Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs

I don't know about you but side dishes frustrate me. I find myself making the same boring things over and over again because they're either easy or because I'm too lazy to think of something better. I had seen this recipe for Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs on Kelsey's blog awhile back and thought it sounded like a great, light side dish (she serves it as a main course).

Then I completely forgot about it until I was trying to come up with something to serve with black bean burgers from the freezer. It needed to be something I could make in advance since I was planning to serve it for dinner on a Tuesday after my exercise class. Baby Girl and I threw together a half order after I picked her up from daycare and it sat in the fridge until SP and I enjoyed it about 4 hours later. I think it got better the next day once the flavors had married a little more and I finished it off for lunch.

I'm excited to have a new quick and easy side dish in my repertoire. This went well with the black bean burgers (I had mine with mashed avocado and it was divine). It would also go great with grilled chicken, steak, pork chops, seafood, portabello mushrooms, alongside a traditional burger or chicken sandwich, or as a salad tossed with chopped lettuce.

Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs
As seen on Apple a Day, adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2011

2 (15-oz.) cans low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Zest of one lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon each coarse sea salt and black pepper, plus more to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste salad and adjust seasonings as desired. The salad can (and should) be made ahead of time and chilled to allow the flavors to marry.