Fall Panzanella With Brussels Sprouts & Apple
Photo by Food52
- Serves
- 6
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 Minutes
Welcome to Plus One, a column by Food Editor Emily Ziemski where those small-but-mighty additions that instantly upgrade whatever’s on the table—ingredients, sauces, toppings—are the star of the show. Today, skipping the Thanksgiving stuffing in favor of a summertime side star. I first learned of panzanella years ago, and immediately thought: “Hell yeah, someone did the right thing and made the bread to vegetable ratio correct.” Then, I started seeing it mostly in a summertime format, and felt less enthused. To me, a bread salad, a phrase encompassing what I believe to be a triumphant bounty of carbs, feels more at home as a cozy, filling dish—something to warm you up and satisfy—a concept I’m not chasing after when it’s 90 degrees and I’m (really) sweating. On the other hand, a lot of Thanksgiving stuffings miss the mark for me. (Do I just have comically strong opinions about composed bread dishes? Possibly.) Sometimes they’re gloopy, or not flavorful enough, or—at worst—inedible once the bolstering heat of the oven has sheepishly seeped from the glass casserole dish. It’s *always* a glass casserole dish. Anyway. On my quest to quiet my misguided discomfort with bread dishes, I mashed together my favorite elements from both: the hearty, fall flavors of stuffing with the bread salady-ness of it all. Thus was born a travel-proof side perfect for traditional family Thanksgivings and casual Friendsgivings alike. Note: I do say that the prosciutto is optional here, which would make the dish vegan, and I do love to have those options available, but prosciutto is really the uh, plus one here. The salty, fatty cured meat plays well with the vegetal Brussels and the crisp sweetness of the apple.
Ingredients
For the panzanella:
- 1 loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 Granny Smith apple, grated
- 2 tablespoon fresh tarragon, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
- 4 ounce prosciutto, torn into bite-sized pieces (optional)
- Roasted, salted pumpkin seeds, for garnish
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 teaspoon honey
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Featured Video
Fall Panzanella With Brussels Sprouts & Apple
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 400°F with two racks fitted on the top and lower thirds of the oven. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, olive oil, and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 2
On a sheet tray, toss the bread with 2 tablespoons olive oil, until coated. Toast in the oven 7 to 8 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Step 3
On a separate sheet tray, toss the brussels sprouts with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until tender and slightly charred.
- Step 4
Transfer the apple to a fine mesh sieve fitted over a bowl. Press to drain; set aside.
- Step 5
In a large serving bowl, combine the herbs, toasted bread, roasted brussels sprouts, pressed apple, and prosciutto (if using). Add the dressing and toss to combine and coat. Let the dressing soak into the bread, about 20 minutes, before serving. Serve at room temperature.