Balela Salad (Lebanese Chickpea Salad)

Name: Balela Salad (Lebanese Chickpea Salad)
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 can (15 oz) of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1/2 Tomato, finely chopped; 1/4 Cucumber, finely chopped; 1/4 Red Onion, small, finely chopped; 1/4 Bell Pepper, any colour, finely chopped; 1/6 cups Walnuts, finely chopped; 1/4 cups Parsley, fresh, finely chopped; 1/16 cups Mint, fresh, finely chopped, optional; 1 1/4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, best quality you can find; 3/4 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses, or balsamic vinegar; 1/4 lemon of Lemon Juice, optional; 1/4 tsp Ground Sumac; 1/8 tsp Ground Cumin; 1/8 tsp Sea Salt; 1/16 tsp Pepper (Black)

Balela salad is a bright, fresh Lebanese chickpea salad tossed with crunchy vegetables, herbs, walnuts, and a tangy-sweet dressing. The combination of pomegranate molasses, lemon, sumac, and cumin gives it a bold, savory flavor that works well as a side dish, mezze, or light lunch. It tastes even better after a short rest, when the dressing has a chance to soak into the chickpeas and vegetables.

Balela salad is a bright, fresh Lebanese chickpea salad tossed with crunchy vegetables, herbs, walnuts, and a tangy-sweet dressing... Show more

By Ahmad Noori · Original recipe

Health Grade

B+ · Healthy

Time

20 min

Price

1,28 €

Calories

534 kcal

vegan

low calorie

quick

easy

gluten free

mediterranean diet

Method

Drain the chickpeas

Tip the Chickpeas (drained and rinsed) into a colander, rinse them well under cold running water, and let them drain thoroughly. Give the colander a few gentle shakes so excess water falls away; you want the chickpeas well drained so the dressing clings instead of turning watery.

Wash the produce

Rinse the Tomato (finely chopped), Cucumber (finely chopped), Red Onion (small, finely chopped), Bell Pepper (any colour, finely chopped), Parsley (fresh, finely chopped), and Mint (fresh, finely chopped, optional) under cool water. Dry everything well, especially the herbs, so the salad stays crisp and the flavors stay bright.

Chop the salad

Finely chop the tomato, cucumber, red onion, and bell pepper into small, even pieces so you get a bit of everything in each bite. Finely chop the Walnuts (finely chopped), then finely chop the parsley and the mint if you are using it. If the tomato is especially juicy, let the chopped pieces sit briefly on a towel to absorb some moisture before adding them to the bowl.

Whisk the dressing

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (best quality you can find) and Pomegranate Molasses (or balsamic vinegar) until the dressing looks smooth and lightly thickened. If you want extra brightness, whisk in the Lemon Juice (optional) as well.

Combine and season

Add the drained chickpeas, chopped tomato, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, walnuts, parsley, and mint if using to the bowl with the dressing. Sprinkle over the Ground Sumac, Ground Cumin, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper, then toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated and the herbs and spices are well distributed throughout the salad.

Let it rest

Set the salad aside for 10 minutes so the chickpeas can absorb the dressing and the flavors can meld. Taste and adjust if needed with a little more salt, black pepper, lemon juice, or pomegranate molasses, depending on whether you want it brighter, sharper, or slightly sweeter-tart.

Serve the salad

Transfer the balela to a serving bowl or platter and serve it chilled or at room temperature. For a more dramatic finish, drizzle a little extra pomegranate molasses over the top just before serving.