400 for 12-15 min till nice golden brown.
2. Combine: In a medium bowl toss the tomatoes, onion, spinach, cucumber and bread together.
3. Whisk: In a separate bowl whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.
4. Toss: Gently toss all the ingredients together and let sit for at least 20 min to meld the flavors.

Salad Variations:

Panzanella Salad is very flexible, so make it to your liking.

• Peppers: Add red, yellow or orange peppers, roast them first for extra pizzazz.
• Tomatoes: Use cherry tomatoes or romas if you can’t find mixed tomatoes.
• Cheese: You can add freshly grated Parmesan or add in fresh mozzarella balls.
• More Ideas: Stir in capers or pepperoncini for zin or for a lighter onion flavor use shallots.

What to Serve with Panzanella Salad:

This is such an amazing salad it can easily be served on it’s own or as a side dish. With veggies and bread all in one dish, pairing it with a simple protein is all you need.

• Grilled or roasted Chicken
• Any kind of Fish or Shrimp
• Your favorite pasta dish (especially tasty with a nice pesto or lemon garlic pasta)
• Grilled steak

More Delicious Salad Recipes to Try:

• Healthy and Delicious Tabouli Salad
• The Best Antipasto Salad
• Summer Corn Salad
• Greek Salad with the Best Dressing
• Asparagus Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette 

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Panzanella Salad

Panzanella Salad is a perfect marriage of summer sun ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and spinach tossed together with toasted bread and a light but flavorful dressing. This light but flavor packed salad is SO GOOD, and perfect for your next BBQ, potluck or dinner tonight.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian, Italian American

Keyword panzanella, panzanellla salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 8 People

Calories 401kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Italian sourdough or French bread, cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound mixed tomatoes sliced
• 1/2 red onion sliced
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cucumber sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• balsamic glaze optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Toast until golden for 12-15 minutes.
• In a medium sized bowl add the tomatoes, red onion, spinach, cucumber and bread. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, red wine, salt and pepper. Toss until coated. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg

 

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Chili’s Copycat Skillet Queso

This Chili’s Copycat Skillet Queso combines smooth Velveeta cheese that melts magically with flavorful chili and Mexican spices in a skillet to pure queso perfection, hands down one of the best copycat recipes EVER!  A super easy appetizer that will disappear faster than it took to make it.

I love being able to be together with loved ones eating our favorites from the comfort and ease of home. Try these favorites for more delish copycats: Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta, Applebee’s White Chocolate Blondies with Maple Cream Sauce, Cheesecake Factory’s The Best Avocado Egg Rolls, and Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Chili’s Copycat Skillet Queso

The perfect blend of cheesy goodness and spices makes this recipe is so versatile, you make it all year long and get creative with it. Besides serving it with the standard tortilla chips you can serve it along side or in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, taquitos or any other dish.  Serve it over rice, home fries or a breakfast hash, for a fantastic Mexican twist.  It’s so easy and addictive you’ll be tempted to make it every week.

Leftovers are easily stored in the fridge for a few day. That’s if you have any leftovers. It’s so simple and quick, you may never need to go out and order it again. The spicy goodness is just that easy and just that good.

Skillet Queso Ingredients:

• Velveeta Cheese: Velveeta is so smooth when it melts, it’s perfect for dipping.
• Milk: Don’t use a nut milk here, it’ll make the flavor off
• paprika: Adds flavor and color.
• cayenne pepper: Decrease or increase according to your tastes.
• Hormel Chili No Beans: Beans just don’t belong in Queso.
• Chili Powder: Try Chipotle Chili powder for a smokey kick.
• Lime Juice: Balances out the spiciness.
• Cumin: A staple in Mexican cuisine.

How to Make Skillet Queso:

This can be made for any holiday get-together, family gathering or any celebration. When you want to be the hit of the party this Amazing Chili’s Copycat Skillet Queso will do the job. No one can say no to this descendant cheesy goodness.

1. Cut: Cut up the velveeta into same size cubes for easy melting.
2. Combine: Combine the cheese and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Stir: Frequently stir util the cheese melts completely.

Velveeta Variation: 

Velveeta is by far the best and recommend it for this recipe but for those who don’t like Velveeta you can make a substitute.

• 3-4 cups sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream

In a medium sauce pan bring all the ingredients to a boil stirring constantly, then continue to make the recipe as directed.

Skillet Queso Dipping Variations:

Skillet Queso isn’t just for dipping chips. There are so many things you can try, let your imagination run queso wild.

• Vegetables- use instead of ranch for carrots, cucumbers, celery, sweet peppers, olives, etc.
• Bread- A crusty french bread torn into pieces or bread sticks.
• Pita Bread- Cut into triangles for easy dipping.
• Flavored Corn Chips- Try Doritos for flavor explosion.

More Amazing Queso Recipes To Try:

Love queso as much as I do then try these below:

• Queso Chicken Skillet
• Queso Verde Corn Dip
• White Spinach Queso
• Chili Queso
• Queso Burgers

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Chili's Copycat Skillet Queso

This Chili's Copycat Skillet Queso combines smooth Velveeta cheese that melts magically with flavorful chili and Mexican spices in a skillet to pure queso perfection, hands down one of the best copycat recipes EVER!  A super easy appetizer that will disappear faster than it took to make it. 

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword chili queso, queso, skillet queso

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 150kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 16 ounce box Velveeta cheese
• 1 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 15 ounce can Hormel Chili No Beans
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

• Cut the velveeta into cubes
• Combine the cheese with remaining ingredients in medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir Frequently until the cheese melts.
• Enjoy with tortilla chips!

Video

Notes

Updated on August 31, 2020

Originally Posted on November 29, 2012

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 929mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1201IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 363mg | Iron: 1mg

 

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Grilled Zucchini

Grilled zucchini is the perfect healthy summer side dish. The slices of squash are tossed in savory seasonings, then cooked until tender. It’s wonderful as a quick recipe to pair it with your favorite barbecued foods.

Try these other tasty zucchini recipes to enjoy the vegetable all year long. Like this Zucchini Pizza, Zucchini Chips, and Baked Zucchini Fries.

Grilled Zucchini

If you’re looking for a fast and healthy side dish for a barbecue feast, grilled zucchini is a tasty option. The squash is available year-round and cooks in under 10 minutes on the grill. Simply toss in your favorite seasonings, and cook until gorgeous charred marks appear on each side. I like to serve them with grilled burgers for the ultimate meal.

How Do You Make Grilled Zucchini?

1. Cut the zucchini into ½-inch thick slices.
2. Coat the vegetables with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Grill the zucchini, uncovered, until dark lines appear.
4. Flip the squash over and cook until tender.

Seasoning The Squash:

I like to keep the seasonings simple. Salt turns the bland vegetable into more savory bites. Garlic powder adds nice earthy aromatics to each bite. Black pepper adds just a hint of heat, however you could add red pepper flakes for a lingering spiciness.

Can You Cut The Squash Into Different Shapes?

Yes! You can slice the zucchini into sticks, or smaller discs. Just make sure that the vegetable is at least ½-inch thick. This prevents it from getting mushy easily, hold its shape, and not be so skinny that it falls through the grill grates.

How To Achieve Beautiful Char Marks:

What makes these grilled vegetables so enticing is the gorgeous marks running across the surface. There are a few keys to successful char marks. Make sure that the grill is preheated and oiled to prevent sticking. When adding the slices to the barbecue, place them on an angle to the grates, then lightly press down on them to make direct contact with the hot grill. Do not move or lift them up! Let them sear to get nice dark lines, then flip them over.

Ways To Flavor The Zucchini:

To add extra flavor to the zucchini, sprinkle it with some grated parmesan cheese or crunchy breadcrumbs. You can also drizzle some pesto sauce on top. Or dip in creamy tzatziki or ranch sauce.

Looking For More Grilling Recipes? Try These!

• Grilled Caesar Salad
• Brown Sugar Grilled Peaches
• Teriyaki Beef Skewers
• Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

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Grilled Zucchini

Grilled zucchini is the perfect healthy summer side dish. The slices of squash are tossed in savory seasonings, then cooked until tender.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled vegetables, grilled zucchini, zucchini

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 52kcal

Author Jessica Gavin

Ingredients

• 1 pound Zucchini about 2 large, cut into ½-inch thick pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for greasing grill
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

• In a large bowl toss together the sliced zucchini, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
• Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium heat. Clean the grill grates and grease with olive oil.
• Once the grill is hot, and the zucchini and cook until grill marks are achieved, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and grill until the vegetable is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer zucchini to a serving dish, garnish with chopped parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 311IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

 

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Amazing Creamy Tuscan Garlic Scallops

Creamy tuscan garlic scallops are infused in a creamy garlic sauce that is to die for with sun dried tomatoes and spinach hidden throughout. This is a MUST make tried and true dinner!

If you haven’t tried my insanely popular Tuscan Garlic Chicken yet, now is the time to try with scallops. This is a restaurant quality meal that you can easily make at home!

Amazing Creamy Tuscan Garlic Scallops

These tender- crisp buttery scallops, enveloped in a creamy, garlic rich, smooth sauce are going to melt in your mouth. This is going to surprise you with how easy it is to make this, yet at such a fine dining quality. The sun dried tomatoes are going to release so much flavor into the sauce, while cream, wilted spinach leaves and garlic give it body.

So many people are scared of cooking scallops, but they’re really one of the easiest to cook, and this is just the recipe to try them with. They cook fast similar to shrimp so it comes together quite in pinch for a delicious weekday meal.

Tuscan Garlic Scallop Ingredients:

For a perfect meal serve our Creamy Scallops over pasta with a simple side salad and Crusty French Bread. For low carb, keto friendly try over your favorite roasted veggies, zoodles or Mashed Cauliflower to soak up this amazing sauce.

• Olive Oil: Avocado oil can be substituted here but I like the flavor of the Olive Oil.
• Scallops: If you don’t like scallops try fresh Shrimp instead.
• Heavy Cream: Using the Heavy cream vs Half and half will give you a more rich decadent sauce.
• Chicken Broth:  Adds savoriness and flavor
• Garlic: mincing the garlic will saute at an even rate, careful not to burn it.
• Garlic Powder: Adding garlic powder helps give you that bold garlic flavor.
• Italian Seasoning: One of my favorite quick go to spices
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grate your own or look for it pre-shredded in you store.
• Spinach: Don’t be shy with spinach it will cook down. Chop it small pieces to avoid large leaves.
• Sun-dried Tomatoes: Find jarred sun-dried tomatoes where you find canned vegetables.

How To Make Creamy Garlic  Scallops:

1. Sear: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat until it’s hot and sizzling. Thoroughly pat scallops dry with paper towels. Add the scallops in a single layer, (may need to work in small batches to avoid over crowding.) Sear until a nice golden crust forms, flip and sear on other side. Transfer to a plate once done.
2. Make the sauce: In the same pan and a little more olive oil and saute the minced garlic just until fragrant, about 30 sec. Add the broth, cream, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and cheese. Whisk until it starts to thicken.
3. Simmer: Add the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and let simmer till the spinach wilts.
4. Add: Gently add the scallops back to the sauce, giving it a quick stir.

How to Cook Perfect Tender Scallops:

If you have never cooked scallops at home, it can seem intimidating. Here are a few tips to help make it easy.

• Buying: Look for frozen wild caught scallops without the roe for ease. The roe is a bright orange or coral colored crescent shape that can still be attached. It can taste a bit bitter. If that is all you can find simply remove it before cooking.  Whole scallops will also come with the roe and the muscle that attaches it to the shell, that too will need to be removed.
• Thaw: Place the scallops in a bowl of cold water for 10-20 minutes until completely thawed. You can also thaw them over night in a bowl in the refrigerator.
• Pat Dry: Thoroughly patting them dry with a couple of sheets of paper towel is important before you season and cook. If there is too much water left in the scallops, it will release while cooking and they’ll simmer instead of sear.
• Sear: When the scallops are done they’ll have a beautiful crust on each side and the center should be milky white, or opaque. Internal temp will be 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to Store Scallops:

• Serve: Scallops should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, for safety reasons.
• Store: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze cooked scallops for up to 3 months, but do not add the sauce before freezing. Make the creamy garlic sauce fresh when ready to serve.

More Amazing Scallop Recipes:

• Grilled Lemon Garlic Scallops
• Garlic Butter Herb Scallops
• Pan Seared Scallops With Lemon Caper Sauce
• Honey Garlic Butter Scallops

• Creamy Lemon Parmesan Scallops {INSANELY GOOD!}

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Creamy Tuscan Garlic Scallops

Creamy tuscan garlic scallops are infused in a creamy garlic sauce that is to die for with sun dried tomatoes and spinach hidden throughout. This is a MUST make dinner! 

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Creamy Scallops, creamy tuscan garlic scallops, garlic scallops, Scallops

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 469kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound scallops
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup spinach chopped
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes

Instructions

• In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and let heat until it starts to smoke. Sear scallops for 3- 3 1/2 minutes on each side until they are golden brown on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
• Add the heavy cream, chicken broth, garlic powder, italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Whisk over medium high heat until it starts to thicken. Add the spinach and sundried tomatoes and let it simmer until the spinach starts to wilt. Add the scallops back to the pan and serve over pasta if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 810mg | Potassium: 801mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1092IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 221mg | Iron: 2mg

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