Spring Panzanella with Peas and Fennel

Given the shear amount of recipes I try, there are some I make for the blog or books that I never make again. However, there is a core group that I have a hard time letting go. These are the recipes that I turn to when I want something solid or are the recipes that I just love. This spring panzanella is one of those recipes. While not a traditional panzanella, this salad brings in some of my favorite flavors of spring with fennel and peas. Can’t find pea shoots? You can grow your own.

Spring Panzanella with Peas and Fennel

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 2 servings

 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 cup thinly sliced fennel
• 1 cup shelled pea
• 1 cup pea shoots
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic scapes (see note)
• 3 cups packed chopped spinach
• 
  

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 to 2 teaspoons honey (optional- skip for vegan)
• 
  

Bread

• 2 cups multigrain or sourdough cubed bread
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. To make the salad: Combine the fennel, peas, pea shoots, sunflower seeds, and garlic in a bowl.
3. Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a bowl and whisking together. Pour the dressing over the fennel mixture and let sit while finishing the salad.
4. Toss together the cubed bread, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread into a single layer on a sheet tray and bake until crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
5. Fold the toasted bread into the fennel mixture and serve over the spinach.

Notes

+ If you can't find garlic scapes, use a couple chopped scallions.

+ Recipe from The Easy Vegetarian Kitchen

Spring Panzanella

variations

The peas and pea shoots are what makes the salad for me- the combination feels like you’re eating spring packed into a salad. You can really use any bread you might have on a hand (occasionally I use a hearty, seeded loaf of bread) and as mentioned above, the garlic scapes can be swapped for something more readily available.
Add Cheese: A crumbly cheese is the perfect addition- try adding feta or goat cheese to the salad.
Make it Gluten-Free: Use your favorite loaf of gluten-free bread to make the cubes.
Fennel: This salad can be made without the fennel. Add a few more diced scallions and you could even add a bit of shaved asparagus.

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