Balela Salad (Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad)
A fresh, herby Middle Eastern chickpea salad dressed with lemon, olive oil and sumac. Ready in 15 minutes and even better after 30 minutes in the fridge.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 lemon juice of
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
For the Salad
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 Persian cucumbers diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1/2 red onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, sumac, salt, grated garlic, and Aleppo pepper.
- Add the chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint, green onions, red onion, and jalapeno (if using).
- Toss well to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes for best flavor.
Notes
- To add black beans, use one can of chickpeas and one can of black beans. Drain and rinse both well.
- If your red onion is very sharp, soak in cold water for 10 minutes then drain before adding.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon before serving.
- Substitute for Aleppo pepper: use half the amount of regular chili flakes
Nutrition
Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 796mg | Potassium: 405mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1243IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 3mg