Description
This Fresh Mediterranean Power Bowl is a vibrant, healthy, and satisfying meal featuring quinoa, chickpeas, crisp veggies, feta, and a zesty lemon-herb dressing. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or a nourishing lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Optional: Fresh parsley or mint, chopped
- Optional: Toasted pine nuts or almonds
- Optional: Sliced avocado
- Optional: Za’atar or sumac
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cold water for 1 minute. Add quinoa and water or broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- While quinoa cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, finely chop red onion, and dice bell pepper. Soak onion in ice water for 5 minutes to mellow if desired. Slice olives if needed.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas. For roasted chickpeas, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt, and smoked paprika or za’atar. Roast on a baking sheet at 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking halfway. Or use straight from the can.
- In a small jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Shake or whisk until well combined. Adjust lemon or salt to taste.
- In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa as the base. Top with veggies, chickpeas, and olives. Drizzle with lemon-herb dressing and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle crumbled feta over the top. Add any optional toppings like fresh herbs, avocado, or toasted nuts.
- Serve immediately, slightly warm or at room temperature. For meal prep, keep dressing separate until ready to eat.
Notes
For vegan, use plant-based feta or omit cheese. For gluten-free, use quinoa or rice as the base. Roasting chickpeas adds crunch but is optional. Store components separately for meal prep and add dressing just before serving. Adjust veggies and toppings based on what you have on hand.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 2 cups per serving)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 54
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 15
Keywords: Mediterranean, power bowl, healthy dinner, vegetarian, quinoa bowl, meal prep, quick dinner, gluten-free, high protein, easy recipe