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This Mediterranean bowl features crispy roasted chickpeas served over fresh lettuce and veggies with fluffy quinoa, all topped with creamy hummus and feta cheese. Filling, healthy, and perfect for meal prep.
Love vegetarian recipes? Try my cabbage steaks, cauliflower steak, spicy noodles, and eggplant rollatini.
Whenever my family and I can’t agree on what to have for lunch or dinner, I always gravitate toward Mediterranean Buddha bowls. They’re low-effort to make and easy to customize, so we can build our own and restore the peace (hello, salmon bowl and shrimp bowl!).
Inspired by my love of Mediterranean cuisine, I combined an assortment of flavors. Between the roasted chickpeas, tangy feta cheese, creamy hummus, and fresh veggies, there’s so much variation in flavors and textures it’s impossible not to love this protein-packed bowl.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Quick and easy. This Buddha bowl comes together in just over 25 minutes, and it’s even less if you make the chickpeas in advance. It’s the perfect quick weeknight dinner to make whenever the inspiration strikes.
- Healthy. This bowl is loaded with fresh veggies and plant-based protein. It’s also naturally vegetarian and gluten-free.
- The perfect flavor combination. Like my chicken over rice, every element of this dinner bowl marries perfectly together.
- Great for meal prep. Each element in this bowl can be made in advance, so pile everything in a bowl right before you’re ready to eat or pack them separately for lunch.
Ingredients needed
The ingredient list for this vegetarian bowl is a bit on the lengthy side, but I promise each ingredient is essential to making the perfect bowl. Here’s what you’ll need for the roasted chickpeas:
- Chickpeas. Canned, drained, and rinsed chickpeas.
- Olive oil. For getting the crispy coating on the chickpeas.
- Herbs and spices. I used garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
For the quinoa:
- Quinoa. I used white quinoa, but any type will work.
- Water. To cook the quinoa. For more flavor, swap the water for chicken broth.
Assembling the bowl:
- Lettuce. Chopped into bite-sized pieces. You can also use a combination of spinach, arugula, and Swiss chard if you prefer.
- Veggies. I used halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped yellow bell pepper, and sliced red onion.
- Olives. I prefer kalamata olives for their savory, briny flavor, but any type of olives will work. Just make sure the pits have been removed.
- Hummus. For extra protein and a creamy texture. Use your favorite store-bought hummus or make my low-carb cauliflower hummus.
- Feta cheese. For a salty, tangy flavor.
- Sesame seeds. For garnish.
- Fresh parsley. For garnish and a pop of color. Fresh cilantro or any fresh herbs can also be used.
How to make a Mediterranean bowl
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep the chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 400F/205C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with olive oil, herbs, and spices.
Step 2- Roast the chickpeas. Spread the chickpeas evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside.
Step 3- Make the quinoa. Rinse ½ cup of uncooked quinoa under cold water. In a saucepan, combine the quinoa with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Step 4- Assemble. In a serving bowl, layer 2 cups of chopped lettuce. Top with the cherry tomatoes, diced cucumbers, yellow bell pepper, red onion, and kalamata olives. Add the roasted chickpeas and quinoa. Spoon hummus into the center and crumble the feta cheese on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh parsley.
Recipe tips and variations
- Use different protein. I kept this bowl vegetarian, but if you’re not strictly plant-based, swap the chickpeas for Greek chicken or salmon (air fryer salmon or pan-seared salmon are two speedy options) instead.
- Swap the grains. I like using quinoa because it’s a complete protein, but I’ve also made these bowls with couscous, farro, basmati rice, and instant pot sushi rice, and it turns out great every time.
- Pre-make the chickpeas. My homemade roasted chickpeas come with 7 flavors and work really well in this bowl.
- Use pre-cooked quinoa. When I’m short on time, I’ll use microwaveable quinoa.
- Make a dressing. I like the heartiness of hummus, but you can swap it for tzatziki, tahini sauce, or my green goddess dressing.
- Veganize it. To make a vegan Mediterranean bowl, omit the feta or use a plant-based version.
- Elevate the crunch factor. Add some crushed pita chips on top.
How to store leftovers
To store: I recommend storing the veggies, quinoa, chickpeas, hummus, and feta cheese separately in airtight containers. The chickpeas should be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days, while the rest of the ingredients can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
To freeze: The leftover quinoa can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Everything else I’d recommend enjoying fresh.
To reheat: This buddha bowl can easily be enjoyed cold, but you can microwave the quinoa for 20-30 seconds if desired.
Frequently asked questions
Buddha bowls can be enjoyed hot or cold, depending on your preference, however, most are typically enjoyed cold, due to the nature of the ingredients used.
More easy dinner bowls to try
- Steak bowl
- Salmon poke bowl
- Taco bowl
- Greek chicken bowl
- Tuna poke bowl
Mediterranean Bowl
Video
Ingredients
- 14 ounces chickpeas canned
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Quinoa
- 1/2 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 cup water
To assemble
- 2 cups lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 small cucumbers diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 12 kalamata olives pitted
- 1 cup hummus
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the drained chickpeas with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, dry oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Spread the seasoned chickpeas evenly on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Once roasted, set aside.
- While the chickpeas roast, prep the quinoa. Combine rinsed quinoa with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Assemble the bowls. In four bowls, divide the chopped lettuce. Arrange halved cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, and Kalamata olives. Add the roasted chickpeas and cooked quinoa to different sections of the bowl. Spoon hummus into the center and crumble Feta cheese over the top.
