Peak tomatoes, creamy avocado, salty feta and garlicky breadcrumbs make sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella a particularly good argument for eating salad in summer.
Photo by SCRR
Copycat sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella
sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella combines chopped romaine and arugula with tomatoes, avocado, basil, cucumbers, pickled onions, feta, garlic breadcrumbs and fresh tomato vinaigrette. sweetgreen introduced it as the chain’s first panzanella.
Use the best ripe tomatoes you can find because they flavor both the salad and vinaigrette. For the easiest shortcut, crush good garlic croutons into coarse crumbs instead of making the garlic breadcrumbs from scratch.
Quick Recipe Overview
- Best For: Summer lunches, light dinners, tomato season and sweetgreen fans
- Flavor Profile: Ripe tomato, fresh basil, creamy avocado, tangy feta and garlicky crunch
- Skill Level: Easy
- What Makes It Like the Restaurant: Romaine and arugula layered with summer vegetables, feta, pickled onions, garlic breadcrumbs and fresh tomato vinaigrette
sweetgreen
sweetgreen began in Washington, D.C. in 2007 when Georgetown University graduates Jonathan Neman, Nicolas Jammet and Nathaniel Ru opened their first small restaurant shortly after finishing college. The founders were looking for something they felt was missing around campus: food that could be fast and convenient without sacrificing fresh ingredients.
sweetgreen grew around salads, bowls and seasonal produce, with scratch cooking and ingredient sourcing becoming central parts of the brand’s identity. That seasonal approach remains especially visible in rotating menus built around ingredients at their best, making a tomato-centered summer salad a particularly natural fit for the company.
Panzanella, sweetgreen-Style
Tomato Panzanella first appeared nationally in 2026 as a seasonal Limited Time Offer and sweetgreen’s first-ever panzanella.
The company described it as a tomato-forward, Italian-inspired salad built around peak summer tomatoes, basil and bread. Instead of the large soaked bread pieces found in traditional panzanella, sweetgreen uses crunchy garlic breadcrumbs with chopped romaine and arugula, then adds avocado, cucumber, pickled onions, feta and fresh tomato vinaigrette.
sweetgreen’s ingredient guide shows its garlic breadcrumbs are made from sourdough bread with olive oil, garlic and savory seasoning.
sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella Recipe
sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella combines crisp romaine and peppery arugula with ripe tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, basil, pickled red onions and feta, then finishes everything with garlic breadcrumbs and fresh tomato vinaigrette.
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
Pickled Red Onions
- 1/2 medium Red Onion very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
Garlic Breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 cups coarse Sourdough Breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic Clove finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette
- 1 cup chopped ripe Tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 small Garlic Clove minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
Tomato Panzanella
- 6 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce
- 2 cups Baby Arugula
- 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes halved
- 1 English Cucumber halved lengthwise and sliced
- 1 large Avocado cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup Pickled Red Onions
- 1/2 cup crumbled Feta Cheese
- 1/2 cup loosely packed Fresh Basil Leaves torn
Instructions
Prepare the Pickled Red Onions
- Add red onion to a small bowl or jar.
- Stir white wine vinegar, water, maple syrup and salt together until the salt dissolves.
- Pour over the onion.
- Let stand for at least 20 minutes.
- Drain before using.
Prepare the Garlic Breadcrumbs
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add garlic.
- Cook for about 20 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add breadcrumbs and salt.
- Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp and golden.
- Remove from heat.
- Let cool.
Prepare the Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette
- Add tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and black pepper to a blender.
- Blend briefly until combined but still slightly textured.
- Taste and adjust salt or vinegar if needed.
Assemble the Tomato Panzanella
- Add romaine and arugula to a large bowl.
- Add tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, pickled onions, feta and basil.
- Drizzle with enough fresh tomato vinaigrette to coat lightly.
- Toss gently.
- Add about half of the garlic breadcrumbs.
- Toss once or twice.
- Divide among serving bowls.
- Top generously with remaining garlic breadcrumbs.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For the easiest version, replace the homemade garlic breadcrumbs with coarsely crushed garlic croutons. sweetgreen’s own breadcrumbs are sourdough-based and seasoned with olive oil and garlic, so good garlic croutons make a very practical shortcut.
- Make the pickled onions and vinaigrette several hours ahead if desired, but keep the garlic breadcrumbs separate until serving so they stay crisp.
Related Copycat Recipes
- The Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad – Crisp greens, tropical fruit and savory toppings come together in a colorful salad with bright island-inspired flavor.
- Chicago Chop House Blackened Steak Salad – Hearty salad that balances smoky heat, tender beef, and fresh crunch
- The Boulevard Inn Caesar Salad – Fresh greens coated in a rich, tangy dressing deliver a timeless salad that keeps things simple and satisfying.
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Questions People Ask
What is in sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella?
sweetgreen lists tomatoes, avocado, basil, cucumbers, pickled onions, garlic breadcrumbs, feta, fresh tomato vinaigrette, chopped romaine and arugula.
When did sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella first appear?
It first appeared nationally in 2026 as part of sweetgreen’s summer seasonal menu.
Is sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella a traditional panzanella?
It is sweetgreen’s interpretation. Instead of large pieces of bread soaked with tomato juices and dressing, the restaurant uses crunchy garlic breadcrumbs over a greens-based salad.
Can I use store-bought breadcrumbs?
Yes. Coarsely crushed garlic croutons are an especially easy shortcut because they already provide the toasted bread, garlic and olive oil flavors.
Can I make the salad ahead?
Prepare the dressing, pickled onions and breadcrumbs ahead, but wait to cut the avocado, dress the greens and add the breadcrumbs until just before serving.
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Photo of “sweetgreen Tomato Panzanella” created by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes. Photos may be representative of the recipe and not the actual finished dish. All photo licenses listed were correct at the time of the posting of the page. Recipe is original to Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes. Recipe created by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes based on information from the restaurant and other sources on the internet – many courtesy of the Wayback Machine. Additional Information is from original research done by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes and/or courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission.
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It takes 10 seconds and helps another summer salad fan discover what ripe tomatoes, basil, feta and a ridiculous amount of garlic crunch can do to a bowl of greens.