“Come summertime, there’s no shortage of panzanellas parading through my kitchen,” writes culinary creator Alexis deBoschnek in her book Nights and Weekends. “For me, the real highlight of produce season is when tomatoes start showing up. While there’s nothing better than eating them straight from the vine, a panzanella is a great way to use copious amounts of tomatoes without doing too much to them.”
“This version is like a deconstructed bagel,” deBoschnek continues. And that bagel inspo hits hard, thanks to the addition of everything bagel seasoning, the deli-ready spice you can pick up everywhere from Amazon to Trader Joe’s. If you don’t have some in your pantry already, let this be your sign to pick up a container on your next market run.
DeBoschnek pairs those fresh, juicy tomatoes alongside refreshing shaved fennel, spicy red onion, and crispy bits of fried sourdough bread. “This panzanella is everything I want in a summer salad,” deBoschnek says — and we have to agree.
Everything Bagel Tomato Panzanella
Serves 4
Ingredients
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½ cup full-fat sour cream
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Zest and juice of 2 lemons (about ¼ cup juice)
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2 tablespoons everything bagel spice blend, plus more for serving
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½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
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2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
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1 large fennel bulb, stalks removed, bulb thinly sliced
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1 small red onion, thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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3 cups roughly torn sourdough bread
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½ cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
Instructions
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Combine the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, everything bagel blend, and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a glass measuring cup and whisk until smooth.
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Combine the tomatoes, fennel, red onion, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir. Let sit for at least 5 minutes at room temperature.
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Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the bread and cook, stirring occasionally, spice until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the bread to a serving platter and season with salt.
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Add the tomatoes, fennel, red onion, and dill to the serving platter and toss to combine. Drizzle the dressing on the panzanella and sprinkle more everything bagel blend on top. Serve immediately.
NOTES: To make your own everything bagel seasoning, combine 1 table spoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon dried garlic, 1 tablespoon dried onion, and 2 teaspoons coarse salt.
This recipe calls for cherry tomatoes since they’re bite-size, but you can chop up any in-season tomatoes.
The dressing can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The tomatoes, fennel, and red onion can be sliced and salted and left to rest, covered, at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Just be sure to drain any excess liquid that may have pooled in the bottom of the bowl. Once assembled, the salad is best eaten immediately.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Nights and Weekends by Alexis deBoschnek © 2025. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photographs by Christian Harder.
The post This Everything Bagel Panzanella Salad Is Designed to Break the Mold appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
