This Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad called Balela Salad, is vegan and healthy! Made w/ finely chopped veggies, fresh herbs, lemon & olive oil. Serve it in a pita with tahini sauce or over greens.
Use 3 cups of fresh cooked chickpeas, remembering if you live in the Northwest, we grown our own lovely chickpeas here, in the Palouse, so try to seek them out. Soak and cook. Or, alternately use 2 cans, drained and rinsed. For veggies, add bell pepper, cucumber and tomatoes when in season. Mint, parsley and scallions give it a burst of flavor.
I really load it up with herbs- not only flavorful, but full of nutrients.
Place everything in a bowl, then drizzle with oil, lemon, salt and pepper and toss.
Sometimes I also make tacos out of it.
Balela Salad
This Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad called Balela Salad, is vegan and healthy! Made w/ finely chopped veggies, fresh herbs, lemon & olive oil. Serve it in a pita with tahini sauce or over greens.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Vegan Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: Middle eastern
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked garbanzo beans- ( 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
- 1 red bell pepper-diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper-diced
- 1 cup chopped vine ripened tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 5 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
- ½ cup to 1 cup fresh mint- chopped
- ½ cup to 1 cup Italian parsley – chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ cup olive oil
- zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sumac ( optional)
- ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne or aleppo chili flakes
- Optional sides –toasted pita bread, or tortilla wraps, baba ganoush, tahini sauce for drizzling, hummus, crumbled feta or a big bed a of greens.
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a big bowl.
- Toss well and taste, adjusting salt, lemon, and spice level.
- Serve with salad greens or pita and tahini sauce,
Nutrition
- Calories: 256
Keywords: chickpea salad, chickpea salad recipe, balela, balela salad, vegan chickpea salad recipes, vegan chickpea salad
I made this a couple of weeks ago for a potluck and I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m making it again on Friday. This may have to be a weekly thing.
★★★★★
Great to hear!
This looks very good, I will leave out the oil.
This was my dinner tonight, along with some homemade baked pita chips. It was delicious, and I am looking forward to leftovers tomorrow. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
This looks delicious! Do you have a favorite brand of tahini paste? I’d like to try and make my own tahini sauce.
Thanks!
Thank you Kelly! I usually use Alwadi or Joyva Tahini Paste.