Balsamic Tomato & Chickpea Salad

An Italian inspired bean salad! This Balsamic Tomato and Chickpea salad is not only intensely flavorful, it is also so so simple to make. The rich balsamic vinegar balanced by the olive oil and herbs create a perfect zingy marinade for the juicy tomatoes and chickpeas to marinate in. The flavors of the soft tomatoes and chickpeas absorbed in the balsamic dressing remind me of the richness of a bruschetta! It would be delicious on top of a crusty baguette or eaten as a side dish along with some veggies, greens, or grains. I enjoyed mine with some steamed sweet potato, a bed of kale and another quick broccoli cabbage salad I threw together that night. It’s simple and comes together really quick!.. Making it a great staple week-night salad recipe. This will definitely now be one of my go-2 salads for those weeknights that I want a little extra something pair with my roasted veggies or grains. Delizioso!

Balsamic Tomato & ChickPea salad

(makes 4-5 small servings)

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup pickled red onion (quick pickled red onion recipe)

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

handful of fresh basil, chopped

Dressing:

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp agave

1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Add your chickpeas, tomato and pickled onion to a bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.

In a large bowl add your drained chickpeas, tomatoes, pickled onion, and garlic. Toss a few times to combine.

To the large bowl, add in your dressing, fresh herbs, salt and pepper, and toss again until everything is evenly coated.

Taste and adjust seasoning based on your preference. Refrigerate for at least 20-30min to allow your salad to chill and marinate in the dressing. The longer it sits in the dressing the better so if you make it the night before and enjoy it the next day it will be even more flavorful!