6cupsItalian breadcut into large cubes, about ¾ of a loaf
1English cucumberhalved, seeded and diced
6tomatoessmall to medium, cut into large cubes
½red onionfinely diced
½cupextra virgin olive oildivided
1tablespoonred wine vinegar
1teaspoonkosher salt divided
¼teaspoonground black pepper
20basil leavescut into thin strips
¼cupgrated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cut up the bread into large cubes, about one to one and one-half inch square.
Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, frequently stirring, for five to ten minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil if you need it. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Chop the tomatoes into large cubes. Finely dice the onion. Slice the cucumber in half and use a sharp spoon to scoop out the seeds. Do not peel. Chop the remaining cucumber. Set aside.
Add one-quarter cup of olive oil, one tablespoon of red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper to a small bowl and mix well.
Add the bread cubes, cucumber, tomatoes, and onion in a large bowl and toss to combine.
Pour on the salad dressing and add most of your basil and grated parmesan and toss again. Reserve a little of each for garnish.
Garnish with the remaining basil and parmesan. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for up to one hour, or until you are ready to serve the salad.
Video
Notes
Sharon's Expert Tips:
If you don't have bread to make the croutons or don't have time to toast the bread, you can substitute large packages caesar salad croutons.
Try substituting toasted cornbread for the toasted bread in this recipe.
You can substitute fresh peach slices for the tomatoes for a nice change of pace.
You can also use bottled Italian salad dressing instead of the homemade dressing in this recipe.
If you are grating your parmesan cheese, use a large hole grater. If you are buying cheese which has already been grated, choose the more rustic or larger pieces of shredded cheese. Do not use finely grated parmesan.