{"id":13055,"date":"2023-08-10T16:28:43","date_gmt":"2023-08-10T20:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.themediterraneandish.com\/?p=13055"},"modified":"2023-08-10T16:28:43","modified_gmt":"2023-08-10T20:28:43","slug":"balela-salad-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themediterraneandish.com\/balela-salad-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Balela Salad Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Balela salad is an all-time favorite nutrition-packed power salad. It’s fresh, satisfying, and totally festive. This is not your basic chickpea salad recipe! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Balela<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let’s start with a simple definition. In Arabic, the word “balela” means “cooked chickpeas.” Balela salad is an ancient Middle Eastern chickpea salad. It is simple, wholesome, bright, and flavor-packed. A winner on all fronts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many variations of balela salad, but this recipe is closer to what you’d find in the restaurants and food joints of Alexandria, Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Balela<\/figure>\n\n\n
Table of Contents<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/summary>
  1. Balela Salad My Way<\/a><\/li>
  2. Turn Your Balela Salad Into a Meal!<\/a><\/li>
  3. Have You Heard About the Half Cup Habit?<\/a><\/li>
  4. You’ll Also Like: Healthy & Filling Dinner Recipes <\/a><\/li>
  5. Balela Salad Recipe<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/details>\n\n\n

    Balela Salad My Way<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The gist: cooked chickpeas, chopped veggies, copious amounts of fresh herbs, and Mediterranean favorites like olives and sun-dried tomatoes. A zesty salad dressing with garlic and sumac<\/a> brings everything together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tip: to allow the flavors to meld, make the balela salad ahead of time, at least a half hour before serving!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Turn Your Balela Salad Into a Meal!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Clearly this beautiful and festive salad can be served as part of a special dinner. But with nourishing and satisfying chickpeas, being the star ingredient in balela salad, it can really stand alone as a meal.  You can also serve it in warm pita pockets with a drizzle of tahini<\/a>, or add it to an impressive vegetarian mezze platter<\/a> with baba ganoush<\/a> and roasted red pepper hummus.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Balela<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Have You Heard About the Half Cup Habit?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I get excited when I see balela salad at my local deli. Good on them! It’s one brilliant way to pack lean protein and plant-based nutrition into your diet! And if there were a list of textbook Mediterranean diet recipes, Balela salad would make the top!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As you know, one of the powerful secrets of the Mediterranean diet<\/a> is in nutrition-filled pulses, like dry chickpeas, lentils, peas, and beans. Pulses pack a lot of protein, and they are rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber and B vitamins!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Balela<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    If you don’t already eat a good portion of pulses, a simple goal would be to add to your diet just ½ cup of pulses three times per week (a total of 1 ½ cups of pulses per week, which is what USDA recommends). This is what USA Pulses and Pulse Canada call the Half-Cup Habit! Check it out here.<\/a> And, I’ve included some more of my favorite recipes below!<\/p>\n\n\n

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    You’ll Also Like: Healthy & Filling Dinner Recipes <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/header>
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    Middle Eastern<\/p>

    Lentil Salad with Roasted Eggplant and Pomegranate Dressing<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/article>
    \"close<\/a><\/div>

    Mediterranean Diet Recipes<\/p>

    Mediterranean Spicy Lentil Soup with Spinach<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/article>
    \"Mediterranean<\/a><\/div>

    Mediterranean Diet Recipes<\/p>

    Loaded Chickpea Salad with Za’atar<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/article>
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    Salads<\/p>

    Spicy Harissa White Bean and Lentil Salad<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/article><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n

    Browse all <\/strong>Mediterranean recipes<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Visit <\/strong>Our Shop<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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    Sample your way through our best selling Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sourced directly from Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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