In the meantime, toss the cherry tomatoes, red onions, artichoke hearts, balsamic vinegar, ½ cup olive oil and basil together in a large bowl.
Remove the bread from the oven and add to the vegetable/dressing mixture.
Toss well to combine.
Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top.
Notes
Stale Bread: If you have a loaf of stale bread, dice this into cubes and skip steps 1-3. After tossing the bread with the other salad ingredients, allow to set for at least 20-30 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the dressing.
Artichoke Hearts: Artichoke hearts can be found in a can or jar at the grocery store. Marinated or non-marinated artichoke hearts can be used for this recipe, just make sure to drain any liquid from the artichoke hearts before adding them to the salad.
Tomatoes: Heirloom tomatoes, roma tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes can be sliced and used in place of the halved cherry tomatoes in this recipe.
Gluten Free: A loaf of gluten free bread can be used in place of the Italian bread to make this recipe gluten-free.
Vegan: When served without the parmesan cheese on top, this recipe is vegan. Always be sure to read the labels on the bread to make sure that no dairy products have been added.