I’d almost forgotten how much I enjoy live music. I don’t usually keep up with shows that come through town because I rarely have a default music buddy. Last night, Jordan texted me while I was photographing this salad with a last-minute free ticket to see Ok Go. Being the friend who’s always up for something, I drove over to meet them — and it was fantastic.
Few things bring me more joy than watching artists perform in their element. Ok Go delivered: inventive visuals, energetic dancing, and the delightful combination of determination and creativity that makes their shows unforgettable. I loved every minute.
I feel the same sense of excitement when I open a cookbook by a friend. The latest arrival on my shelf is The Easy Vegetarian Kitchen by Erin Alderson of Naturally Ella. The book presents fifty base recipes with four seasonal variations each, totaling two hundred recipes — a wonderfully practical and creative approach to vegetarian cooking. Erin is a recipe machine, and it’s a treat to have a physical copy of her work.
Erin asked me to test some recipes from the book last year, and this spring panzanella was one of them. It highlights spring greens, raw shelled peas (they are delicious raw!), pea shoots (Trader Joe’s carries them), thinly sliced fennel, and freshly baked whole-grain croutons, all tossed in a bright lemon dressing. The original recipe uses minced garlic scapes; I used pressed garlic instead. Congratulations, Erin — lovely book and recipes.
Benriner Japanese Mandoline Slicer (for slicing fennel thin)
Microplane Grater (for lemon zest)
Erin’s Spring Panzanella with Fresh Peas and Fennel
- Author: Kathryne Taylor
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 4 salads
Fresh panzanella for spring! This Tuscan-style salad swaps traditional tomatoes for tender spring greens, raw peas, pea shoots, and thinly sliced fennel, balanced by lemony dressing and crunchy whole-grain croutons. If you plan to keep leftovers, store greens and croutons separately and combine just before serving. Recipe yields two generous portions or four side salads.
Ingredients
Homemade croutons
- 2 cups bite-sized cubes of crusty whole-grain bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 3 cups arugula or spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup thinly sliced fennel
- 1 cup fresh shelled peas
- 1 cup pea shoots (optional)
- 2 to 4 tablespoons sunflower seeds, to taste
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, or agave, to taste
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake 12–14 minutes until crisp.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the chopped greens, sliced fennel, fresh peas, pea shoots, and sunflower seeds.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients until emulsified. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat. Let the croutons cool a few minutes, then add them to the salad and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Easy Vegetarian Kitchen by Erin Alderson.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup or agave instead of honey.
Make it gluten-free: Substitute gluten-free bread for the whole-grain bread.
Nutrition
The nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is not a substitute for professional advice.
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Tuscan