This Middle Eastern vegan chickpea salad combines elements from tabbouleh and a Mediterranean chickpea salad to make a delicious herby, fiber– and protein-dense Balela salad, bursting with fresh flavor! This chickpea cucumber salad recipe requires just 11 ingredients and under 10 minutes to prepare – for a naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan chickpea salad!

If I could describe this Middle Eastern-inspired vegan chickpea salad in three words, they’d be nutrient-dense, hearty, and healthy! This Lebanese chickpea salad (aka Balela salad – balela meaning “cooked chickpeas”) combines chickpeas with cucumber, tomatoes, bell peppers, fresh herbs, and a simple olive oil lemon dressing all topped off with the magic ingredient – sumac!

With the addition of sumac, this vegan chickpea salad bursts with fresh and zesty flavor with a refreshing crunchy texture. Plus, the addition of chickpeas in this balela recipe makes for a meal that’s packed with protein, fiber, and will help to keep you fuller for longer.

Recently I’ve loved sharing light summery salads like this cucumber onion salad, avocado cucumber tomato salad, Persian Shirazi salad, and a roasted pepper salad. This time let’s pump up the fiber and protein with this vegan chickpea salad! I have also included several recommendations for optional add-ins and recipe variations. The resulting fresh salad is perfect for taking to potlucks, cookouts, gatherings, or just a mid-week meal!

Are you looking for more fresh summery Middle Eastern salad inspiration? You might like this traditional Lebanese Fattoush salad, creamy Lebanese cucumber yogurt salad (Kh’yar bi Laban), simple Fatteh, or classic tabbouleh salad!

The Ingredients

• Chickpeas: you can use tinned chickpeas (drained and rinsed) or cook chickpeas from dry for this recipe. Traditionally, balela salad also contains black beans. If you want to add some, I recommend using half the amount of black beans as you do chickpeas. You may need a little extra dressing too.
• Vegetables: this simple Lebanese chickpea salad uses a combination of cucumber (low seed variety like English or Persian are best), tomatoes (ripe, juicy, in-season; I like Roma, beefsteak, and heirloom varieties, however, cherry and baby plum tomatoes will also work), and red pepper (orange or yellow bell peppers would also work).
• Herbs: this garbanzo bean salad uses a combination of fresh mint leaves, parsley, and green onion (scallions).
• Seasonings: a simple combination of salt and sumac are all you need for this mint chickpea salad. You can, optionally, also use some black pepper. If you don’t have sumac, za’atar would also work very well.
• Dressing: olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil), fresh garlic (or garlic paste), and lemon (fresh lemon juice) are all you need for a simple salad dressing.

Optional Add-ins and Variations

When it comes to this simple chickpea cucumber salad, there are several ways to adapt the recipe and enjoy it! Here are just a few recommendations!

• Cheese: feta works particularly well with this chickpea salad (dairy or vegan feta).
• Olives: Kalamata olives (black or green) pair wonderfully with the flavors in this middle eastern salad.
• Avocado: add some cubed/sliced avocado for extra healthy fats and a creamy element. If doing so, make sure to serve the salad immediately. Otherwise, only add the avocado right before serving.
• Extra greens: to bulk up the salad slightly, you can add extra greens -; arugula, spinach, butterhead salad, baby leafy greens, etc.
• For heat: you could add a pinch of red pepper flakes, cayenne powder, or some finely chopped chili to the salad.
• Mediterranean chickpea salad: add feta, olives, and red onion to the salad. Optionally omit the sumac.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: sun-dried tomatoes work well in Balela salad and when making it into more of a Mediterranean version.

How to Make Middle Eastern Vegan Chickpea Salad?

This middle eastern chickpea salad requires pre-cooked chickpeas. If you’re using tinned chickpeas, then give them a drain and rinse (you can save the canned liquid to make aquafaba or freeze until later). Otherwise, you’ll first need to soak dried chickpeas overnight and cook them in advance.

Step 1: Chop the Ingredients

Finely dice the tomatoes (if they’re super juicy, you can remove the seeds, but I usually don’t), red pepper, cucumber, and green onion.

Then, remove the stems from the parsley and mint and optionally finely chop or leave them as whole leaves. The choice is up to you.

At the same time, mince the garlic and juice the lemon into a small bowl. Finally, add the olive oil and give the simple dressing a whisk to mix.

Step 2: Assemble the Balela Salad

Combine all the chopped ingredients and the chickpeas into a large serving bowl and then top with the sumac and olive oil dressing and gently toss to combine.

You can enjoy the chickpea cucumber salad immediately or leave it to “marinate” for 15-20 minutes with the dressing to allow the flavors to develop.

How to Store?

Storing: I recommend enjoying this Lebanese vegan chickpea salad fresh for the best flavor. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Due to the abundance of fresh herbs and “wet” ingredients like cucumber and tomato (which soften and release liquid while resting), the chickpea cucumber salad will soften and become a little “sad-looking” after a couple of days. For a longer-lasting salad, I recommend omitting the tomatoes and storing them for between 4-5 days.

Make ahead: to prepare this garbanzo bean salad in advance, I recommend chopping the vegetables (but not the herbs) and combining them with the chickpeas in advance. Then, add the herbs, dressing, and any salt just before serving. This way, you can store the salad in your fridge for between 3-4 days.

How to Serve Balela Salad?

This vegan chickpea salad makes for a versatile side dish. Here are some of my favorite options:

• Serve with toasted pita bread as a simple appetizer.
• Add to wraps and sandwiches for a simple, hearty lunch – like this chicken shawarma wrap.
• Serve with a grain – like quinoa, couscous, or even pasta for a simple chickpea pasta salad.
• Serve over labneh (or this whipped labneh dip) with pita (toasted or not) for scooping.
• Use it to create pita pockets with tahini sauce.
• Serve beside kebab, meat, fish, and other cooked proteins.
• Enjoy alongside burgers, like this falafel burger or sweet potato black bean burger.
• Serve up as part of a mezze platter alongside creamy hummus, borani, baba ghanoush, and other dips like beet and red pepper hummus. 

Recipe Notes

• Adjust the ingredients to the season: this vegan chickpea salad is pretty forgiving. If it’s mid-winter and you’re unable to find nice tomatoes, omit them. Likewise, feel free to add extra ingredients based on what’s in season.
• The salad texture: how big you chop the vegetables will directly affect the texture and flavor of the salad. Smaller pieces will be more like tabbouleh and allow to get lots of flavor in a single bite.
• Use fresh ingredients: this balela salad shines with fresh herbs and veggies.
• Allow the salad to marinate: try to be patient and allow the chickpea cucumber salad to marinate for 30 minutes before serving – you won’t regret it!
• Can I substitute the sumac? If you don’t have sumac, I recommend using Za’atar, another Middle Eastern spice. Though, it doesn’t have the same citrusy, tangy flavor.

Related Healthy Salad Recipes

• Mediterranean vegetable buddha bowl
• Tuscan Panzanella salad
• Healthy cucumber tomato salad
• Watermelon feta salad (vegan optional)
• Simple eggplant salad
• Lebanese spicy potatoes (Batata Harra)
• Classic Italian Caprese salad
• Simple Lebanese Lentil Soup (Vegan Lentil Soup)

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If you try this Middle Eastern Vegan Chickpea Salad recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!