Greek Recipes
Greek Panzanella Salad with Homemade Croutons (Grain Free)
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
40 minutes
Yield
6
This easy and delicious panzanella salad with homemade croutons is grain-free and Greek-inspired.
This Greek panzanella salad is made with tasty grain-free, homemade croutons that are easy-to-make and the perfect topping to this panzanella salad. A panzanella salad is a chopped salad that traditionally uses stale bread, onions, and tomatoes. It’s very popular in parts of Italy, and this is my Greek spin on this salad.
Why you’ll love this salad with homemade croutons:
- Quick Prep: This salad with homemade croutons only takes 20-minutes to prep. It’s easy and delicious
- Versatile: Make this salad the traditional way, throw in your fav veggies or herbs, and get creative to personalize it
Ingredients:
Chia Seeds: One of the key ingredients in making these homemade croutons grain-free is by using chia seeds. I used Bob’s Red Mill chia seeds which are organic and full of healthy benefits like omega-3s and antioxidants.
Nutritional Yeast: An essential in a plant-forward diet. Nutritional yeast is a complete protein, jammed with B vitamins, AND contains traces of minerals like zinc, selenium, manganese, and molybdenum.
How to make a Panzanella Salad with Homemade Croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Combine the almond flour, chia seeds and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the nutritional yeast, baking powder, oregano, basil, minced onion, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir together.
- In a small bowl, add the eggs and whisk together briefly.
- Add the eggs to the medium-sized bowl along with the olive oil, mixing to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to one of the baking trays and spread out to cover two-thirds of the tray, being about ¼ – ½ inch thick.
- On the other side of the tray, add the cubed sourdough bread and season it with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool slightly.
- Remove the additional croutons from the tray into a small dish. Set aside.
- Cut the chia seed crouton base into 1×1 inch pieces.
- Afterward, carefully flip all of the croutons over.
- Bake for another 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Cool slightly before assembling the salad.
- At the same time, while the croutons bake, prepare the roasted vegetables.
- Add the cubed eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, garlic stuffed olives, and garlic cloves to the prepared baking tray.
- Drizzle the olive oil on top and add salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon juice.
- Bake for 40 minutes until roasted, tender, and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables and extra sauce to a large serving plate.
- Add the sliced red onion, feta, fresh dill, and lemon zest, along with the additional croutons.
- Mix to combine.
- Add half of the chia seed croutons and lightly toss them into the salad.
- Garnish the salad with more fresh dill, then enjoy!
Expert Tips & FAQ:
Croutons Storage: Store the croutons in an airtight container for 3 – 5 days OR in the freezer for up to 1 month! Toast them again before serving.
Croutons: Instead of including the additional croutons in this recipe, use ALL of the Chia Seed Croutons! If you do add the additional croutons, pick your preferred gluten-free substitute!
Get Creative: Add any extra vegetables, herbs, or spices you desire! Replace the feta cheese with your favorite dairy-free substitute! This salad is fantastic- roast your veggies over a campfire or barbeque for extra flavor!
Salad Storage: Salad can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 – 5 days.
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Quick + Easy Watermelon + Mint with Tofu Feta Salad
- Roasted Beet Salad with Feta and Pistachios
- Pearl Couscous Greek Salad with Tofu Feta and a Creamy Dill Dressing
- Greek Lentil Salad
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Greek Panzanella Salad with Homemade Croutons (Grain Free)
Your Greek mommy that is. 😍 Step into my kitchen to learn how to make yummy Greek food. 🍽️💃
Ingredients
For the Chia Seed Croutons,
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. almond flour
- ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds
- 6 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 ½ tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1 tsp. minced onion
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. black pepper
For the Additional Croutons,
- 1 slice sourdough bread roughly cubed
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- Salt black pepper, and garlic powder to season
For the Roasted Veggies,
- 1 medium eggplant cubed
- 1 medium zucchini cubed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup garlic stuffed olives whole or halved
- 6 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Salad,
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- ½ cup feta crumbled
- ½ cup fresh dill roughly chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Combine the almond flour, chia seeds and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the nutritional yeast, baking powder, oregano, basil, minced onion, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir together.
- In a small bowl, add the eggs and whisk together briefly.
- Add the eggs to the medium-sized bowl along with the olive oil, mixing to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to one of the baking trays and spread out to cover two-thirds of the tray, being about ¼ – ½ inch thick.
- On the other side of the tray, add the cubed sourdough bread and season it with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool slightly.
- Remove the additional croutons from the tray into a small dish. Set aside.
- Cut the chia seed crouton base into 1×1 inch pieces.
- Afterward, carefully flip all of the croutons over.
- Bake for another 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Cool slightly before assembling the salad.
- At the same time, while the croutons bake, prepare the roasted vegetables.
- Add the cubed eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, garlic stuffed olives, and garlic cloves to the prepared baking tray.
- Drizzle the olive oil on top and add salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon juice.
- Bake for 40 minutes until roasted, tender, and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables and extra sauce to a large serving plate.
- Add the sliced red onion, feta, fresh dill, and lemon zest, along with the additional croutons.
- Mix to combine.
- Add half of the chia seed croutons and lightly toss them into the salad.
- Garnish the salad with more fresh dill, then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Store the croutons in an airtight container for 3 – 5 days OR in the freezer for up to 1 month! Toast them again before serving.
Instead of including the additional croutons in this recipe, use ALL of the Chia Seed Croutons! If you do add the additional croutons, pick your preferred gluten-free substitute!
Add any extra vegetables, herbs, or spices you desire!
Replace the feta cheese with your favorite dairy-free substitute!
This salad is fantastic- roast your veggies over a campfire or barbeque for extra flavor!
Salad can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 – 5 days.
