This Donair meatball Panzanella salad is a delicious mash-up of the infamous Halifax donair (formed into meatballs) and Tuscany's celebrated Panzanella salad!This is a fun and delicious dish with a great balance of textures and flavors.
Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
Large and small bowls
Large jar with tight fitting lid
Knife and cutting board
Air fryer
Ingredients
Donair Meatballs
1poundground beeflean or extra lean
1teaspoonEACH salt, dried basil, and dried oregano
½teaspoonEACH garlic powder, onion powder, and sweet paprika
¼teaspoonfresh ground black pepper
Pickled Red Onions
½cupred onionabout ¼ to ½ of a large red onion
½cupred wine vinegar
Creamy Garlic Dressing
1clove garlic
½cupolive oilor canola or vegetable oil
¼cupwhite vinegar
¼cupmayonnaise
1tablespoonhoney
2teaspoonsgranulated sugar
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonfresh ground black pepper
To Assemble The Panzanella Salad
6cupscrusty breadabout one small-medium loaf
1cupcherry tomatoes
½cupfresh mozzarellaor any other mozzarella you like
fresh basilfor garnish
Instructions
Thinly slice the red onions and place them in a small bowl. Cover them with the red wine vinegar and set aside.
Mince the garlic clove and add it to a large jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add the olive oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, honey, sugar, salt, and ground pepper to the jar. Close the lid tightly and shake well to combine. Set aside.
Preheat an air fryer for 5 minutes at 400ºF (200ºC). Combine the beef, salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper in a large bowl. Gently mix with clean hands or a fork until evenly combined.
Roll the meat mixture into approximately 28 to 30 1-inch (2 ½-cm) meatballs. Place the meatballs in a single layer inside the basket of the preheated air fryer, in batches as necessary. Set the time for 5 minutes. Shake the basket to toss the meatballs. Set the time for another 5 minutes. Cook until the meatballs are crisp on the outside and a digital instant-read thermometer inserted into several meatballs reads at least 160ºF (71ºC).
Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces in a large bowl and slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
Drizzle the bread with creamy garlic dressing and stir to coat. Add pickled red onions to your liking, then add the cooked Donair meatballs and halved cherry tomatoes. Tear the fresh mozzarella directly into the bowl. Toss again to coat, adding more dressing as needed. Spoon the salad into serving bowls and garnish with basil leaves.
Notes
Make the quick pickled onions first so they can sit for at least 10 minutes before use. This allows the onions to absorb the vinegar and become more flavorful.
You will probably have creamy garlic dressing left over. You can store it in the jar, tightly sealed in the fridge for up to two weeks. Use it anywhere you would use salad dressing.
Instead of making meatballs, try compacting the ground beef in a standard 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tin. Cook it in the oven at 400°F (200ºC) until a digital thermometer inserted reads at least 160°F (71ºC). Cool the loaf slightly, then turn it out and slice it thin. Pan-fry the slices in a little bit of vegetable or canola oil in a skillet to crisp them up. Proceed with the recipe as written.
Make sure to shake the air fryer basket halfway through cooking people. This will help the meatballs cook evenly.
Feel free to make the salad more colorful by adding more ingredients such as sliced cucumber, raw or roasted red peppers, or diced avocado.