Colour and texture are usually where a recipe starts for me. If something is soft, I want something crunchy beside it. If everything is roasted, I want something fresh and raw. I think about shapes and colours, then balance it all with something sweet, salty, bitter, sour and plenty of umami. And yes, I probably spend more time thinking about these things than most people.
This Autumn Panzanella is a pretty good example of how my brain works. Brussels sprouts show up two ways — shredded raw for freshness and crunch, and roasted until deeply caramelized. There’s crispy squash, crunchy apple, toasted walnuts and ruby-red pomegranate seeds, because sometimes beautiful matters too. And torn sourdough croutons, with plenty of craggy edges to soak up that maple miso dressing. It’s those little details, and figuring out how they all work together, that I love most about creating a recipe.
Keys to Success in making Autumn Panzanella Salad
- Give the squash enough time. Don’t pull it from the oven as soon as it’s tender. The squash will soften first, then start to develop that deeply browned, slightly crisp exterior. Be patient—that extra roasting time makes a big difference.
- Put those Brussels sprouts cut-side down. This is how you get that beautifully browned, caramelized surface. Take the extra minute to turn them all over before the pan goes back into the oven.
- Brussels sprouts two ways = better texture. Roasting half gives you those deeply caramelized edges, while keeping the other half raw and finely shredded adds freshness and crunch. If you have a food processor with a slicing disc, this takes seconds.
- Tear, don’t cut, the bread. Tearing creates all those irregular edges and craggy bits that get beautifully crisp in the oven—and give the maple miso dressing plenty of places to settle.
- Dress it generously, but not too far ahead. You want the croutons to soak up some of that maple miso dressing while still holding onto their crunch. Toss the salad shortly before serving, adding enough dressing to coat everything well without drowning it.
Make it your own:
Think of this salad as a starting point. Sweet potatoes can stand in for the butternut squash, shredded kale can replace the raw Brussels sprouts, and a firm ripe pear would be delicious instead of the apple. Swap the walnuts for pistachios or pecans. The exact ingredients can change—the important part is keeping that mix of fresh and roasted, soft and crunchy, sweet and bitter that makes the salad interesting.
Autumn Panzanella Salad
Equipment
- 1 food processor with slicing disc
- 1 blender
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1/3 loaf artisan sourdough bread (about 75 grams), torn into crouton-size pieces
- 1 small butternut squash, (about 750 gram)
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 3 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 800 grams Brussels sprouts, about 8 cups
- 1 medium Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp apple, cut into ⅛-inch-thick wedges
- 1 medium pomegranate, seeded
- 1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
Maple Miso Dressing
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons white miso paste
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, with the mother
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic, finely minced or grated on microplane
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 Tablespoons water, as needed
Instructions
Toast Croutons
- Preheat oven to 350°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the torn bread with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer croutons to a plate or bowl and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
Prepare the Squash and Brussels Sprouts
- While the croutons are toasting, peel the butternut squash and cut into 1 inch cubes. Spread squash on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt and the Aleppo pepper. Toss with your hands until evenly coated. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, trim the stem ends from the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Using the slicing disc of a food processor, thinly slice half of the Brussels sprouts; set aside to use raw in the salad.
- After the squash has roasted for 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Toss the squash and move it to one side of the pan. Add the remaining halved Brussels sprouts to the other side. Drizzle the sprouts with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat, then arrange the sprouts cut-side down.
- Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are deeply browned and the squash has developed a crisp, caramelized exterior. If needed, continue roasting for another 5–10 minutes.
Make the Maple Miso Dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients except the water to a blender. Blend on high until smooth, thick and emulsified. If the dressing is too thick, blend in 1–2 tablespoons water, as needed. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate until ready to use. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Assemble the salad
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the raw shredded Brussels sprouts, roasted Brussels sprouts, squash, croutons and apple. Add about ½ cup dressing, or enough to coat generously and toss well. The remaining dressing can be served alongside for those who love extra dressing, or it can be refrigerated for as week.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Scatter the toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds over the top and serve.
Nutrition
I hope this Autumn Panzanella finds its way into your fall rotation. It’s colourful, hearty enough to make a meal of, and packed with enough crunch and contrast to keep every bite interesting. And if you make a batch of that maple miso dressing, you’re already halfway there.
