Mediterranean meal bowl (Printable)
Wholesome Mediterranean bowl with grains, chickpeas, veggies, and lemon-tahini dressing, perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa or brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Protein
04 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Fresh Vegetables
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
11 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
12 - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
13 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan option)
→ Greens & Herbs
14 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
15 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
→ Lemon-Tahini Dressing
17 - 1/4 cup tahini
18 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
19 - 2 tablespoons water
20 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
21 - 1 garlic clove, minced
22 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
23 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# How-To:
01 - Rinse quinoa or rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine grains with water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes for quinoa or until tender for rice. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
02 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add chickpeas, smoked paprika, cumin, and salt. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
03 - Whisk tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Add more water if needed to achieve a pourable consistency.
04 - Distribute cooked grains evenly into four serving bowls. Top each with spinach or mixed greens, sautéed chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
05 - Drizzle lemon-tahini dressing over each assembled bowl. Garnish with chopped parsley and mint.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two days to enjoy later.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You can prep everything while the grains cook, so dinner comes together in less than 45 minutes without feeling rushed.
- It tastes even better the next day when all the flavors have gotten to know each other, making it perfect for meal prep.
- The tahini dressing is so creamy and rich that you won't miss anything, whether you skip the feta or add extra greens.
02 -
- Tahini can seize up if you add lemon juice all at once; whisk in small amounts of liquid gradually and the dressing will stay creamy instead of clumping.
- If you prep this bowl for the next day, keep the greens and dressing completely separate—the greens will wilt if they sit in dressing, but the grain and chickpea base actually tastes better after a night in the fridge.
03 -
- Toast your cumin and paprika in the pan with the oil for just 30 seconds before adding chickpeas—this blooms the spices and makes them taste deeper and more complex.
- Make extra tahini dressing even if you don't need it right now; it keeps for a week and tastes incredible on roasted vegetables, grilled fish, or even as a dip for flatbread.