Recipe

Panzanella: The Gourmet AF College Meal

By Mikki Dick at University of Michigan

Whenever I feel like I need to take control of my life, this is what I make for dinner. It’s super healthy, it’s vegetarian, and it’s relatively easy to make (for being super gourmet). It’s pretty simple in theory, but it features a homemade lemon vinaigrette, so it’s guaranteed to make any college student feel like they have it all together (even if none of us really do).

Panzanella

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Advanced
Ingredients
  • 1 loaf ciabatta
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 tomato
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 juiced lemon
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • Honey
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Photo by Mikki Dick

Step 1

Slice ciabatta into 1-inch cubes.

Photo by Mikki Dick

Step 2

Wash cucumber, peppers, and tomatoes, and chop everything into rough chunks.

Photo by Mikki Dick

Step 3

Toast ciabatta in a large frying pan over medium heat with some olive oil (a healthy drizzle is good).

Photo by Mikki Dick

Step 4

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.

#SpoonTip: To get as much juice out of your lemon as possible, roll it on the counter before cutting. You can also microwave it for 10 seconds to get more juice.

Photo by Mikki Dick

Step 5

Toast walnuts in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Photo by Mikki Dick

Step 6

Pour honey over walnuts, and add the rosemary and some salt and pepper to taste.

#SpoonTip: Don’t toast the walnuts longer than 5 minutes, or they’ll burn.

Step 7

Toss vegetables, ciabatta, and walnuts with the dressing and serve.

Photo by Mikki Dick

Looking for more college gourmet recipes? Check these out: