This Balela salad is a fresh Middle Eastern chickpea salad packed with herbs, vegetables, lemon, and olive oil. A healthy, flavorful make-ahead side dish. Vegan, gluten-free, high in fiber and protein.
This Middle Eastern chickpea salad, called Balela (bah-lay-la), is a recipe close to my heart. My Egyptian father made this fresh, herb-filled salad while I was growing up, and it has always been one of those simple dishes that feels like home.
Balela is made with tender chickpeas, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, lemon, and olive oil-a bright, flavorful combination that gets even better as it sits. Serve it over lightly dressed greens, scoop it into warm pita, or wrap it up with creamy tahini sauce for an easy, portable lunch. Add feta if you like, or keep it naturally vegan.
What I love most about Balela is how well it fits into real life. It's perfect for meal prep, weekday lunches, picnics, and gatherings because the flavors deepen over time. It's also a beautiful addition to a Middle Eastern feast or a simple, nourishing meal all on its own.
Why You'll Love This Balela Salad
A make-ahead dream - Balela gets even better as it sits, allowing the flavors to mingle. It's perfect for meal prep, weekday lunches, picnics, or gatherings.
So many ways to enjoy it - Serve it over greens, tuck it into pita bread, wrap it in a tortilla, or add it to a mezze platter with hummus and tahini sauce.
Naturally nourishing - Packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and fresh ingredients, this salad is naturally vegan and gluten-free (when served without bread).
A recipe with roots - This is a simple, timeless dish inspired by my Egyptian father's cooking-proof that some of the best recipes come from everyday meals made with care.
Balela Salad Ingredients
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) - The hearty base of this fresh Middle Eastern salad, adding protein, fiber, and a satisfying texture. Use canned chickpeas for convenience or cook your own for an even richer flavor.
- Bell peppers and tomatoes - Add sweetness, crunch, and vibrant color while bringing that fresh, garden-inspired feel to every bite.
- Cucumber - Adds a cool, crisp texture that balances the creamy chickpeas and bright dressing.
- Scallions, mint, and parsley - The heart of Balela's fresh flavor. Generous handfuls of herbs make this salad lively, fragrant, and incredibly refreshing. We load the salad up with fresh herbs!
- Garlic - Adds savory depth and a little bite to the simple lemony dressing.
- Olive oil and lemon - Create a bright, zesty dressing that ties everything together and lets the fresh ingredients shine.
- Sumac and chili flakes (optional) - Sumac adds a tangy, citrusy note, traditional in Middle Eastern cooking, while cayenne or Aleppo pepper brings a gentle, warm heat.
- Other variations- add avocado, kalamata olive or feta cheese!
How to make Balela Salad
You’ll need 3 cups of cooked chickpeas- so either soak and cook or use two cans
Chop fresh bell pepper, cucumber and tomatoes.
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. Sumac is optional but elevates here.
Favorite Ways to Serve Balela Salad
- As a side or salad to your Middle Eastern feast.
- Wrap in a tortilla wrap or pita bread with tahini sauce, or tzatziki
- Spoon over a bed of dressed greens as a light healthy meal!
More Salad recipes You’ll love!
Lebanese Slaw (Salatet Malfouf)
Quinoa Asparagus Salad (aka Spring Tabouli)
Print
Balela Salad (Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad)
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Beans, easy salad, Make-ahead, meal prep, potluck ideas, Side Dish, summer, vegan salad
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Dairy-Free, fiber, Gluten-Free, high protein, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This Balela salad is a fresh Middle Eastern chickpea salad packed with herbs, vegetables, lemon, and olive oil. A healthy, flavorful make-ahead side dish.
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
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup fresh mint- chopped
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup Italian parsley - chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- zest of one lemon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sumac ( optional)
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne or aleppo chili flakes
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,
Notes
Optional sides –toasted pita bread, or tortilla wraps, baba ganoush, tahini sauce for drizzling, hummus, crumbled feta or a big bed a of greens.
Keeps up to 4 days in the fridge!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 211
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 665.1 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.1 g
- Fiber: 6.1 g
- Protein: 8.3 g
- Cholesterol: 64.6 mg
So good, colorful and healthy. I used 1/8 cup of olive oil and found it to be perfect. Served over fresh greens and alongside grilled turkey tenderloins.
Sounds great, glad you enjoyed!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I love that it is simple to put together, low calorie and yet delicious! I omitted the scallions and chili flakes but still so good! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed Carina!
This is unbelievably delicious! It’s a great option for helping regulate my blood sugar during the day, especially when my appetite is nil. Love it best with a sprouted grain pita pocket or sprouted wheat crackers. Feta sounds like a great addition and I’ll be trying that next time. This version is my favorite, thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much Holly! Glad you like this one!
This is quite tasty! I can’t eat peppers so I just added more cucumber, I think radishes would be a nice crunchy addition, too!
Perfect Dee!
This was so so easy and amazingly delicious!
Awesome Julie! Glad you enjoyed this!
I had no mint or sumac so I omitted those. Also reduced the olive oil as I don’t like it too oily. It was a hit with my dinner guests! Will definitely make it again.
Great to hear Kate!
Love how fresh the salad was I added a little more mint but very very good and made a wrap with tahini sauce excellent thank you
Thanks so much, more herbs are always good in my book!
Had to omit the tomatoes, and cut the olive oil by half. This was easy to make, delicious, and perfect with toasted naan. I’m going to serve this when friends come over! Also would be great for work lunches.
thanks Christy!
Asssome salad.
Thanks so much Nathalie!
I really enjoyed this, but 1/2 cup olive oil was way over the top. I suspect 1/4 cup might even be excessive, so next time I’ll start with 1/8. Also added a healthy splash of aged balsamic vinegar for the win.
I tried this recipe. I love this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
Followed the recipe exactly. Delicious! Definitely a keeper.
Thanks Kristen!
Great recipe! Substituted a few bits for young children to eat, no onion or pepper, used paprika spice instead of cayenne. Added a piece of chicken and it made a great dinner! Or enjoyed alone for a good lunch/snack.
where can I buy your cook book?
I don’t have one. 😉
Love this balala salad! Served with chicken shawarma as a side. Delicious, and so fresh. Also Sylvia, you can style a bowl of soup like nobody’s business! Made your Thai broccoli soup the other day, it’s my favorite.
Super easy to make and so tasty. Lasted well for lunches through the week. Will be on regular rotation.
Excellent
We love this salad
This is such a versatile salad!
This looks really good! I was just wondering how long it would last in the fridge?
4 days!
I’m currently eating a bowl of this as I type this – 10/10 this recipe is SO GOOD! And I have to admit, I normally eat pretty unhealthily but I’m trying to change that, and this salad was calling my name so I made and DANGGGGGG, I made it with onion powder and garlic powder instead of fresh garlic and onion, and I added a lot of coriander, and accidentally too much red pepper flakes haha and drizzled it with tahini and BOY OH BOY is it good!
Great to hear!
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.