Trader Joe’s copycat recipe! Middle Eastern bean salad with veggies, fresh herbs, and a light citrus dressing. Balela Salad is the perfect cold side dish for spring and summer.
Looking for more recipes with chickpeas? Try Roasted Red Pepper Hummus!
Happy Monday, guys! Let’s start this week healthy.
Because tomorrow I’ve got a cinnamon apple monkey bread and we are going to indulge.
ANYWAY.
How was the weekend?
Mine was pretty boring. I’m not even sure that I left the house.
The highlight was me freaking out for over an hour last night because I lost the memory card that had SIX RECIPES still on it. I had put it in the pocket of my sweatpants and then I started working on some yoga stuff and put it on my nightstand so that I wouldn’t lose it.
And yep, went looking for it not long after and it was GONE.
Found it in my running shoes an hour later.
Still don’t know how it happened but hey, I found it and now we have this Balela Salad to talk about.
What Is Balela Salad?
It’s something at Trader Joe’s that I buy every time I’m there and then eat the entire thing as soon as I get home. And since our TJ’s is an hour away, I’ve had to learn to make it myself.
But really, it’s a super simple Middle Eastern bean salad that can really be a main dish or a side dish. Also perfect for meal prepping because it’s the kind of thing that gets better after a couple days in the fridge.
I usually put it on a bed of greens and then just skip any sort of salad dressing because it’s that flavorful on it’s own.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas – make sure to rinse and drain them.
- Black beans – make sure to rinse and drain them.
- Grape tomatoes
- Red onion
- Fresh mint
- Fresh parsley
- Olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
How To Make Balela Salad
- In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, black beans, fresh tomatoes, mint, and parsley
- In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and garlic
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Refrigerate until ready to serve
How Long Is Bean Salad Good For?
Balela Salad is good for 3 – 4 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to store it in an airtight container – these super airtight glass containers are my favorite for our leftovers.
Since you serve this bean salad cold or at room temperature, there’s no need to reheat before serving, unless you prefer it warm.
Can You Freeze It?
I don’t recommend freezing this bean salad. The fresh herbs and veggies won’t do well once frozen and defrosted.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Make sure you subscribe to my email list to get all my new recipes delivered right to your inbox!
You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest for even more!
Balela Salad
Trader Joe's copycat recipe! Middle Eastern bean salad with veggies, fresh herbs, and a light citrus dressing. Balela Salad is the perfect cold side dish for spring and summer.
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup fresh mint, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, mint, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and garlic. Pour over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 491mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 18gSugar: 7gProtein: 20g
Nance says
Also in Trader Joe’s balela is a tiny bit of ground red pepper.
LC says
I think the only ingredient missing is Sumac. It adds another layer of complexity and also has a lemony flavor. Otherwise, this is pretty close!!
Sandra says
How much sumac?
Soozcat says
So… when do you add the onion?
Amanda Livesay says
It gets stirred into the chickpeas and bean mixture.
Natalie says
I would pack a salad for lunch at work including spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fruit.
Jessica To says
I would pack a fruit salad for work.
latanya says
a chef salad
Lauren says
I would pack a Cobb salad.
Sara Zielinski says
I would pack lunch for work every day.
Madonna says
I would make a hearty salad with baby spinach, tomatoes, cukes, shredded cheese and baked chicken breast.