Back in March, when the rest of the world was probably still covered with a blanket of snow, the weather was just starting to warm up here (believe it or not, it does get cold in the desert sometimes!). To celebrate the warmer temperatures, I went to the first farmer’s market of the season and I bought some delicious cherry tomatoes and I made this panzanella salad.
At the time, I wasn’t thinking that most people were probably reading that post while huddled under a blanket with the heat on. But, now that I think most of the world is enjoying warmer temperatures, however if you live in a place like I do, you might be cursing the warmer temperatures rather than enjoying them, I have decided to share another panzanella recipe with you. It is easy to forget that not everyone who reads this blog lives in Tucson. Tucson is much different than anywhere I have ever lived before. Not only is the weather completely different, but the plants are pretty crazy too! I know that Arizona is not the only place on earth where cacti grow, but I thought it would be fun to share a few shots from the yard with you!
Since, from what I have heard, I know that I am not the only one out there that is obsessed with Mexican food, I decided to put a southwest spin on this panzanella salad. Up until a few days ago, I had never cooked with green tomatoes before. There is also a chance that I thought they were an entirely different variety of tomato, rather than just being under ripe red tomatoes… I’m sure most of you know better than that, but just in case, green tomatoes are basically just under ripe red tomatoes. They are firmer and not as sweet as red tomatoes. As you can see in the photo below, the tomato in the back is just starting to turn a little bit red.
I think that most people utilize green tomatoes at the end of the tomato growing season when the cold weather is coming, but they still have a bunch of green tomatoes on their plants. Does anyone out there specifically pick the green tomatoes to use them in recipes? Before a few days ago, I was really only familiar with fried green tomatoes, which from what I know, are a favorite in the South. I try not to fry too many things these days, and I even thought about making baked green tomatoes, but sometimes the farmer’s market throws you some divine intervention!
I’m not a huge baker, so when I saw that my favorite gluten free bakery was there AND they were selling these beautiful loaves of gluten free bread, I just had to buy one, or two, of them. And, when you have a delicious loaf of bread and some green tomatoes, what else is there to do except for make panzanella salad?! Are you with me?!
I usually do a simple vinaigrette with my panzanella salad, but since I decided to go the Southwestern route with this one, I knew it needed something much bolder. I settled on a cilantro lime dressing (there isn’t actually any vinegar in it, so I’m not sure I’m allowed to call it a vinaigrette) and it really did the trick! You might have noticed by now that I’m a bit of a salad dressing fanatic and this is one of my favorites so far. I can’t wait to try it out next time I make taco salad, which is pretty much a weekly ritual in my house these days.
My usual panzanella salad has a Greek theme to it, so I always add feta cheese, but queso fresco was the perfect substitute in this Southwestern version.
Green Tomato Southwestern Panzanella Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing {gf}
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 3 green tomatoes, medium diced
- 3/4 cup corn kernals
- 1 avocado, medium diced
- 1/4 cup onion, small diced
- 3/4 cup red pepper, medium diced
- 3/4 cup green pepper, medium diced
- 3/4 cup queso freso, crumbled
- jalapeno, small diced, to taste
- 6 cups cubed bread
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
Cilantro Lime Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon shallot, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, about 1 1/2 limes
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and dizzle with about 2 teaspoons olive oil. Place cubed bread into the hot pan and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast the bread for about 15 minutes, or until bread is crispy on the outside. Let cool.
- Add the remaining salad ingredients into a large bowl and then add in the cooled bread cubes.
- Add all of the cilantro lime dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until combined.
- Pour dressing over the bread and vegetable mixture and stir until everything is combined.
Notes
You may want to pour dressing slowly over the salad to make sure you do not over dress the salad. Use as much as you would like, I used the entire amount.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Salad, Mexican, Gluten Free
OOOOH this looks so good! I love panzanella and I love the southwestern twist.
Thanks Bri! I love panzanella too! It is one of my favorite salads, especially when it has a southwestern twist š
I just love Panzanella salad… the cilantro-lime dressing is just fab…
Love the pictures.. š
Thank you so much, Arpita! I love it too! And, this dressing really is so good š
Hi, Isadora! I’ve never eaten green tomatoes before … ever … which is really strange now that I’m thinking about it! This seems like the perfect salad to put them in, though – so colourful, for a start! When I go back to England I’ll have to raid my dad’s tomato greenhouse for all his underripe tomatoes and make this salad with them! I had no idea that green tomatoes weren’t a different species, either!
P.S. Lovely to see your cacti pictures!
Hi Helen!! I had never eaten them before either, in fact I was a little scared of them , haha! You should totally raid the garden for all the green tomatoes! I think people mostly use them at the end of the season when the frost is coming soon, but I think they are also great if you are an impatient gardener like me, and you don’t want to wait until they get ripen up! I’m so glad I am not the only one who thought that, I was beginning to doubt my culinary knowledge, haha! I’m also glad other people enjoy looking at cacti as much as I do!
I love the twist on this dish it looks so delicious! By the way I used to think the green tomatoes were another kind too. You’re not alone š
Hi Danielle! Thank you so much! I’m so glad I am not the only one who thought that, it makes me feel much better!
Oh my gosh, Izzy! This salad is be-YOOT-ful! As you and I both know, Mexican food is the bomb so I’m all over this gorgeous salad. Especially obsessing over how incredible that cilantro lime dressing looks. Ahhhh!! I’m so making this for dinner this week! Oh, and your cacti pics are GORGEOUS. š Pinned!
Haha, Thank you so much, Sarah!! I’m not gonna lie, this dressing is soooo good! I’m already fantasizing about everything else I can drench with it š I hope you really enjoy it! Aww, thank you! I’ve become kind of obsessed with cacti lately and can’t stop buying new ones! Thanks for pinning š
I love those pictures to the cactus. I love succulents and they are perfect for dry climates. Plus, I don’t have to worry about watering š
I have been wanting to make a panzanella salad. This salad looks delicious! I love this combination of flavors. Pinning!
Thanks Cindy! I love succulents too! For Christmas i made a wreath out of succulents and I am very proud of myself that it is still alive! It is so nice not to worry about having to water things all the time, I think we have plants in our yard that we have never once watered and they still look great! You should definitely make a panzanella salad!! They are so easy and pretty much the best salad ever š
LOVE the southwestern spin on panzanella! I can only imagine how wonderful all those flavors taste together!
Thanks Nicole! I knew you were also a fellow Mexican food lover! These flavors are pretty much a fiesta in your mouth š
Izzy! What beautiful photographs of the cacti (and food, obviously!). I definitely don’t have anything like that growing in my backyard. So pretty! And prickly! This salad looks delicious and I can’t believe how gorgeous that bread is. Any gluten-free bread that I have access to does NOT look like that. I need to find out their secret!!! Something about carbs and salad combined is the best. I won’t be able to make this for another month or so, when tomatoes start coming in, but I’m going to make it! Love the southwestern twisteroo on this. Avocados make the world go round! xo
PS. HI CHEETO!!! So cute!
Al! Thank you! Cacti are pretty fun to take pictures of, I might have gone a little crazy, haha! And then, the day after I took all these photos, a really pretty pink flower appeared on one of the tiny little ones, it was so pretty! Yeah, I feel pretty lucky to have a gluten free bakery here in town. Sometimes they are a little mushy in the middle, what when it comes to gluten free bread, I’ll take what I can get! I usually just buy sandwich bread and buns, but it is so nice to have a nice big loaf to cook with! Carbs and salad are so good, and they make for a really filling salad, which is always nice! Yes, you are totally right about avocados, I wish I had an avocado tree in my backyard! I think Cheeto was meditating š
I am also obsessed with Mexican food, Isa. Love it so much. I also love green tomatoes. In Brazil we use to eat them a lot. It is too bad that they are so hard to find around here in Canada. Great salad!!
I love that all my blogging friends love Mexican food too!! This was the first time I had eaten green tomatoes, but I love them too now! At first I was a little scared, but it didn’t take long for me to warm up to them! I bet they were popular in Brazil, that is too bad you can’t find them much anymore, I’ll have to send some your way š
I adore green tomatoes, but they are so hard to find around here! Hopefully I can seek out some to make this salad. Love the idea of this dressing paired with a panzanella!
This was the first time I had ever seen them being sold somewhere, so I just had to snatch some up! And, I wasn’t disappointed at all! I think this dressing paired with anything would be magic š
What a beautiful salad Izzy! I love the southwestern flavors here and the cilantro lime dressing sounds phenomenal!
Thanks Kelly! Aren’t southwestern flavors the best?! There is just something about them that I love so much! You would love this dressing š
You are definitely not the only Mexican food lover. This looks amazing!!
I’ve never used green tomatoes in a recipe, only tomatillos. But I love the sound of them in this recipe!
Thank you, Sarah! Yah! I figured I would not be alone! It is the best kind of food afterall, haha! I think I’ve only eaten tomatillos in salsa, but I would think they might be pretty similar to green tomatoes. I think I need to experiment more with them!
Yum!
Thanks Rosie š
I literally just Googled today if green tomatoes were just unripe normal tomatoes… yup! I have so many in my garden that I was looking for new ideas… this salad is WAY easier than fried green tomatoes (frying makes too big a mess)! Sounds yummy, I’ll have to try!!
That is so funny, Jess! I’m so glad I am not the only one who thought that! I definitely had to google it too! Frying does make a big mess and then everything smells like fried oil, this salad is way better! I hope you enjoy it š
That bread looks divine!! I need you to ship some my way! I love this, I am a huge lover of green tomatoes, but of course I eat mine fried š
I have actually never had a panzanella salad before. I know that sounds crazy, because they look fantastic. I need to get on it and try one!
Hi Annie! I do feel pretty lucky to live in a place with a bakery that is entirely dedicated to gluten free food! It is also my excuse to not learn how to bake better, which I really should do š I could have guessed that you liked them fried, haha! I bet they are delicious that way too! You really should try a panzanella salad! They are the best! Chunks of bread, vegetables, cheese, and yummy dressing, doesn’t get much better than that!
I love this salad Izzy! And don’t feel dumb, I kind of thought that green tomatoes were a special kind of tomato, not just under ripe ones. Haha! I’ve never cooked with them before, but have always wanted to try.
Thanks Natalie! I’m so glad I’m not the only one that thought that š You should try them! They are much firmer and not as sweet, but they were perfect in this salad! I think a lot of people also make relish with them, which sounds pretty good too!
This looks so refreshing and I love that cilantro dressing!
Thanks Leah! The dressing is so good and I want to put it on everything, and maybe even drink some from a cup š
I really like the queso fresco addition, what a fabulous twist. I am so jealous you have a farmers market all year round.
Thanks Kathy! I had never bought queso fresco before and I loved it so much! I ate most of it straight from the wrapper! I’m not gonna lie, it is pretty cool to get fresh, local produce all year long, but the hot summer weather is definitely a trade off š
I’m so jealous that you went to a farmer’s market in March! I was definitely one of those covered in about ten feet of snow! I love panzanella salads! They always have such great flavors, and this one looks amazing! I love that you gave it a unique twist. The queso fresco in here sounds delicious…definitely a fun summer salad!
Hi Gayle! I’m pretty sure we have farmer’s markets all year long here, haha! As much as I hate having to drive around in the snow, I really miss seeing it! I love them so much too, they are like a whole meal and so filling with the bread. The queso fresco really makes it so good š
Hi Izzy!
So I’ve never specifically picked green tomatoes to use, but I always have a ton at the end of the season because like you said, the frost is coming and they will be gone! So I’m so glad you’ve given this recipe to help me out with those greeny tomatoes. I always struggle to know what to do with them. And I too love Mexican food, so jealous of your experience of growing up watching your dad cook.
And thanks for the cacti photos! We obviously don’t have cacti here so I don’t get to see a lot of plants like that. It’s nice =) Maybe I’ll get you to share a few photo’s on my blog sometime under the My Garden tab because I got a feeling I’m not the only one out there who likes cacti. They are so fun!
Hi Laura! After I finally realized that green tomatoes were actually just unripe red tomatoes (not sure why it took me so long, haha!) I found it kind of strange that they were selling them at the farmer’s market this time of the year. Maybe they were just impatient and they wanted some tomatoes to sell even though they hadn’t turned red yet. Either way, I’m glad I got the opportunity to experiment with them! I have a friend who had a bunch of green tomatoes one year and she made a ton of loaves of green tomato bread that was really good.
I’m so glad you loved the cacti photos! I really never get tired of looking at them and it amazes me when little baby cacti pop up all over the yard. I would love to share some on your My Garden tab! Arizona is really so different from anywhere else I have lived, the plants are so crazy looking! Have a great Wednesday š