Mediterranean Rice Bowl (Printable)
Fluffy rice topped with fresh Mediterranean vegetables, chickpeas, feta, and a bright lemon herb dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach or arugula
→ Protein and Cheese
09 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
13 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Fresh Herbs
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill or mint, chopped
# How-To:
01 - Rinse rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork.
02 - Toss the drained chickpeas with smoked paprika and ground cumin in a small bowl. Heat a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the seasoned chickpeas for 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through and fragrant. Set aside.
03 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and slice the Kalamata olives. Set all prepared vegetables aside.
05 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Arrange spinach or arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and seasoned chickpeas over the rice in each bowl. Drizzle generously with the lemon dressing. Finish with crumbled feta cheese and scattered fresh herbs.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together with almost no cooking, which means you spend more time eating and less time scrubbing pans.
- The flavors taste like they took all day, but honestly the lemon garlic dressing does most of the heavy lifting.
- It is endlessly flexible, so whatever is wilting in your produce drawer can probably go in.
02 -
- Do not skip the rice resting step after cooking because those five covered minutes let the grains firm up and separate perfectly.
- Dressing the bowl at the last minute keeps the spinach or arugula from going soggy, so wait until right before eating.
03 -
- Toasting the chickpeas in a dry skillet for an extra minute after spicing them creates a slightly crispy exterior that makes the bowl feel restaurant quality.
- A squeeze of lemon juice directly over the assembled bowl right before eating adds a final hit of brightness that wakes up every ingredient.