Winter Panzanella Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing Recipe

Winter Panzanella Salad — A healthy Winter Panzanella Salad filled with hearty croutons, roasted squash, sprouts, jeweled cranberries and creamy feta. 

Panzanella is usually known as a summer salad with juicy tomatoes, basil and toasted bread. But this warm Winter Panzanella Salad version may just change your mind.

It’s filled with hearty croutons, roasted squash, sprouts, jeweled cranberries and creamy feta. 

I, Alex am calling this one Winter Panzanella Salad because I think it would make a perfect side dish to take to any winter gathering this year.

As the resident dietitian of my group of friends and family, I’m always asked to bring some type of vegetable or salad dish to gatherings.

Which, I happily oblige. I love showing how delicious vegetables can be, especially if they are coated in a homemade lemon-honey dressing and topped with feta and toasted pine nuts. 

Elevate A Salad With Homemade Dressing

If there’s one thing that can elevate a salad, it’s making your own dressing. This lemon-honey version is so simple, you’ll want to put it on just about everything you make.

The trick is whisking together the grated garlic, mustard, spices, lemon and honey together until the garlic is mostly dissolved. This may take up to a minute, so keep whisking until it comes together.

Then, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to form an emulsion, which is really just a fancy word for bringing oil and water together.

The resulting dressing is creamy and thick, perfect for coating warm vegetables and crunchy croutons. 

How To Make A Wintery Panzanella Salad

Preheat the the oven to 425 degrees F.

If the bread isn’t stale, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until dried, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside. 

Toss the brussels sprouts and butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool. 

When ready to assemble, toss the roasted vegetables, kale, cranberries and bread cubes together in a large serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme and garlic clove until well combined.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until dressing is thickened. Add in salt and pepper to taste. I usually start with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt to start and taste from there.

Add dressing to salad and toss to combine. Add in the cheese and pine nuts and toss a few more times. Serve immediately. 

How To Prep Ahead The Salad For A Dinner Party

If you plan on taking this dish to a party, combine all of the ingredients except the dressing, pine nuts and cheese together in a bowl.

Pack the dressing separately. A mason jar or other jar with a lid is great for this.

Then, add the dressing to the vegetables along with the cheese and nuts.

Toss and serve! 

Wintery Panzanella Salad by top Houston lifestyle blogger Ashley Rose of Sugar and Cloth

Wintery Panzanella Salad

 

Wintery Panzanella Salad by top Houston lifestyle blogger Ashley Rose of Sugar and Cloth

Winter Panzanella Salad with Lemon Honey Dressing Recipe

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes
A healthy salad filled with hearty croutons, roasted squash, sprouts, jeweled cranberries and creamy feta. 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Salad

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Whisk
  • Small mixing bowl

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 4 cup cubed bread Deally good bakery bread
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 5 cup shredded kale or spinach leaves
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lb butternut squash cubed
  • 1/2 lb brussels sprouts quartered
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

For the dressing:

  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4962IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 12
Calories: 189kcal

Notes

The trick is whisking together the grated garlic, mustard, spices, lemon and honey together until the garlic is mostly dissolved. This may take up to a minute, so keep whisking until it comes together.

Instructions

For the salad:

  • Preheat the the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • If the bread isn’t stale, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until dried, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside. 
  • When ready to assemble, toss the roasted vegetables, kale, cranberries and bread cubes together in a large serving bowl.

For the dressing:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme and garlic clove until well combined.
  • Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until dressing is thickened. Add in salt and pepper to taste. I usually start with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt to start and taste from there.
  • Add dressing to salad and toss to combine. Add in the cheese and pine nuts and toss a few more times. Serve immediately. 
KEYWORD: winter panzanella

 

 

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