Name: Balela Salad (Mediterranean Chickpea Salad)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed; 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1/3 cup fresh mint, finely chopped; 1/2 cup red onion, diced; 1 large jalapeno, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar; salt and pepper to taste

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Balela Salad (Mediterranean Chickpea Salad) – a Mediterranean salad made with chickpeas, black beans, lots of fresh herbs and lemon juice. Super healthy and great as a dip or side dish.

This super bright, fresh and healthy Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is quickly going to become a staple in your house! It is loaded with flavor and ready in about 10 minutes. If you have never had Balela before, you are going to want to change that fast!

Table of Contents show

What Is Balela

I first learned what Balela was because I saw it at Costco. It is a Middle Eastern cold salad consisting of chickpeas and black bean salad with parsley and mint in a lemon and olive oil dressing. It is bright, fresh, and super healthy. Trader Joes used to sell a version that also included diced tomatoes. It makes for a great side dish or even a hearty dip with pita chips.

What You’ll Need

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card to get the measurements and full instructions!

Canned Chickpeas – I always like to drain and rinse them
Canned Black Beans – It is best to drain and rinse black beans
Fresh Parsley
Fresh Mint
Red Onion
Jalapeno – you can remove the seeds to make it more mild
Garlic
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

How To Make Balela

This is a super easy dip you can make in minutes! Start by getting everything chopped. You want everything very finely chopped since you will take a bit of everything raw. So the smaller the better with the onions and garlic for sure!
Mix together the Chickpeas, black beans, parsley, mint, onions, garlic, and jalapeno.
In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar until very well combined.
Pour over the chickpea mixture and toss everything together until it is well coated.
Taste and then season for salt and pepper.

Pro Tip!! The flavors are best when you let them blend together a little before serving. So if possible make this about an hour ahead of time and have it waiting for you.

What Else Can I Put In Balela

The nice thing about this salad is you can really add other veggies if you want to. I have seen cucumber, olives, and tomatoes as common things to add in.

How To Store Balela

You can definitely made this chickpea salad ahead of time and have in the fridge to enjoy for a couple of days. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve as a side with dinner or as an appetizer with pita chips.

How To Serve Balela Salad

This is best served cold. So store in the fridge, and bring it out when you are ready for dinner.
Serve over a bed of greens for a hearty salad
Serving alongside Grilled Pork Chops, Pan Seared Salmon or Smoked Chicken for a healthy and easy dinner.

Other Great Side Dish Recipes

Yield: 8

Balela Salad (Mediterranean Chickpea Salad)

Balela Salad (Mediterranean Chickpea Salad) - a Mediterranean salad made with chickpeas, black beans, lots of fresh herbs and lemon juice. Super healthy and great as a dip or side dish.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 large jalapeno, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl mix together chickpeas, black beans, mint, parsley, and onion.
In a small bowl whisk together jalapeno, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar until well blended.
Pour dressing over chickpea mixture. Stir until everything is well coated.
Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 100Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 43mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 2g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.