Balilah (Warm Chickpeas With Lemon and Olive Oil)
Updated January 13, 2026
- Ready In
- 8 hr 50 min
- (50 min, plus 8 hr soaking)
- Rating
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Ingredients
1 ¾ cups/12 ounces dried chickpeas (or use canned; see Tip)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Fine sea salt
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
3 lemons (2 juiced, 1 cut into wedges to serve)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
1 ½ teaspoons Aleppo chile flakes or ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley leaves
Soft pita bread, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
70 grams carbs; 513 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 20 grams fat; 14 grams fiber; 430 milligrams sodium; 20 grams protein; 11 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
The night before you intend to serve the balilah, sort through the chickpeas for any stones or broken pieces and discard these. Place the chickpeas into a large bowl with the baking soda and 2 teaspoons of salt, then pour over enough room-temperature water to cover the chickpeas by about 3 inches. Top with a plate and leave to soak overnight.
- Step 2
The next day, drain the soaked chickpeas through a colander, giving them a good rinse with fresh water. Add them to a large pot, and pour in 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, using a spoon to skim the scum off the surface of the water.
- Step 3
Once the liquid is boiling, cover the pot with the lid, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes. Season the water now with 2 teaspoons of salt, then replace the lid and continue cooking until the chickpeas are very soft. (They should be easily squeezed between two fingers with no resistance.) The cook time can vary depending on the age of your chickpeas, so check them at the 35-minute mark and continue cooking if needed. (It can take up to 1½ hours.)
- Step 4
While the chickpeas cook, prepare the spices: In a small, dry pan over medium heat, add the cumin and coriander seeds and toast, gently shaking the pan as necessary, until fragrant and very lightly colored. Immediately transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely grind them while they’re still hot (or transfer to a cutting board and crush with a small pot). Set aside.
- Step 5
When the chickpeas are ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer about 1 ½ cups of the chickpeas into a large bowl. Add the garlic, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, the oil, half the crushed cumin and coriander, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅓ cup of the chickpea cooking liquid. Use a potato masher to crush the mixture until you have a rough mash and the chickpeas are no longer discernible.
- Step 6
Use a slotted spoon to remove the remaining chickpeas from the pot and add them to the bowl, along with ⅔ cup of the chickpea cooking liquid. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice at this point. Save any remaining chickpea cooking liquid for another use. (It works very nicely in soups.)
- Step 7
To serve, transfer the chickpea mixture to a large shallow bowl (or divide among 4 smaller ones). Sprinkle with the remaining crushed cumin and coriander, top with the chile flakes and parsley, and then drizzle with a generous amount of oil. Serve warm, with lemon wedges alongside.
Dried chickpeas will give more depth of flavor to the cooking liquid, but if they’re not an option, then use 2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas, heated with 2 cups water (and a pinch of salt if needed), until soft, warmed through and nicely salted, then proceed with Step 4.
Private Notes
Comments
Canned chickpeas can be made even softer and creamier by draining the can, placing the contents into a bowl, where you cover the chickpeas with water. Add 1/2 t. of baking soda and microwave for 5 minutes. Let cool, drain, rinse and use. This grandma secret makes this dish even better.
I made this earlier in the day and have made variations of it in the past. While I appreciate the using dry Chickpeas in recipes I’ve more and more used my favorite brand of canned chickpeas (and other beans). The reason being is that according to a report several years ago on ATK (American’s Test Kitchen) they reported that the Name Brands of various canned beans buy up the 1st quality beans for their canning and are equal to or better than the dried beans. I have my favorite and agree.
@ScratchCook: interesting information! Would you mind sharing your favorite brand of canned chickpeas?
I made this last night. It was tasty, but as others said, better for a side dish than a main. I cooked the soaked beans in an instant pot for an hour and then I doubled the spices and added a handful of parsley and a handful of dill. I’m going to add a can of tuna in olive oil and make Lidia Bastianich’s salad.
Not clear as author is not using proper measurements. Nutrition is based on metric system thus this is where confusion arrises where authors keep on using archaic system. Cup or half a cup no one knows as cups are of different sizes for example. Use grams please.
I have read similar comments about the nutritional value of chickpeas being compromised by adding baking soda to the cooking water.