Panzanella Salad with Saganaki – Italy meets Greece in this juicy tomato salad topped with crispy fried Greek cheese.
When I finally found saganaki-style cheese in the supermarket, I felt a small thrill. It took years of looking, and suddenly a childhood memory from a trip to Rhodes returned in full colour: an old woman picking ripe tomatoes, kittens by the harbour, a climb up to Lindos, and the simple pleasure of fried saganaki finished with a squeeze of lemon in a tiny café.
That bright, salty-sweet contrast — juicy ripe tomatoes, crunchy bread and hot, slightly chewy fried cheese — is exactly what inspired this Panzanella with Saganaki. For years I’d considered substitutions like halloumi, but the perfect saganaki requires a cheese that crisps on the outside, softens without melting away, keeps its shape and delivers a salty hit. Kefalotyri (also spelled Kefalotiri) finally gave me that texture and flavour, and brought the memory back to life.
The Panzanella Salad with Saganaki Recipe:
Panzanella Salad with Saganaki
Ingredients
- 400 g mixed-colour tomatoes — bring to room temperature for best flavour
- Large pinch of freshly ground salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 slices ciabatta, cut into cubes
- 200 g Kefalotyri (Greek) cheese, sliced into 1-inch squares
- 2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- Dressing:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- ½ clove garlic, peeled and minced
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes and toss with salt and pepper. Leave for 10–15 minutes to release their juices.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the bread cubes, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toast each side for 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove from the pan and turn off the heat.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small jug.
- Place the toasted ciabatta chunks in a serving bowl. Add the tomatoes with their juices and drizzle half the dressing over everything. Toss to coat so the bread soaks up the dressing. Leave for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
- Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining oil. Dredge the Kefalotyri pieces in the flour and fry in the hot pan, turning once, for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with lemon juice.
- Add the fried cheese to the salad, top with the thinly sliced red onion and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
* If you can’t find kefalotyri, suitable alternatives include graviera, kefalograviera or kasseri. Use halloumi only if you’re unable to source those cheeses.
Nutritional information is per serving and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Calories: 552 kcal | Carbohydrates: 28 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 40 g | Saturated Fat: 14 g | Sodium: 991 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 4 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Simple, bright and textural, this Panzanella balances ripe tomatoes, crunchy toasted ciabatta and warm, salty fried cheese. It’s an easy summer dish that brings together the best of Italian and Greek flavours.
