Tomato Salad With Chickpeas and Feta

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated Aug. 6, 2021

Tomato Salad With Chickpeas and Feta
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Lish Steiling.
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(1,302)
Comments
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Peak summer eating doesn’t get much easier than this fresh tomato salad. Ripe, in-season tomatoes are best, but if they are not in their prime, the simple technique of salting them first will draw out maximum flavor. Roasted nuts and seeds are excellent pantry items and make a perfect no-cook, savory-sweet crisp topping. The nut-seed-spice mixture is completely flexible; use what you have on hand, and add aromatic seeds like nigella or fennel if you like. The store-bought granola is optional, but it adds a surprising sweetness and even more crunch. (Opt for one that is as plain as possible and without dried fruits or chocolate.) Make extra topping and keep it in an airtight jar for sprinkling over salads and roasted vegetables.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Salad

    • 2½pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety), cut into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces
    • 1garlic clove, grated
    • 1½teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
    • 1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
    • 1(7-ounce) block feta cheese, crumbled
    • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
    • ¼teaspoon black pepper
    • Handful of basil leaves

    For the Crisp Topping

    • ¼cup roasted, salted shelled sunflower seeds, roughly chopped (see Tip)
    • ¼cup roasted, salted pepitas, roughly chopped
    • ¼cup roasted, salted almonds, roughly chopped
    • ¼cup roasted, salted pistachios, roughly chopped
    • ½cup plain oat granola (no fruit or chocolate added), roughly chopped (optional)
    • 1tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
    • ¼ to ½teaspoon chile powder or red-pepper flakes
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
    • Black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

609 calories; 39 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 1200 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place tomatoes into a large bowl and add the garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Using your hands or a large spoon, gently toss the tomatoes so that everything is evenly coated. Let the tomatoes sit for about 10 minutes. (The salt will draw out flavor from the tomatoes.)

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile make the topping: Combine the sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds, pistachios, granola if using, sesame seeds, chile powder and salt. Toss to combine. Season with a few turns of black pepper and stir everything together.

  3. Step 3

    Add the chickpeas, feta, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper to the tomatoes and toss to combine. Taste and adjust olive oil, salt and pepper to your liking. Tear up basil leaves and sprinkle on top.

  4. Step 4

    To serve, transfer tomatoes to a serving platter or individual bowls. When you are ready to eat, sprinkle with the crisp topping.

Tip
  • You can use unsalted roasted nuts and seeds, but you’ll need to add more salt to the mixture.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,302 user ratings
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Comments

C. Randall

Just delicious! And although I'm a big fan of nuts and seeds, I thought it wouldn't need the crunchy dressing at all. The salad stands alone just fine.

Judie B.

I love this salad. I would recommend less salt. Between the feta, tomatoes and nuts, it's a lot. Otherwise fabulous!

Morgandy

Just superb! Rounded and satisfying, fresh and crunchy. The seeds and nuts add another dimension of goodness and deliciousness! I agree with Judie B, it needs a lot less salt, it doesn’t need so much, plenty in the other ingredients, cut it right down and reached perfection!

Avery

I love how the salt brings out the flavor of the tomatoes, which together with the olive oil and cheese make a natural dressing. I added some thinly sliced red onion, just because. And the basil in our garden had succumbed to the heat, so I used arugula I had on hand instead. I should add that I followed the advice of others and reduced the salt level. Other than that I followed the recipe, and it was a delicious use of tomatoes with chickpeas on a hot summer day.

Bob Berkman

Wonder why mine ended up with so much liquid from the tomatoes? I poured it off at the end, but it still seemed kind of soggy; also seemed like too many chickpeas

Kat

Loved this with peak-of-summer tomatoes. Air-fried the chickpeas for crunch, added a chopped fresh peach, and finished with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Next time I’ll add a little chopped red onion and perhaps combine this with cooked pasta for a main-dish salad.

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