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!

 

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

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• 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

1. 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!
2. Mix together the Chickpeas, black beans, parsley, mint, onions, garlic, and jalapeno.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar until very well combined.
4. Pour over the chickpea mixture and toss everything together until it is well coated.
5. 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

• Sauteed Asparagus
• Cranberry Apple Coleslaw
• Sausage Wild Rice Salad
• Roasted Edamame
• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Homemade Baked Beans
• Apple Broccoli Salad
• Southwestern Chickpea Salad

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