A few weeks ago I shared my favorite Greek Salad but wanted to also post the recipe for the runner up, which is Panera Bread Restaurant. I recently made four different vinaigrettes searching for the perfect recipe to suit my palate. The ingredients can vary to your taste but it’s the vinaigrette which ties it all together.
Panera’s cookbook contains a recipe for their salad, one of the few recipes that are on their menu. It’s mostly a cookbook with recipes using their breads and other items they sell. At the same time I made two other recipes I found; Ina Garten’s recipe online and California Pizza Kitchen’s recipe from one of their cookbooks. It was unanimous that Panera Bread had the best vinaigrette even though the other two were quite good as well.
Later, I made a fourth recipe (which I have already shared) and was by far the winner. It comes from one of my Greek cookbooks where the author makes his own garlic confit and garlic puree, an important ingredient in his red wine vinaigrette. I absolutely love garlic and I feel this addition (plus Dijon mustard) made his Greek Salads very special.
By the way go here for Michael Psilakis’s recipe for Greek salads and here for his garlic puree.
California Pizza Kitchen and Panera Bread Cookbooks; I found Ina’s recipe online…
Needless to say I have been making a lot of Greek salads which calls for tomatoes! I have only 1 grape tomato plant and it is producing like crazy – so this salad has been a great way to use them.
Panera Bread's Greek Salad
- romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
- red onion rings, sliced
- tomatoes cut into wedges or use cherry tomatoes
- Kalamata olives, pitted
- sliced cucumber (optional – I added)
- feta cheese, crumbled
- pepperoncini, sliced or left whole
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- fresh herbs to garnish (optional – I added)
Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. shallot, minced
- 2 tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 2 tsp. fresh basil, chiffonade
- 1 tbsp. Dijon or whole-grain mustard
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all of the ingredients except the oil. Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking to form an emulsion. Pour over each salad and add freshly ground black pepper to taste. I also added some fresh herbs
http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2018/07/26/panera-breads-greek-salad/
Linking to Angie @ Fiesta Friday #238 and Mollie @ The Frugal Hausfrau and Mikaela @ Iris and Honey
The exact same salad with romaine, Greek pepperoncini and vinaigrettes from Panera Bread, California Pizza Kitchen and Ina Garten.
Love Greek salads in any variation. I’m sure yours tastes way better with such fresh homegrown tomatoes! What a treat! 🙂
Thanks Ronit – this one plant has provided me with tons of grape tomatoes for the past 2-3 months and there are lots still on the plant in various stages of ripeness. I’m glad I tried 4 different vinaigrettes and found the two I like the best 🙂
You’re definitely a gifted gardener! 🙂
Thanks for the compliment – I am an Advanced Organic Master Gardener, retired, who still enjoys gardening even in containers 🙂
Looks tasty
Greek salads to me always are!
I’m always looking for tasty vinaigrettes and this one sounds amazing! Your tomato plant definitely makes me wish I’d planted one this year! It will be on my list again next year!
Hey Julie – good to hear from you! This recipe is right from their cookbook – be sure to check out our favorite Greek salad I posted a few weeks ago… http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2018/08/08/greek-salad-with-a/
I bought this grape tomato plant at a local nursery – no name, just grape tomato. It has produced continuously since June – I’ve had to share there have been so many. I have fertilized it regularly and it just needs daily watering (especially with the heat). It’s paid me back 10-fold (or 100) with what I would pay at the grocery 🙂
Looks mouth watering! You always have delicious looking food! Now you just need to come and make us a few of the dishes!
Thanks Mary for the compliment – I enjoy researching recipes, experimenting and of course cooking/baking them. I have a lot of resources, so many cookbooks/magazines and of course the internet… I wish I could let you try some of the dishes I make especially when there’s a wedding and so many things to do 🙂
It sounds like you could cater events if you wanted to. I enjoy cooking in the summer because of the veggie garden . It gives me many products to experiment with.
I love Greek salad and have a vinaigrette I’ve been using for years (decades maybe!) so i:m inspired now to widen my horizons and try your suggestions! You tomatoes look like they’re going great guns! Mine has been slow and I’ve only been getting a few a day and can’t hope for too many more the way our weather has been. It was 53 last night,
Thanks for bringing this by Fiesta Friday!
Mollie
I love them too Mollie especially all the toppings and the “tang” of the vinaigrette. I don’t buy many dressings any more… This tomato plant is the best I have ever had and I’ve been gardening for 40 years! First time I grew one in a container too! Usually, tomatoes, peppers and such don’t like temps below 50 so you should be okay with 53 🙂
What a pretty salad! Looks terrific.😃
Pretty, tasty and even on the healthy side 🙂
I tried to make this but it’s just not the same as the one you get from Panera. Don’t get me wrong, it tastes great, but there’s apparently just something special about the way Panera makes their Greek salads…
Thanks for your comment! The recipe comes right from their cookbook – I doubt if they use fresh herbs as stated – you will get more of an intense flavor with dried. The cookbook was published in 2004 so it’s possible some ingredients changed in 14 years. My post is just a guideline to make their Greek salad your own. Who knows what preservatives are added to the dressing in the restaurant…