Continental | Protein rich | Recipes | Salads

Balela Salad / Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad

drprerna26October 14, 2020

Balela Salad is a wholesome and refreshing Middle Eastern salad which is healthy, nutritious, protein packed and bursting with zesty flavors!! Balela is pronounced as ‘BAH-LAY-LA’  and it means ‘cooked chickpeas’ in Arabic.  There are many variations, however, it mostly comprises of cooked chickpeas , black beans , chopped veggies, plenty of fresh herbs and a zesty lemony dressing with garlic. Crumbled feta cheese can be a delicious addition too (skip for vegan option).

Balela Salad can be a part of a special meal or it can stand as a meal itself as it is very nourishing and satisfying. This salad can also be enjoyed in wraps or warm pitta pockets with tahini or hummus. It is naturally gluten free and vegan.

I have used Sumac in the recipe which is a tangy middle eastern spice.It is completely optional to use and the salad will still taste very flavorful from the other ingredients without it!

Top tips:

• It is very simple to make, however there is lots of chopping involved, but thats it!! No cooking required ! It can be made the day before as it taste better when you leave the flavors to meld for few hours before serving!!
• If you feel like adding more of anything, go for it!! Feel free to add more veggies!
• This recipe makes a large batch for two, so you might have some left overs ( you will be glad to have some extra for next day ) . Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days!

More Middle Eastern Salad recipes:

I love Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors! Check out my other Middle Eastern salads:

Lebanese Fattoush Salad  

Tabbouleh Salad  

”If you try this recipe I would love to hear from you! I would appreciate if you could leave a review or a comment below !! Please feel free to share your feedback and suggestions as well! Thank you so much.”

Cuisine: Middle Eastern   Course: Main/Starter   Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• Chickpeas: 1 can of cooked chickpeas (400 gms can ) drained and rinsed, or soak 1 cup of raw chickpeas overnight and cook them.
• Black Beans: 1 can of cooked black beans (400 gms can ) , drained and rinsed
• Red onion: 1, finely chopped
• Cherry /Plum tomatoes: 2 cups, halved
• English cucumber: 1/2, chopped finely
• Spring onions: 4-5 , slice thinly both green and white parts
• Sun dried tomatoes: 1/2 cup ( use the ones which come in jars with olive oil )
• Black olives/Kalamata olives: 1/3 cup, pitted ( slice or leave whole)
• Green olives: 1/4 cup, pitted  (slice or leave whole )
• Fresh parsley : 1/2 cup tightly packed , chopped finely
• Fresh mint: 1/2 cup tightly packed, chopped finely
• Green Pepper : 1/2 , chop into small pieces (optional )

For dressing:

• Extra virgin olive oil:  1/3 cup
• Apple cider vinegar: 3 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
• Garlic clove: 1, grated/minced
• Salt and pepper: according to taste
• Red pepper flakes: 1/4 tsp
• Sumac : 1 tsp ( optional )

Method:

• In a big bowl , mix together all the salad ingredients like chickpeas, black beans, onion, cucumber, spring onion, tomatoes, olives, sun dried tomatoes and herbs.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic clove, red pepper flakes , salt and pepper.
• Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir gently to coat. Keep aside for 30 minutes before serving or store in refrigerator covered until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve , gently mix it and taste to adjust the seasonings.
• Enjoy!!