Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas are summer on a plate. This herby, lemony dish is served over yogurt or whipped cottage cheese for a fabulous light lunch or starter. It’s especially good on hot August days when cherry tomatoes are at their peak, and nothing else seems especially tempting. Finish it with an optional drizzle of balsamic glaze, to take it over the top.
Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas
It takes about five minutes to toss the recipe together, and about 20 to 25 minutes in the oven to bring this dish to the table. I love a recipe like this that has such a big payoff in flavor for a minimum amount of work and/or fuss!
About Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas:
And while the dish is simple, the flavors certainly aren’t. Everyday herbs and spices, cumin, oregano, and thyme, along with bright lemon and good olive oil, create surprising depth. The slightly charred tomatoes and your choice of spinach or kale add a subtle smokiness, while a pinch of red pepper flakes brings just enough heat.
You’ll serve it over cool, lemony yogurt (or whipped cottage cheese), and that combination of the warm, smoky tomato mixture spooned over the creamy base is simply divine. A final drizzle of balsamic glaze ties everything together.
I have to thank Chef Yotam Ottolenghi for the inspiration. I adapted one of his signature dishes, adding chickpeas for a little extra heft and protein.
Making Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas:
I love that it’s a breeze to make. Just mix everything together and pop it into a skillet. There’s no tedious chopping, and the only real prep is the lemon.
Grate the zest from half the lemon into the yogurt or cottage cheese. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove thin strips of peel from the other half, then juice the lemon. Both the peel and juice are added to the tomato mixture.
When everything is in the skillet, you’ll toss it in the oven for about 20 minutes, then broil until the tomatoes and greens have a little char here and there, still juicy and just about collapsing from the heat.
Leftover Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas:
Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. If you know the dish won’t be eaten in one sitting, store the blistered tomatoes and chickpeas separately from the yogurt or whipped cottage cheese.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
If you like the Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas, you might want to check my main menu of Appetizers and Munchies. Here are a couple of other easy family favorite Cherry Tomato Recipes to get you started.
- Honey Roasted Feta – I’m in love with this appetizer; it’s such a fabulous, easy thing to do…no wonder people started adding pasta.
Easy Honey Roasted Feta
- Oven-Roasted Cherry Tomato Tart – bright and tangy, suited for adult palates! Serve over lettuce or with a little cheese on Italian bread.
Oven Roasted Cherry Tomato Tart
- Oven-Roasted Cherry Tomato Tart – bright and tangy, probably more suited for adult palates! Serve with a simple little salad for a gorgeous lunch or as is for a starter.
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.
Yogurt:
- Larger cartons will have best pricing. Better yogurts (plain, whole milk with live probiotics) can be found at a range of price points.
- Shop buyers’ clubs (fabulous deals) and discount stores like Aldi and Lidl; if available, ethnic markets will have a good selection .
- For price and freshness, it’s a real flex to Make Your Own Yogurt.
- Plain is versatile; use it for eating, cooking, and baking. It can often sub for sour cream. Pro tip: add fruit or jam flavor.
- Yogurt stays fresher stored upside down in the fridge and is good for weeks after the “Best Buy” date.
Cherry Tomatoes:
- Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow; smaller varieties do well in pots.
- If buying: check your buyers club for best pricing and quality. Otherwise, check discount grocers, or sales (there will be great ones before holidays) at the grocery.
- Pricing at Farmers’ Markets can be iffy, but quality and variety may be better. Consider imperfect.
- Once fully ripened, place in the fridge to buy time; bring out a few hours before using.
Chickpeas:
- Dried Chickpeas are inexpensive, and like any bean, will be on sale, often unadvertised, just before or after a holiday where ham is usually served, Christmas, New Year’s, or Easter.
- Indian, Middle Eastern, or Latin American markets may have better prices & fresher chickpeas.
- Canned Chickpeas go on sale regularly; if used often, pick up enough to last until the next sale. You’ll find good pricing at the discount stores.
- For comparison, a can is around 15 ounces and holds about 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas. A pound bag, once cooked, yields about 1/4 cup less than 3 cans. A flex is to cook the pound and divide any unused into (close to) 1 1/2 cup portions) with some of the liquid and freeze.
Hello, and thanks for visiting! We’re so lucky to get good cherry tomatoes year-round, but Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas really shines during the late summer,
Mollie
Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas
Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained (set on a towel or paper towel to absorb excess moisture)
- handful of kale or mature spinach, kale torn into two to three-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon (heaping) cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed and finely diced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 lemon: zest of half a lemon, for the other half, peel into small strips, then juice the lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided (or to taste)
- a grind or two of cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 ounces cold, thick Greek yogurt or about 10 ounces cottage cheese, whipped
- balsamic glaze to taste, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place tomatoes in an oven-proof skillet or small roasting pan (they should be snug). Add the kale or spinach and chickpeas. Toss to combine.
Add the oil, cumin, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano, juice of the lemon, the lemon strips, salt to taste, and a good grind or two of pepper. Toss together.
Roast for 20 minutes, until tomatoes begin to blister and release their juices, then broil until the tomatoes begin to char on top.
In the meantime, mix the yogurt (or blended cottage cheese) with the grated lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste. Refrigerate until ready.
When the tomatoes have finished, spread the cold yogurt or cottage cheese out on a large plate or shallow bowl. Spoon the hot tomatoes and juices on top, and finish with the optional red pepper flakes. Serve at once with some flatbreads or good crusty bread.
Note: if desired, sprinkle with a little balsamic glaze.
Note on Whipping Cottage Cheese: Use a blender or food processor. May need to add a little liquid if the cottage cheese is very thick. A little milk works well.
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