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.

Ingredients

• 1 ½

  pounds ripe tomatoes of any size, cut into 1- or 2-bite pieces

• 3

  cups cooked, rinsed chickpeas, white beans or a mix (homemade or from two 15-ounce cans)

• ½

  cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves and stems

• 1 ½

  ounces Parmesan, coarsely chopped or crumbled (about 1/3 cup)

• ¼

  cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼

  cup kalamata olives, torn in half and pitted

• 3

  tablespoons drained capers

• 1

  tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste

• 1

  small garlic clove, finely grated

• Kosher salt

Preparation

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.
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.)