Mediterranean Rice Bowl (Print Version)
Fluffy rice topped with fresh veggies, chickpeas, feta, and zesty lemon-tahini dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Rice Base
01 - 1 cup basmati or long-grain rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Proteins
04 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cucumber, diced
07 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
09 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
→ Toppings
10 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Lemon-Tahini Dressing
12 - 3 tablespoons tahini
13 - 1 lemon, juiced
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 2 tablespoons water
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
# How to Cook:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, water, salt, and pepper until smooth. Adjust consistency with more water if needed.
03 - Divide cooked rice among 4 bowls. Top each with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and red bell pepper.
04 - Sprinkle each bowl with crumbled feta and chopped parsley. Drizzle generously with lemon-tahini dressing. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lemon tahini dressing alone is worth making this, and you will want to put it on everything from roasted carrots to your morning toast.
- It comes together in under an hour with zero fancy techniques, making it perfect for those nights when you want to feel accomplished without actually working hard.
- Every single component can be prepped ahead, so Tuesday you will thank Sunday you profusely.
02 -
- Undercooked rice will ruin the entire experience, so if you lift the lid and see any water left after fifteen minutes, give it another two or three minutes before taking it off the heat.
- Tahini behaves differently depending on the brand and freshness, so trust your eyes and adjust the water in the dressing by feel rather than following the measurement exactly.
03 -
- Make a double batch of the lemon tahini dressing and keep it in a jar in your fridge, because you will find yourself reaching for it on salads, roasted vegetables, and grain bowls all week long.
- Let the cooked rice cool slightly before assembling the bowls, since piping hot rice will wilt the fresh vegetables and melt the feta into a puddle instead of leaving those beautiful crumbles intact.