Love buddha bowls? Love bright, bold Mediterranean flavor? Then, you’ll love these easy to meal prep bowls filled with flavorful quinoa, arugula, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, chickpeas, olives, feta cheese and hummus.
I love having these bowls ready to go for lunches. Since they’re literally a meal in a bowl, there’s little to clean up!
This recipe is full of plant-based nutrition and it’s bursting with flavor. The protein comes from the quinoa and chickpeas and a bit from the feta and hummus. The quinoa is dressed in a zesty, herb vinaigrette, so each bite is pure Mediterranean deliciousness!
Ingredients
We got a lovely spread of the ingredients below. It definitely embodies the phrase, “eat the rainbow.”
To assemble the bowls, I like to put the ingredients in sections. Since the arugula and quinoa make up the majority of the bowl, I start with those two and add the other ingredients around them.
Meal Prep the Buddha Bowls
I love recipes that are easy to have pre-prepared. For this recipe, prep the quinoa first and have the cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers already chopped. This saves so much time!
You could separate them into separate containers for the week ahead since it makes around 4 servings or just have them prepped to be used whenever.
Substitutions
There are a lot of ways to make this meal your own! Here’s some ideas:
- Greens: swap the arugula for spinach, beet greens or swiss chard.
- Hummus: swap for tzatziki, baba ganoush or Greek yogurt.
- Chickpeas: swap for any other favorite bean or even lentils!
You could also add another source of protein by adding tofu or chicken.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Once you cook the quinoa, you’ll want to eat it within a week. If you pre-chop the cucumbers, tomatoes and bell pepper, they can also be eaten within a week but the texture will be optimal within a few days post chopping.
Yes! Quinoa is a gluten-free grain and provides all 9 essential amino acids, so it makes for a great gluten-free meal.
Omit the feta cheese or swap it for another creamy substitute like tahini sauce.
Mediterranean Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
For the Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Bowl
- 15.5oz can drained and rinsed garbanzo beans
- 4 cups arugula
- 1 1/2 cups quartered cucumber
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1 cup sliced bell pepper
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup crumbled low-fat feta cheese
- 1/2 cup hummus
- parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions
For the Quinoa
- Bring a pot of vegetable broth to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds, thyme, oregano and garlic powder. Pour over the cooked quinoa and mix well.
For the Bowl
- Portion out the quinoa and arugula to the four salad bowls.
- Add the rest of the toppings in sections on the bowl.
- Top with hummus and garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- Substitution ideas include:
- swap arugula for spinach, beet greens or swiss chard
- swap hummus for tzatziki, baba ganoush or Greek yogurt
- chickpeas swap for other beans or lentils
Nutrition
(Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)