Puttanesca Chickpea-Tomato Salad
This recipe turns tomato salad into a meal by marrying creamy beans with some of the briny, salty ingredients found in pasta puttanesca, like tomatoes, capers, olives and garlic. While Parmesan isn’t traditional to puttanesca, coarsely chopped pebbles of it add bursts of umami to this salad. Feel free to omit the cheese for a vegan dish, or embellish the mix with fresh or dried chile, tinned fish or more vegetables. This recipe is not only adaptable but also improves as it sits: The tomato juices mingle with the oil, olives and capers — and the beans drink it all up.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1 ½pounds ripe tomatoes of any size, cut into 1- or 2-bite pieces
- 3cups cooked, rinsed chickpeas, white beans or a mix (homemade or from two 15-ounce cans)
- ½cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves and stems
- 1 ½ounces Parmesan, coarsely chopped or crumbled (about 1/3 cup)
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼cup kalamata olives, torn in half and pitted
- 3tablespoons drained capers
- 1tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1small garlic clove, finely grated
- Kosher salt
Instructions
Step 1
In a large bowl, stir together the tomatoes, chickpeas, parsley, Parmesan, olive oil, olives, capers, lemon juice and garlic. Season lightly with salt and stir once more. Let sit for 10 minutes or up to 2 hours at room temperature.Step 2
Before serving, taste and add more salt and lemon juice until it tastes bright. The balance is largely dependent on your tomatoes. (This salad keeps for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.)