This Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad is known as Balela. It has all the bold flavor you crave, without the unhealthy ingredients. Garbanzo bean salad can be served with kofta kebab, sumac chicken, or over bulgur pilaf.
This Balela salad is not only gorgeous, but it's also healthy, vegan-friendly, and gluten free! It's higher in protein than most salads, thanks to the garbanzo beans.
While the chickpeas, avocado, tomatoes, and cucumbers are tasty in their own right, it's the unique dressing that's really the star of the show! It's seasoned with za'atar and sumac which give the dressing it's wonderful, tangy flavor.
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
- Balela is healthy so you can have a second helping!
- It's also filling, so you can have it as a light, vegan or vegetarian meal.
- You can prepare it ahead of time.
- Leftovers taste great!
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chickpeas: Keep it simple with canned chickpeas, or go the extra mile by soaking and cooking dried garbanzo beans.
- Tomatoes: Fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes or grape tomatoes.
- Cucumbers: I prefer Persian cucumbers but you can also use small pickling cucumbers or Armenian cucumbers.
- Onion: Either red onion or scallions can be added to this salad.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly juiced lemon juice or bottled lemon juice.
🥗 How to Make Balela Salad
Step 1: Drain the chickpeas and add to a bowl. Chop salad ingredients and add to the same bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Whisk the salad dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad, and mix gently to combine.
Step 3: Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
Step 4: Store in the refrigerator for a few hours, or until the flavors come together. Serve as a side with your favorite entree.
🫒Optional Salad Ingredients
This Balela salad recipe is amazing on its own, but you can add some of these other delicious ingredients to take it to a whole new level!
- Olives (black olives or pickled green olives)
- Fresh herbs including Italian parsley, or fresh mint
- Yellow or red bell pepper
- Black beans
- Cubed or crumbled feta cheese
FAQs
The word "Balela" is an Arabic word meaning "cooked chickpeas."
You can make Balela at home or you can purchase it at Trader Joe's. You may also want to check your favorite Middle Eastern restaurant!
Balela can be enjoyed in a wrap or pita bread, drizzled with tahini sauce. It can also be served as a side dish with meats, or served over rice. Balela can be served as part of a mezze platter.
Balela can be eaten as a side to grilled beef, chicken, kabobs, or sea food. It also makes a healthy lunch, or a delicious appetizer. Another great way to enjoy this yummy salad is over rice!
Pro Tips
- Preparing Balela salad ahead of time is great because the flavorful dressing soaks into the beans.
- For a little added heat, add a sliced Serrano or jalapeno pepper.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.
- Serve inside pita pockets for a quick, yummy meal or with a side of hummus.
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📖 Recipe
Balela (Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad)
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 can chickpeas
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 persian cucumber
- ¼ cup red onion (diced)
- 1 avocado (diced)
Salad Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon za'atar (see recipe on my blog)
- 1 teaspoon sumac spice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Drain the chickpeas and add to a bowl. Chop salad ingredients and add to the same bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the salad dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad, and mix gently to combine.
- Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
- Store in the refrigerator for a few hours, or until the flavors come together. Serve as a side with your favorite entree.
Notes
- Preparing Balela salad ahead of time is great because the flavorful dressing soaks into the beans.
- For a little added heat, add a sliced Serrano or jalapeno pepper.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.
- Serve inside pita pockets for a quick, yummy meal or with a side of hummus.
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