If you are a big fan of grain bowls this Easy Mediterranean Grain Bowl with Quinoa should be on your list to make this week! Grain bowl recipes are easy to make and they are perfect for meal prep. This grain bowl is loaded with veggies, whole grains and tons of flavor.
Easy Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl Ingredients
A good grain bowl has lots of vegetables, hearty grains, healthy fats and lots of flavor. It should be a complete meal and this bowl is no exception.
The best part about this delicious grain bowl is you can prep the ingredients one time at the beginning of the week and throw it together super fast when you are ready to eat it. And, these ingredients are incredible when it comes to nutrition.
These ingredients can be found at your local grocery store. Here are some fun facts for you:
- Quinoa– one of the most protein rich foods, containing all 9 essential amino acids
- Hummus– full of plant-based protein and fiber
- Baby Spinach and Arugula– high in calcium
- Cherry Tomatoes- full of lycopene, vitamin K and potassium
- Feta Cheese- contains healthy bacteria and fatty acids
- Cucumbers- high in nutrients and promotes hydration
There’s also kalamata olives, olive oil, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar in this delicious bowl! If there are other ingredients you like in your bowls feel free to change it up! See our FAQ below for some suggestions.
The recipe card at the bottom of this post will have full directions and recipe amounts.
Tips for Making Grain Bowls
As we have said grain bowls are great for meal prep. Whether you are making them to bring to work or you just want to have healthy food ready to go for dinner for the week, grain bowls are a great option. Here are some tips that we use when we meal prep grain bowls:
- Prep a larger batch of grains ahead of time or use leftover grains from other recipes. This will help use up leftovers or keep you from cooking time-consuming grains multiple times a week.
- Keep ingredients in separate containers and assemble the day you plan to eat them. Cucumbers and tomatoes have a high water content and will potentially wilt the spinach and arugula.
- If adding more protein like chicken, keep it separate until ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course, the best part about grain bowls is how versatile they are! For this bowl try other additions such as roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potatoes, fresh herbs like basil or cilantro, other leafy greens like spring mix or kale, sliced bell peppers, plain greek yogurt, pickled red onions, roasted or shaved brussels sprouts, pine nuts, crispy chickpeas or other beans and sunflower seeds. You can also change the grain and use hearty farro or brown rice instead of quinoa. Use your favorite grain for this bowl.
Yes! We love to add our Lemon Grilled Chicken or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs to these bowls. Store bought rotisserie chicken will make adding more protein super simple.
Yes, this meat does not contain an animal protein so it is vegetarian. You can make it vegan by using a plant based feta cheese or just skip the cheese.
For a behind the scenes look at Return to the Kitchen, be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest! Also, if you make this recipe or any of our recipes be sure to tag us @returntothekitchen!
Looking for more recipes? Try our Easy Roasted Potatoes, Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob, Chocolate Covered Strawberry Protein Smoothie, Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Log, Whipped Feta Dip with Roasted Red Peppers, Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats, Chicken Bone Broth, Easy Homemade Chocolate Hummus, Autumn Harvest Juice, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Protein Bites, Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal, Kale Lemonade and Italian Wedding Soup.
Easy Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl
This is the perfect lunch recipe for any day! It is quick to put together. This recipe is for one bowl, but can be doubled or tripled!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup quinoa, cooked
- 2 cups baby spinach and arugula mix
- 1/3 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1/3 cup cucumbers, chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 8 kalamata olives
- 2 tbsp hummus
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Fresh ground salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook a batch of quinoa according to package directions (or use leftovers from another meal). We like to cook a big batch of quinoa at one time to use for multiple meals. We also cook our quinoa in broth to give it more flavor.
- After cooking quinoa, assemble your bowls: add spinach and arugula to a bowl then top with quinoa, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus, feta, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. (The quinoa can be used hot or cold).
Notes
Feel free to customize this bowl in regards to amounts of each item used, however it will affect the nutritional information listed below.
See the FAQ's in the blog post for more suggestions on additions to this bowl.
Add chicken or another animal protein to increase protein.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 424Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 944mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 8gSugar: 7gProtein: 15g