Chickpea Tomato Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

This delicious Chickpea Tomato Salad is bright and bursting with flavor. It takes only minutes to toss together this easy salad with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. It compliments any meal. Perfect to meal prep, the hearty salad stays fresh for days in the refrigerator.

READER COMMENT "Absolutely LOVE this recipe! So light and tasty!! The lemon is just enough to give that zesty taste!" ~ Caryn

At the Jersey shore, we usually start off the summer with "June Gloom." The skies are cloudy, the temperatures are cool and rainy days are always likely. But this year, we've had an unseasonably hot and dry first week of June. And I love it!

The warm and sunny weather calls for cool recipes. My Spicy Southwestern Salad, Big Mac Bowl and this Chickpea Tomato Salad are salad recipes that help to beat the heat.

Having this hearty and quick-to-make recipe for garbanzo bean salad on hand makes for easy meal planning. That leaves more time for heading to the beach.

Serve this beautiful salad as a side dish with grilled chicken, spicy barbecue pork tenderloin sliders, or coffee rubbed steaks and your dinner will be delicious. Toss it with mixed green for a tasty lunch. Or pack it in an airtight container and bring it along for a picnic.

Why you'll love this recipe

If you love real food and would rather skip over processed ones, then this is the recipe for you. You'll love the recipe for the following reasons.

• Easy to make ~ This recipe takes just minutes to make - seriously! Just make a simple vinaigrette and toss it with the remaining ingredients. That's it!
• Serve chilled or room temperature ~ This is a vinaigrette based salad. It doesn't contain mayonnaise so it can be served at room temperature or chilled. It's great for summer picnics, barbecues, potlucks or a day at the beach.
• Protein powerhouse ~ Are chickpeas healthy? Yes they are! They're protein and fiber packed and make a nutritious and delicious side dish or meal.
• Great for meal prep As the salad is made with hearty ingredients, it holds up well for a few days in the refrigerator. Make it once, and enjoy it all week long.

Ingredients & substitutions

Pantry staples along with a handful of fresh ingredients are included in this recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.

• Extra virgin olive oil ~ What can you use instead of extra virgin olive oil? Try avocado oil, walnut oil or safflower oil.
• Fresh lemon juice ~ Apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar are tasty substitutes.
• Kosher salt ~ The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
• Freshly ground black pepper ~ Use a pepper mill to grind the pepper. Grinding your own pepper from peppercorns results in the most flavorful spice.
• Fresh herbs ~ Fresh parsley, cilantro, dill, basil and thyme are some of my top picks for this dish. In a pinch, use dried herbs.
• Chickpeas ~ Also known as garbanzo beans. If you're not a fan of chickpeas, use any bean you would like. Try kidney beans, Great northern white beans or cannellini beans.
• Cherry tomatoes ~ Diced tomatoes or grape tomatoes are also options.
• Red bell pepper ~ Also try orange, green or yellow bell peppers in the recipe.
• Parmesan cheese ~ Sharp and salty Parmesan cheese is a nice compliment to the other ingredients. Substitutes include feta, blue or Asiago cheese.

How to make chickpea tomato salad

With just a couple steps, this chickpea salad recipe is easy to make. This is a brief overview of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for full instructions.

Step 1: Make the vinaigrette ~ In a large bowl add the vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk to thoroughly mix the ingredients.

Step 2: Add the salad ingredients ~ To the same bowl, add the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

Step 3: Toss to combine ~ Mix the vinaigrette with the salad ingredients.

That's all it takes! What could be easier?

Variations - What to add to chickpea salad

I like to serve the fresh and healthy salad just as is. But the dish is also versatile!

• Add protein ~ Stir in cooked shrimp, shredded chicken or canned tuna.
• Add vegetables ~ Try corn, peas, cucumber, red onion, green onions or olives.
• Add cheese ~ Along with the parmesan cheese, crumbles feta or blue cheese or cubes of gouda or monterey jack.
• Add greens ~ Serve it over mixed greens, chopped romaine or baby spinach for a delicious lunch.
• Add grains ~ Add a scoop of the salad over chilled quinoa, farro, barley or rice for a fiber packed dish. This is one of my favorite salads to take to work.

Expert tip

Grate the Parmesan cheese by hand for the freshest tasting flavor. The pre-shredded cheese available at the grocery store is coated with an anti-caking ingredient. This masks the true flavor of the cheese. Use a box grater or food processor.

Frequently asked questions

To make this recipe totally plant-based, leave out the Parmesan cheese. Another option is to nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese.

Use an airtight container to store the salad. I recommend these meal prep containers. I use them at home and for my personal chef clients. Refrigerate the salad for up to 5 days. Any longer and the tomatoes will start to get mushy.