Quick + easy hummus bowls filled with quinoa, cucumber tomato salad, feta, and a big smear of hummus on the bottom! Top these with your favorite protein or roasted veggies for a simple, flavorful make-ahead meal for the workweek!
Say hello to my latest lunch obsession…the hummus bowl!
Trust me, magical things happen when you build an entire bowl around thick, creamy, chickpea-powered hummus.
Let me show you how.
These hummus bowls have four main components, all of which can be made in advance for quick + easy assembly.
First, you need some good hummus. I prefer to make my own (classic, garlicky everything bagel, spicy sweet potato, butternut squash + herb, avocado…the flavor options are endless!) but can always identify a quality store-bought hummus when chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil are the primary ingredients. If the hummus doesn’t have tahini in the ingredients, or uses a low quality oil like canola, it won’t taste as good!
Second, you’ll need to cook up your favorite whole grain. I opted for quinoa this time, but farro, brown rice, millet, wheatberries, or even whole wheat couscous are all great options!
Third, you’ll chop up cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley and toss them with salt, garlic powder, olive oil, and vinegar.
Finally, you’ll choose some toppings, like crumbled feta (or a dairy-free/vegan cheese you love, if needed), olives, pickled red onions, avocado, sauerkraut, kimchi, or even some leftover protein options like tofu, tempeh, grilled salmon, chicken, etc. The hummus bowl is your oyster…top as your heart sees fit!
So, if you’re still with me, the bowl goes something like this: a generous spoonful of hummus, swirled onto the bottom of the bowl, topped with a scoop of cooked grains, a scoop of cucumber-tomato-parsley salad, and any toppings you love.
Just be sure to scoop down into the hummus with every bite, as it really ties together all the flavors in the bowl.
If you’re a hummus lover, you are going to FLIP over this super simple, flavor-loaded, hummus-centered meal that works just as well as a quick + easy lunch or dinner at home as it does as a make-ahead lunch for the workweek.
If you try it, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your Mediterranean Hummus Bowls and share it with me on Instagram so I can see!
Mediterranean Hummus Bowls
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup uncooked whole grains of choice (like quinoa, farro, millet, wheatberries, etc), plus water to cook and several pinches of salt and pepper, to season
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 mini or 1 large Persian cucumber
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (about 1 small handful)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-2 cups hummus, any flavor you love
- Optional: pickled red onions, feta, olives, avocado, roasted veggies, or leftover protein of choice like tempeh, salmon, chicken, etc, to top the bowls.
Instructions:
- Cook your grains according to the package directions. When finished, toss with a few pinches of salt and pepper, to season. You can either use them immediately, when warm, or store them for up to 4 days before using.
- Cut the tomatoes in half, thinly slice the cucumbers, and roughly chop the parsley. Place them in a large bowl with the oil, vinegar, salt, and garlic, and toss to combine.
- Assemble the bowls: Scoop 1/4-1/2 cup of hummus into each bowl (use as much or little as you like!), top with 1/4th of the grains, 1/4th of the tomato-cucumber salad, and any toppings you’re using.
- Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 3 days before serving. Leftovers can be eaten cold, straight from the fridge, or if you’re prefer a warm meal, store all the elements separately and re-heat the grains before assembling the bowls and serving!
Be sure to check out my Shop page to purchase some of my favorite ingredients and kitchen equipment.