This pickled blueberry panzanella salad is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy and a fun twist on the classic Italian bread salad.

I caved to a totally grown up only kind of thing earlier this year, a wholesale club membership.

So, now I’m equipped with the most hideous picture to ever exist of myself on a plastic card to BJs.

The first trip I got a little over zealous and ended up spending almost $500 on all the household items like paper towels, cleaning products, toothpaste, soap and shampoo that I’ll need for the rest of my life.

Pickled blueberry panzanella salad
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The second trip was a bit more practical.

Except for the 4 pounds of blueberries I came home with when I already had 2 pints in the refrigerator.

Pickled blueberries

Thoughts of Violet on Willy Wonka were going through my head as I tried to squeeze blueberries into every single meal I ate before finally accepting that I needed to do something more drastic than the handful with my yogurt in the morning to make a dent in this stash.

So, I decided to pickle the blueberries along with some red onions thrown in for good measure.

Alternatively, you can pickle shallots or red onions separately if you’d like even more of them to use in the salad.

Pickled blueberry panzanella

We just discussed my love for vinegar in this beet chip recipe so I don’t think I really need to reiterate things but these little baby blues are the most perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

They’re the summertime cousin to this pickled cranberry recipe and I love them both with all my heart.

So much so that I ate that entire mason jar of them in one sitting.

Luckily, I avoided Violet’s fate and remained flesh colored after the ordeal.

Quick pickled blueberry panzanella salad

I definitely suggest using challah or some slightly sweet cornbread for this panzanella salad. This vegan cornbread would actually be perfect!

The sweetness of the bread just plays so well with the tangy pickling juices.

It’s a fun way to do salad that also brings a little more interest and satiety to a bowl of greens.

If you’re into panzanella, I love this summer fruit panzanella too for a dessert twist!

MORE PICKLED RECIPES TO TRY:

Pickled Pineapple
Pickled Garlic Scapes
Balsamic Pickled Shiitake Crostini
Pickled Fennel Citrus Salad

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Pickled Blueberry Panzanella Salad

Servings: 4 servings
Prep: 12 hours 5 minutes
Total: 12 hours 5 minutes
This pickled blueberry panzanella salad with the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

Ingredients 

For the Pickled Blueberries

  • 1 cup white distilled vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 pint blueberries

For the Salad

  • 3 cups day old bread, challah or cornbread is best, cut into cubes
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • pickled blueberries

Instructions 

For the Pickled Blueberries

  • Whisk the vinegar, water, salt and sugar together in a small bowl.
  • Add the blueberries and red onion to a mason jar.
  • Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar until filled to the top and covering the blueberries.
  • Cover with the lid and refrigerate overnight (or at least 12 hours).

For the Salad

  • Combine the arugula and pickled blueberries in a large bowl. Spoon some of the vinegar from the blueberries on top and toss until dressed to your liking.
  • Add the bread and gently toss again a few times.
  • Plate the salad and serve immediately. This does not keep well as the bread will get soggy quickly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 178kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1096mgFiber: 3gSugar: 19g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salads
Cuisine: Italian
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Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

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11 Comments

  1. How long will this blueberry mix last in the refrigerator? Can I make several batches to keep on hand for future dinner parties?

  2. This looks so awesome! I never even thought of pickling the strawberries. You just blew my mind.

  3. Ohh… Challah and the pickled blueberries does sound delicious. But this salad by itself is genius. Would have never thought of pickling blueberries, so stinking creative. Love it! Its even festive for the 4th. :)

  4. Love the look of this salad, Gina! I am a huge fan of unique salads like take the attention off the “lettuce” part. How long would these blueberries last in the fridge?

  5. I love the idea of pickled blueberries, a little sweet and a little tart. I can just imagine the punch of flavor they bring to this salad.

  6. Gorgeous salad, Gina! And those blueberries…I could make a meal out of those alone! pinned