Italian Tomato and Bread Salad
By Paula Deen
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Featured in:
Cooking with Paula Deen Magazine
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 to 25 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10
Ingredients
- 1 (20-ounce) loaf sourdough bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 8 tablespoons Olive oil, divided
- 3½ teaspoons garlic salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
- 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups chopped orange or red bell pepper
- 1 cup small fresh basil leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together bread cubes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ teaspoons garlic salt, paprika, and red pepper; arrange in an even layer.
Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until bread is lightly browned and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, black pepper, remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining 2 teaspoons garlic salt. Stir in tomato, bell pepper, and basil. Add bread, tossing to combine. Serve immediately.
Cook’s Note: If you don’t want to serve this right away, store the croutons separately from the tomato mixture. The croutons can be made a day ahead, but the tomato mixture is best made 1 to 2 hours before serving.