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Delicious seasonal recipes from the Post Food team.

Bread Salad Primavera. (Scott Suchman/For The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky)

By Becky Krystal

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Hi, all. Hope your Saturday is off to a good start. I’ve had the last few days to take a breather and enjoy the spring weather, not to mention all the great things Washington has to offer if only I reminded myself more often to stop taking it for granted.

One thing I will not be taking for granted this weekend is all the seasonal produce pouring into the farmers market. It was not that long ago that I stared out at the seemingly endless stretch of “snowcrete” in my neighborhood, wondering if it would ever. Go. Away. Of course, it did, and now our rewards for living through it are the strawberries, asparagus, peas, greens and herbs that feel like a breath of fresh air.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the bounty than by putting together food writer Ben Weiner’s Bread Salad Primavera, this week’s featured recipe. He pulled inspiration from both panzanella and pasta primavera for a bright and refreshing dish that easily serves as a vegetarian main course. The salad is packed with a farm’s worth of vegetables: radishes, asparagus, snow or sugar snap peas, English peas, leeks, and a few cups of tender greens and herbs. The produce may be the star of the show, but perhaps my favorite part was the crispy sourdough croutons, especially after they soaked up a bit of the mayo-based lemon and parmesan dressing. Below you’ll find a few other bread salad recipes that boast many of the same delightful elements.

The salad would make a fantastic entrée to serve a crowd for a casual Mother’s Day gathering tomorrow. (It makes a very generous 18 cups but can be halved for smaller groups.) So would Ellie Krieger’s Gluten-Free Swiss Chard and Gruyère Quiche. Inside the nutty, whole-grain crust made with rolled oats and oat flour, you’ll find a filling packed with Canadian bacon, Swiss chard, cheese and onion. It’s all held together with a minimal amount of eggs, meaning the other ingredients can take top billing. Serve with a simple green salad and maybe a sparkling beverage (with or without the alcohol) for a delightful spring brunch.

It may not sound springlike at first, but Irina Georgescu’s Pickle Stew With Ham and Potatoes (Mancare de Castraveti Acri) is hearty yet light enough for warmer days. That’s in large part due to the pleasantly sour flavor from the chopped pickles (you’ll want the refrigerated ones in brine, not shelf-stable jars), which bob in the broth along with tender chunks of ham or beef, onion and diced tomatoes. A generous scattering of dill or parsley keeps things bright up until the very end.

After a week away, I’m excited to get back in the saddle for my live weekly cooking chat Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. Submit your questions now, then set a reminder to return when the conversation starts in real time.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! And, until next week, happy cooking.

Gluten-Free Swiss Chard and Gruyère Quiche

(Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico)

This quiche brims with savory, earthy flavors thanks to a filling of leafy greens, aromatics, Gruyère cheese and optional Canadian bacon in a nutty, whole-grain oat crust.

By Ellie Krieger

Pickle Stew With Ham and Potatoes (Mancare de Castraveti Acri)

Pickles and fermented vegetables bring remarkable depth and personality to a dish, as this Romanian potato stew bulked up with a bit of pork or beef shows.

Warm White Bean and Bread Salad

With crunchy bites of bread, warm white beans and fresh arugula, this salad proves how little effort it can take to turn ordinary ingredients into an enticing meal.

Bread Salad With Peaches, Corn and Black Beans

This bread salad bursts with flavor and texture from peaches, corn and feta, with black beans for extra heft and nutrition.

Eggplant Bread Salad

Throwing stale bread into salad is a practice born out of necessity and is common across many cultures.

Summer Tomato Panzanella

This Tuscan dish is one to hold onto for summer, when field tomatoes are at their peak.

Fattoush

Textured purslane and tart sumac make this bread salad a fattoush rather than merely a Middle Eastern version of Italian panzanella.

Recipe of the Week

(Scott Suchman/For The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky)

Bread Salad Primavera

Find substitution suggestions and other tips below the recipe.

Save or print the recipe

Make ahead: The croutons can be prepared and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The dressing can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Storage: The salad is best when freshly made, but you can refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 day.

Servings: 8 to 10 (makes about 18 cups)

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 pound sourdough bread, torn in large chunks (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from the same lemon), plus more as needed
Fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces snow or sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
1 leek or spring onion (about 5 ounces), halved and cut in 1/2-inch slices
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
10 ounces (2 cups) fresh or frozen English peas, defrosted according to the package instructions if frozen
1 bunch radishes (6 to 8 ounces), greens removed, thinly sliced
3 cups (about 3 ounces) mixed herbs and leafy greens, such as tarragon, mint, dill, parsley, arugula and baby spinach, kept whole or torn as desired

Steps

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. On a large sheet pan, arrange the bread pieces in a single layer and toast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the bread just begins to dry out. Remove the pan from the oven, and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Evenly drizzle 1/2 cup of the oil over the bread and toast for 15 minutes more, or until golden brown and fragrant, tossing halfway through.

3. While the bread is toasting, make the dressing. In a large bowl that will fit all of the salad components, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, the parmesan, mayonnaise, and lemon zest and juice, and season with salt and black pepper. Add the croutons to the bowl, scraping in any oil left on the pan, along with the snow peas.

4. Line a large sheet pan with towels. Set a medium (3-to-4-quart) pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, season it with salt. Add the leek, and cook for 1 minute, then add the asparagus and fresh peas, and cook for 1 minute more. (There’s no need to do this with the defrosted frozen peas.) Drain the vegetables and lay flat on the prepared sheet pan to dry, then transfer to the bowl.

5. Add the radishes, herbs and leafy greens to the bowl, then gently toss until evenly coated. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired, then top with more grated parmesan before serving.

From food writer Ben Weiner. Tested by Becky Krystal.

Nutrition information per serving (about 1 3/4 cups), based on 10: Calories: 365; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Cholesterol: 6 mg; Sodium: 459 mg; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 6 g; Protein: 10 g.

Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas:

To make this vegan >> use a vegan mayo and nondairy cheese.
Gluten-free? >> Use gluten-free bread.
Instead of all the vegetables called for >> use whatever blend you like or have on hand.