Roasted Chickpea & Tomato Salad

One of my favorite summertime treats is a simple panzanella salad. I dream of its rustic freshness all winter long. And now that we are in the heart of tomato season this salad has frequented our dinner table multiple times with no end in sight. I can't get enough of the farm fresh flavors. A classic panzanella salad consists of toasted pieces of day old bread, tomatoes and basil. I love the classic version however, we were fresh out of good crusty bread and I didn't want that to ruin my plans for making this salad. Thank god we are NEVER short on chickpeas at our house. I turned to my favorite legume to step up to the plate. Roasted chickpeas have never failed me in the past and all I can say is WOW! The mighty chickpea was a home run and this new version of panzanella just might be my favorite to date. Simple recipes like this are why I continue to blog. I love sharing fresh prepared meals around the dinner table with my family and friends. However, over the years I have found so much joy sharing our simple meals with all of you as well. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to read comments about recipes you've tried and loved. It keeps me motivated to keep documenting our farm journey and fresh recipes. I hope you all find as much joy in the kitchen as we do. Grab a fork and dive into this tasty summer salad. Enjoy!

Roasted Chickpea & Tomato Salad

Prep Time: 10 mins.
Cook Time: 25 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pint cherry tomatos, sliced in half
  • 1 medium-sized cucumber, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
  • 1/2 of a red onion, diced
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas - if from the can rinsed and drained
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the vinaigrette:
  • 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dijon style mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • black pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the chickpeas with oil and salt. Place on a prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until lightly browed and crisp. About 15-20 minutes. Toss chickpeas halfway through cooking.
  2. Prepare the dressing by whisking all ingredients until smooth. This works great with an immersion blender but a glass jar with a lid works well too. Shake until well combined.
  3. Toss the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, onion and basil with the dressing and allow to sit for about 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
  4. Once chickpeas are done roasting let them cool slightly and then toss them in with the veggies. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide. *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. *Always taste test as you go.

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