| Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 0 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 355 | 14g | 5g | 45g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 10g | 11g | 13g | 0.2g |
Why I Love French Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad
Let me introduce you to one of my favourite recipes, Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad. As someone who has spent a considerable time by the sea, this dish, surprisingly, is a delightful departure from my usual seafood staples. Not to say that I love my lobster rolls and clam chowder any less, but this salad is vibrant, textured, and wonderfully flavourful.
What’s Special About This Salad
This Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad goes beyond the usual greens and vinaigrette. This recipe has got layers and it is far from monotonous. The crunchy chickpeas, juicy cherry tomatoes, the freshness of the herbs and the tangy dressing make it a memorable dish.
The addition of feta cheese further elevates the complexity of textures as well as flavors. Julia Child, the French chef who has been a great inspiration to many of us, always encouraged to experiment and this recipe epitomises exactly that principle.
Pair it Right to Make it Star of the Table
This salad is hearty enough to work as a main, yet light enough to serve as a side. If you’re looking forward to a full-fledged French feast, try it with Coq au Vin or Boeuf Bourguignon. Want to keep things breezy and simple? Serve this alongside a fresh grilled chicken baguette.
As a mother of two beautiful girls, Erin and Samantha, I can vouch for the kid-friendliness of this salad too. You see, with its colourful components and fun flavours, it has been a hit in many of our family dinners. I hope you will give this a try and add your own twist.
What You’ll Need
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) of chickpeas
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
Method
Step One
Open and drain the 2 cans of chickpeas, then rinse under cold water to remove any excess liquid or salt. Set aside.
Step Two
Wash the pint of cherry tomatoes and cut them in halves.
Step Three
Finely chop the fresh parsley and basil until you have 1/4 cup of each. Minced the 2 cloves of garlic.
Step Four
In a large bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, chopped herbs, and minced garlic.
Step Five
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Season it with 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Step Six
Pour the dressing over the chickpea and tomato mixture and gently stir to coat. Ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Step Seven
Lastly, crumble 1 cup of feta cheese over the salad, and gently toss one more time before serving. Enjoy your Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad.
