Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Hummus (Printable)
A colorful, nutrient-packed bowl combining fluffy quinoa, crisp vegetables, and creamy hummus with Mediterranean herbs and olive oil dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
08 - 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
09 - 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
→ Protein & Dairy
10 - 1 cup hummus, store-bought or homemade
11 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled, optional
→ Dressing
12 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
14 - 1 garlic clove, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnishes
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Lemon wedges for serving
# How To Cook:
01 - In a medium pot, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
02 - While the quinoa cooks, prepare all vegetables by halving tomatoes, dicing cucumber, thinly slicing red onion, and ensuring olives are pitted and peppers are sliced. Set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Divide cooked quinoa among four serving bowls. Arrange spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and roasted red peppers on top of each bowl.
05 - Top each bowl with a generous dollop of hummus and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese if using.
06 - Drizzle each bowl evenly with prepared vinaigrette. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between warm, fluffy quinoa and cool, crisp vegetables creates this incredibly satisfying texture that keeps you coming back for another bite.
- You can prep most components ahead of time, making this your secret weapon for those nights when cooking feels impossible but takeout isnt calling your name.
02 -
- Letting the quinoa rest for 5 minutes after cooking with the lid still on makes a dramatic difference in fluffiness, something I learned after years of impatience led to mushy quinoa.
- Slicing the red onion and then soaking it in ice water for 10 minutes takes away the harsh bite while keeping all the flavor, a trick my neighbors grandmother from Greece taught me over coffee one morning.
03 -
- Massaging a drop of olive oil into your hands before crumbling feta cheese prevents it from sticking to your fingers and gives you more control over where those precious crumbles land.
- The hummus acts as a natural thickener when it eventually mixes with the dressing, creating a luxurious sauce that coats every grain of quinoa if you stir everything together before eating.