Enjoy these flavorful Mediterranean quinoa bowls for a healthy lunch, dinner, or meal prep option. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan!
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If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a good lunch idea. Last week, I was standing in my kitchen looking at a mountain of tomatoes and the last few stragglers of cucumbers from my summer garden and knew I needed to come up with something that used them up.
This summer, my family went to Panera for lunch and while I always get the same chicken salad without crunchy toppings, my husband ordered this warm bowl that was full of quinoa, vegetables, hummus, and Greek yogurt. I knew I’d likely never order this bowl, because of the dairy, but I was inspired to try it at home on my own.
Staring at all these tomatoes and cucumbers, I knew this was the right time to try it out. I riffed off the Mediterranean bowl from Panera to make my own version and I am in love.
With very little prep involved, this is working out to be one of my favorite lunch discoveries of the whole year. Warm quinoa, fresh veggies, some flavorful additions, and a sort-of dressing that gets drizzled on top, it’s healthy, quick, and easy – especially if I prepare the toppings ahead of time.
The best part is that they’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and completely customizable to suit whatever your taste buds love.
Ingredients in Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls
The ingredients in these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls are completely interchangeable and customizable based on what you enjoy. Don’t love olives? Don’t use them! Hate quinoa? Swap it for rice! Want more veggies? Add spinach, kale, or shredded carrots!
Here’s what I use in my own Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl.
Quinoa
Use plain quinoa or add some seasonings, like I do to give it more flavor. I added onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to boost up the Mediterranean vibes.
I love using quinoa in this dish to give me some added protein that I might not get from other whole grains. I also love how quick cooking it is.
Read on: Is Quinoa Gluten-free?
Tomatoes
A few times I’ve made this, I’ve used cherry tomatoes, other times I’ve chopped up larger tomatoes. Anything you have on hand or like best will work for this recipe.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers add a fresh flavor and a crunch to this Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl. I like to peel, slice, then cut into quarters for bite-sized pieces I can pick up with other ingredients all on one fork.
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Chickpeas add some protein to this dish, as well as some earthy flavor and texture. I enjoy the canned chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed, but you can use dried beans you’ve cooked if you prefer that as well.
I considered roasting the chickpeas before putting them in my bowl, but decided one less step is going to make me much more likely to make this bowl than spend an extra 20 minutes waiting for them to cook in the oven. You do what sounds good to you!
Read on: Are chickpeas gluten-free?
Olives
Olives add a salty, briny bite to these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls. I love mixing the green and kalamata olives, but you can also swap out any of these for black olives. It just so happens that the green olives I had on hand in my fridge were garlic-stuffed but that isn’t required for this recipe to be delicious.
If you don’t like olives, consider swapping them for another option that offers the same briny flavor, like canned artichoke hearts or capers. That flavor really makes the dish!
Hummus
I love adding a scoop of hummus to these bowls, and I just used the kind that we always have on hand – Boar’s Head Kalamata Olive hummus. I love Boar’s Head products, because they’re all gluten-free.
While I’m not always brand loyal to many brands, I am to Boar’s Head because I don’t have to think about checking labels with them.
Whatever brand or flavor of hummus you love will work equally well in this recipe. If you make your own hummus (I do sometimes), that will work great here too.
Read on: Is hummus gluten-free?
Dairy-free Feta Cheese
This ingredient is completely optional in this recipe. I had these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls without dairy-free feta cheese, then again with it. I like it both ways, so if you don’t love feta or don’t want to buy it just for this one recipe, feel free to skip it.
Truth be told, the only reason I even have it right now is because I had a free coupon for dairy-free cheese from my grocery store, so I picked it up knowing it would be perfect for lunches this week.
Read on: Is feta cheese gluten-free?
Lemon juice
Just a squeeze of lemon juice over the whole bowl when your toppings have been added brings a brightness and freshness to the whole bowl. It doesn’t taste the same without this ingredient, so make sure to get fresh lemons to squeeze over your warm quinoa bowls.
Olive Oil
I played around with the idea of making a dressing for this recipe, but I decided that it was just as good drizzled over top. Use whatever olive oil you have on hand for a quick turn around the bowl to add some flavor to your bowl.
Read on: Is olive oil gluten-free?
Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Seasoning
I love this seasoning from Trader Joe’s and it seemed like the perfect finishing touch to these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls. It adds some extra flavor and brightness to the finished dish.
If you don’t have any of this on hand and don’t want to go out and buy it, a little sprinkle of dried oregano will work as well.
Now that you know what ingredients go into these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls, let’s talk about how to put them together step-by-step.
How to make Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls
Wondering how to put together a gluten and dairy-free quinoa bowl? Let’s go through it one step at a time.
Make the quinoa
Make a batch of quinoa like you would for any other recipe. I like to use my Instant Pot for this task as it only requires me to turn it on, walk away, and wait for the beep.
You can make your quinoa plain, or you do what I do and add some extra seasonings to it to give the base of these bowls a little extra flavor. To 2 cups of quinoa, I add ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp Italian seasoning.
Prep the toppings
The toppings for this Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl couldn’t be simpler. For this recipe, I use tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, my favorite hummus, and some kalamata and green olives (you can also use black olives). You can add some shredded chicken or red onion if you have these on hand too.
I cut all these into bite-sized pieces to layer onto the bowls. You could definitely take this further if you want to roast your chickpeas or season your tomatoes and cucumbers, but I like a simple and straightforward bowl so I’m keeping mine as-is.
Build the bowl base
Now that you have everything prepped and ready for your Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls, grab a nice big bowl and add a layer of your warm quinoa to the bottom. I add about half to one cup of quinoa, depending on how hungry I am – there’s no real science to building these bowls.
Layer the toppings
Next, add on your toppings. I like to make everything look pretty by adding sections of toppings to look like a little wheel of flavors, but you certainly don’t have to do this.
Layer on the chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, dairy-free feta cheese, hummus, and olives over the quinoa base.
My husband, who can eat dairy, used real feta cheese and a dollop of Greek yogurt on his serving. My son keeps both of these out even though he can tolerate dairy.
Dress it up
Now you add in the extra flavors that go on top. I thought of making a dressing for these bowls, but the beauty of them is truly the simplicity of being able to throw them together quickly. Making a dressing is a fine idea, but so is drizzling everything on top. Do what works for you!
I squeezed fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil over the top. Then I finished the whole thing off with a sprinkle of Trader Joe’s Green Goddess seasoning. So much flavor!
Meal prep it or eat it
If you want to make these bowls ahead of time, it’s probably easiest to enjoy them cold. This way, you can create an entire bowl and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it.
If you prefer to meal prep this and want warm quinoa bowls, keep your quinoa separate from the toppings, so you can heat the quinoa first, then add your cold toppings over top.
Enjoy!
Honestly, these are the most tasty bowls I’ve made in a while. Of course, they’re nothing new, but when you’ve been in a bit of a lunch rut, they seem to feel like a whole new world. Even my 9-year old enjoys these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls!
I’ve eaten them a few days in a row now, simply because they are so darn delicious. And my husband is loving that we can make our own variations where he gets to add his dairy products and I get to enjoy it dairy-free.
Other notes on these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls
Enjoy these quinoa bowls warm or cold. Either way works based on your preference and the energy and time you can prep at meal time.
It’s okay to not measure
While the recipe for these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls calls for specific quantities for ingredients, when I make these bowls I simply use handfuls of ingredients and eyeball what looks good.
There’s no specific amount that will make it taste perfect, just go with your gut and it will taste great!
It’s okay to take a shortcut
If you are super short on time, feel free to buy packaged quinoa or rice to swap out for the cooked quinoa in this dish. These packets are really tasty and quick.
Sometimes convenience wins out and we shouldn’t have to sacrifice a healthy meal due to time constraints. Do what works for you in this season of life!
It’s okay to do it differently
If you want to make this dish full of more veggies, feel free to add anything that sounds good to you. I’ve been playing around with adding chopped spinach, diced red onions, and artichoke hearts.
If you’ve been looking for a quick and easy healthy lunch or dinner lately, try this dish out. It has minimal cook time, easy prep work, and making it in advance is perfect for quick lunches and dinners!
If you want more whole grain bowl recipes, be sure to check out my Mexican Rice Bowls and Quinoa Breakfast Bowls.
Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan)
Enjoy these flavorful Mediterranean quinoa bowls for a healthy lunch, dinner, or meal prep option. They're gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (seasoned or plain)
- ¼ cup chickpeas
- ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped cucumbers
- 1 spoonful of hummus
- 2 tbsp dairy-free feta cheese
- 1 tbsp sliced green olives
- 1 tbsp sliced kalamata olives
- Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Drizzle olive oil
- Sprinkle of Trader Joe's Green Goddess Seasoning
Instructions
- Make a batch of quinoa like you would for any other recipe. Combine two cups of quinoa with three cups of water in your Instant Pot and cook for 1 minute on high pressure. For added flavor, add ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp Italian seasoning before cooking.
- Prep the toppings by chopping tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives.
- Once the quinoa is cooked, add ½ cup to 1 cup of cooked quinoa to the base of a bowl.
- Add the toppings.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice and drizzle olive oil over top of the bowl. Sprinkle Trader Joe's Green Goddess Seasoning over everything.
- Enjoy! Or repeat steps 1 through 5 into meal prep containers to store in the fridge for later meals.
Notes
Enjoy these quinoa bowls warm or cold.
While the recipe for these Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls calls for specific quantities for ingredients, when I make these bowls I simply use handfuls of ingredients and eyeball what looks good.
If you are super short on time, feel free to buy packaged quinoa or rice to swap out for the cooked quinoa in this dish.
If you want to make this dish full of more veggies, feel free to add anything that sounds good to you.
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