Mediterranean Grain Bowl (Printable Version)
Wholesome grains, crisp veggies, feta, and lemon-herb dressing bring bold Mediterranean flavors to your table.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked farro or quinoa
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cucumber, diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach or arugula
→ Protein & Cheese
08 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
→ Toppings
10 - 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
11 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Lemon-Herb Dressing
12 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
13 - Juice of 1 lemon
14 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
15 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
17 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# Directions:
01 - In a medium saucepan, bring water or vegetable broth to a boil. Add farro or quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender (farro: 25 minutes; quinoa: 15 minutes). Drain any excess liquid and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly.
02 - While the grains cook, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, and finely slice the red onion. Set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Divide the cooked grains among four bowls. Arrange spinach or arugula on one side of each bowl, then layer with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
05 - Sprinkle each bowl with crumbled feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and fresh parsley. Drizzle generously with the lemon-herb dressing. Serve immediately, or chill for a refreshing cold grain bowl.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon herb dressing is the kind of thing you will want to pour over everything by the end of the week.
- It keeps well in the fridge, so making extra is never a mistake.
- You can swap nearly every component based on what is sitting in your produce drawer.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the chickpeas, as the canned liquid will make your bowl taste tinny and dull.
- Let the grains cool for at least ten minutes before assembling, or the spinach will wilt into a sad puddle.
- Leftovers will keep for about two days in the fridge, but the dressing is best stored separately and added fresh.
03 -
- Toasting the dry grains in a splash of olive oil for two minutes before adding liquid adds a layer of nutty flavor you will not forget.
- Massaging the kale or arugula with a tiny drizzle of dressing before building the bowl softens the leaves and seasons them from the inside out.