Mediterranean Bowl
This Mediterranean Bowl was inspired by CAVA, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant. I tried CAVA on a recent trip to Austin, TX and I fell in love! It reminded me of a Chipotle, but with Mediterranean food instead of Mexican food. I couldn’t wait to get home so I could recreate all the fresh and delicious flavors. This bowl makes a perfect lunch, chock full of healthy protein, flavorful rice, and also all your favorite bright and fresh Greek flavors.
What’s in a Good Bowl Recipe?
This Mediterranean Bowl is only one of many delicious bowl combinations. I love bowl recipes, but also I love grabbing random ingredients from my fridge and creating delicious concoctions from whatever I have on hand, tossing it into a bowl and calling it a meal. They’re filling, healthy and leave me feeling satisfied but not overly full. My kids also love making their own bowls. It’s so fun to see what you can make out of odds and ends in your refrigerator. But typically here’s what you need for a bowl:
rice base (you could use quinoa, brown rice, any grain will do, for this Mediterranean Bowl I love to use brown rice or yellow rice)greens (spinach, romaine, arugula, really any lettuce)protein (chicken, beef, ground chicken, pork, meatballs, etc.)vegetables (the sky’s the limit here; any and all veggies work great!)toppings like cheese, dressing, lemon juice, garlic, etc.
Homemade Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are the absolute icing on the cake of this recipe. They are little sweet and sour GEMS. Plus, I am also just obsessed with the color. You can buy these at most grocery stores, but they are also SO easy to make at home! Thinly slice one red onion. Then, add it to a large jar with an airtight lid. Then, in a separate bowl mix together ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, and 1 cup warm water. Stir until all the salt and sugar dissolve and pour over the onions. Let sit in the fridge overnight, and voila! You will want to make these over and over again. They are delicious on these Mediterranean Bowls, as well as tacos, avocado toast, salads, and sandwiches!
Swaps/Substitutions for this Mediterranean Bowl
You can swap cooked quinoa, brown rice, couscous or any other grain. At CAVA I got the saffron rice and it was delicious! You can buy pre-made saffron rice at some grocery stores. However, I used our Yellow Rice for this recipe. Go all veggie! Keep out the chicken and pile on the veggies. In addition to the vegetables listed below, you can add roasted cauliflower, eggplant, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, shredded carrots, chopped beets, or sun dried tomatoes. For a little extra protein, you can also add chickpeas or avocado. If you’re a meat lover, you can add two or three types of meat to your Mediterranean bowl, like ground beef or pork, chicken thighs, grilled sirloin or shredded beef.Instead of Tzatziki sauce, you could use a red wine vinaigrette, tahini sauce, hummus, balsamic vinaigrette, or you can also just use extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and vinegar.
More Greek Inspired Recipes
Create a full Mediterranean feast with your Mediterranean Bowl by making a few of these bright and fresh recipes:
Copycat Skotidakis Jalapeno Greek DipGreek SaladLight Greek Pasta SaladMediterranean Flatbread PizzasChicken Gyro with Tzatziki Cucumber Sauce
How to Make a Mediterranean Bowl
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