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This Cajun panzanella salad recipe is fresh, easy to make, and the homemade croutons are to die for! The zesty dressing ties it all together.

You might also like my Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad next.

Cajun panzanella salad with Tony Chachere's Italian Salad Dressing

This post is sponsored by Tony Chachere’s – thank you for supporting the brands that keep Salt & Lavender cooking! I only work with brands whose products I love. All opinions are my own.

I’m thrilled to be partnering with Tony Chachere’s for more tasty new recipes this year. Tony’s has recently launched a new line of salad dressings (Italian, French, and ranch), and I was so excited to try them.

 
Tony Chachere's Ranch, Italian, and French salad dressings
Tony Chachere’s salad dressings have arrived!
I decided on this Cajun panzanella salad using their Italian dressing. Panzanella is an Italian bread and tomato salad, and you will love the Cajun twist. Tony’s Italian dressing is good and zesty and has that signature kick that Tony Chachere is famous for. You can find the salad dressings on Tony’s website.
 
The homemade croutons have Tony’s Original Creole Seasoning and fresh garlic (I always like to find a way to work in their signature product… I personally add it to everything from baked potatoes to tacos!). These croutons taste amazing. The Italian dressing perfectly coats the croutons, and each bite is packed with flavor. The croutons are perfectly salted with Tony’s seasoning, and there is no need to add extra salt to this salad. If you’re on a low-sodium diet, you can use Tony’s No Salt Seasoning Blend.
 
I recommend eating this salad within an hour or so of preparing it because the croutons will go soggy the longer you leave it. You can always assemble half the amount and then toss the rest together later if you’re only feeding a couple of people.
 Cajun Panzanella Salad collage (prep in glass bowls)
Tony Chachere's Italian Salad Dressing and Original Creole Seasoning

Cajun panzanella salad ingredients:

  • Tomatoes (I prefer the little ones like grape or cherry. I used assorted colors to really make this salad pop!)
  • Cucumber
  • Bell peppers (use whatever your favorite colors are. I love the sweetness of red and orange)
  • Red onion
  • Fresh basil 
  • Parmesan cheese (I like to grate my own for the best results. The cheese is the cherry on top of this flavorful salad!)
  • Tony’s Chachere’s Italian Salad Dressing
  • Croutons (homemade with crusty bread, minced garlic, Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, and good olive oil)

If you want to jazz up the salad even more, add some capers (I left them out since I know not everyone likes them and they’re not totally necessary for this yummy salad). 

close-up of Cajun Panzanella Salad

What kind of bread to use to make croutons?

You can use pretty much any kind of bread, but I like to go to the bakery section of my local grocery store and pick something that’s fairly crusty and sturdy. Something like a ciabatta loaf or sourdough loaf works great. You can use a standard baguette as well. You can use fresh bread to make croutons or a loaf that’s a bit past its prime. Fresh bread will take a little bit longer to crisp up in the oven. 

More Cajun-inspired recipes:

Cajun panzanella salad in a bowl with Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning and Italian Salad Dressing

I hope you’ll love this Cajun panzanella salad as much as I do!

Questions about this recipe? Did you make it? Leave me a comment below, and tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations!

Cajun panzanella salad with Tony Chachere's Italian Salad Dressing
5 from 1 vote

Cajun Panzanella Salad

By Natasha Bull
This Cajun panzanella salad recipe is fresh, easy to make, and the homemade croutons are to die for! The zesty dressing ties it all together.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients 

Croutons

  • 4 cups bread (try a baguette or any good crusty bread) cut into croutons
  • 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Salad

  • 1.5 pounds assorted little tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 English cucumber chopped
  • 2 bell peppers (I used one red and one orange) chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion or to taste
  • 10 large leaves fresh basil sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup Tony Chachere's Italian Salad Dressing or to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375F and move the rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.
  • Cut up your bread for the croutons and place them on the baking sheet. Evenly sprinkle them with Tony's seasoning. Add the garlic and then the olive oil and use your hands to toss everything together. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the croutons are nice and crispy.
  • Meanwhile, prep your salad ingredients and add them to a large bowl. Once the croutons are done, let them cool for a few minutes, then add them to the salad. Toss with Tony's Italian dressing and let the salad sit for about 5 minutes or so prior to serving to let the dressing soak into the croutons.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6 depending on whether it's more of an entree or side.
  • This recipe is a great way to use up bread that's a few days old, but you can definitely buy fresh bread for it.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 412mg, Potassium: 440mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 2094IU, Vitamin C: 78mg, Calcium: 133mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    You know what a fan I am of Tony’s Natasha! And their new dressings are totally fantastic. This salad looks so incredibly delicious. Can’t wait to give your recipe a try!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much!! I love this salad… those croutons and the extra zip in the dressing… sooo good!

      Reply