Tomato, Crispy Chickpea & Feta Salad with Garlic-Honey Vinaigrette
This simple crispy chickpea, feta, and tomato salad is inspired by Vermont’s fresh summer produce.
By Yankee Magazine|Jun 28 2026|
Tomato, Crispy Chickpea & Feta Salad with Garlic-Honey Vinaigrette
Credit: Styling and photo by Liz NeilyThis crispy chickpea, feta, and tomato salad is quick and simple to make but hearty enough for a summer meal. If you’ve never roasted chickpeas before, prepare to be delighted. When dried well before roasting, they come out nutty and crunchy, the perfect match for the season’s sweet tomatoes.
This recipe first appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of Yankee.
Yield
About 6 servings as a side, 4 as a main course
For the salad
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, preferably a mix of colors and varieties, cored and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges
½ English (seedless) cucumber, cut into half moons
4 ounces fresh, good-quality feta in brine
5 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (I use a mix of 2 tablespoons basil, 2 tablespoons mint, and 1 tablespoon chives)
Instructions
First, roast the chickpeas: Preheat your oven to 450°F and set a rack to the upper third of the oven. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then arrange on towels and gently pat dry. For maximum crispness, let air-dry for 30 minutes (you can skip this step in a pinch).
In a bowl, gently toss the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon oil and the salt, paprika, and pepper. Arrange on a small baking tray and roast until the chickpeas are browned and crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, arrange your tomato wedges and cucumber on a serving platter or in a bowl, leaving room for the chickpeas. Break the feta into nice-size crumbles and sprinkle over the tomatoes.
For the vinaigrette
Ingredients
¹⁄3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 large garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
To make the vinaigrette, put the vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. Let this sit for 10 minutes, then add the olive oil and shake well.
When the chickpeas are done, arrange them on the platter with the tomatoes. Sprinkle all over with the fresh herbs, then drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.
