Mediterranean Rice Bowl (Printable)
Fluffy rice topped with fresh vegetables, chickpeas, olives, feta, and tangy lemon-tahini dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Rice Base
01 - 1 cup long-grain white or brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Fresh Vegetables
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
07 - ½ cup red onion, finely sliced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
→ Protein & Toppings
09 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
11 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
12 - ½ cup hummus
→ Lemon-Tahini Dressing
13 - 3 tablespoons tahini
14 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - 2 tablespoons water (plus more as needed)
18 - ¼ teaspoon salt
19 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Garnish
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
21 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, water, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time if dressing is too thick.
03 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls, creating a bed for the toppings.
04 - Arrange cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and spinach in sections around the rice in each bowl.
05 - Scatter chickpeas, olives, and feta cheese over each bowl. Add a generous dollop of hummus to the center.
06 - Drizzle the lemon-tahini dressing over the bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything can be prepped ahead so assembly takes five minutes on busy nights
- The creamy dressing ties together crisp fresh vegetables and warm fluffy rice perfectly
02 -
- The tahini dressing will seize up at first but keep whisking and it will turn silky smooth
- Warm rice absorbs the dressing better than cold, so time it right if possible
03 -
- Toast your rice in the dry pan for two minutes before adding water for deeper flavor
- Add a teaspoon of maple syrup to the dressing if your tahini is bitter