Balela (Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad)
A delicious and healthy chickpea salad with a tangy zaatar and sumac dressing!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 314kcal
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
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.
- 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.
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 702mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g