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Mediterranean Rice Bowl
This Mediterranean rice bowl is ready in just 30 minutes, packed with colorful vegetables and bright flavors! It’s a satisfying…
This Mediterranean rice bowl is ready in just 30 minutes, packed with colorful vegetables and bright flavors! It’s a satisfying plant-based dinner that’s both healthy and delicious, starring fluffy turmeric rice, seasoned chickpeas, and creamy tzatziki. A weeknight dinner homerun!
When it comes to weeknight dinner hits—well, this one is at the top of our playlist lately. Meet this tasty Mediterranean rice bowl! If you’ve been reading for a while, you’ll know Alex and I eat lots of Mediterranean diet recipes, and we wanted to create one that was an easy vegetarian and vegan dinner.
This one truly is a home run: yellow turmeric rice, protein-packed chickpeas, crisp fresh vegetables, and a creamy tzatziki sauce that holds everything together. It makes a social media-worthy bowl that’s as nourishing as it is tasty. As parents with busy schedules, we appreciate recipes that don’t require advance planning but still deliver on flavor and nutrition—and this one delivers both!
Hope you love it. ~Sonja & Alex
Tips for making this Mediterranean rice bowl
This Mediterranean rice bowl recipe is a vegetarian dinner and vegan dinner / plant based recipe (with tahini sauce) that comes together quickly. Here are some helpful tips to ensure the best results:
- Handle turmeric with care. This spice creates a beautiful golden color in the rice but can stain clothing and countertops. Be mindful when measuring and stirring.
- Quick-pickled red onions add great flavor. For an extra flavor boost, make pickled red onions ahead of time or let them pickle while preparing the rest of the recipe. If you don’t have time, use sliced red onions.
- Start the rice first, then work on the other components. The bowl comes together in about 30 minutes.
Variations on the theme
We know many people cook for families with various dietary needs, so here are some easy modifications to customize your Mediterranean rice bowls:
Add or swap the protein:
- Seared chicken from Greek chicken bowls, grilled chicken, or baked chicken
- Pan seared salmon or baked salmon
- Sautéed shrimp tossed with garlic and oregano
- Crispy tofu tossed in olive oil and za’atar
Use other grains:
- Seasoned quinoa for extra protein
- Couscous or Israeli couscous for a different texture
- Farro for a nutty, chewy base
Make it vegan:
- Use tahini sauce drizzled on top
- Make vegan tzatziki with dairy-free yogurt (or purchase it)
Storing leftovers and make ahead tips
Store leftovers of these Mediterranean rice bowls in separate containers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. This recipe is excellent for meal prep! Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Prepare the turmeric rice and seasoned chickpeas up to 3 days in advance. Reheat the rice with a splash of water on the stovetop.
- Make the pickled red onions and tzatziki sauce 1-2 days ahead (it actually improves after sitting overnight).
- For best results, store all components separately and assemble just before eating.
Dietary notes
This Mediterranean rice bowl recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and Mediterranean diet friendly. For vegan, use tahini sauce and omit the feta cheese.
Mediterranean Rice Bowl
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Print RecipeThis Mediterranean rice bowl is ready in just 30 minutes, packed with colorful vegetables and bright flavors! It’s a satisfying plant-based dinner that’s both healthy and delicious, starring fluffy turmeric rice, seasoned chickpeas, and creamy tzatziki. A weeknight dinner homerun!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Diet
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the chickpeas
- 15-ounce can chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon each cumin and dried dill
- ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the bowl
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- Pickled Red Onions (made in advance) or ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 handful olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 handful feta cheese (optional)
- 1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt*
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the rice: Using a strainer, rinse the rice under cold water, then drain it completely. In a saucepan over high heat, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil. Add the rice, turmeric, garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir once, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Return the rice to the pot (without the heat). Cover the pot and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Taste and add a little more salt and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
- Make the tzatziki (or see notes for vegan Tahini Sauce): Meanwhile, grate ½ the cucumber using the small holes on a box grater (if using a standard cucumber, peel and seed it first). Place the grated cucumber in a fine mesh strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Sprinkle it with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, then place over a liquid measuring cup and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, dill, and freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze out more water from the cucumber before adding it to the dip. Stir in the grated cucumber. Depending on your yogurt consistency, you can stir back in the cucumber water (or regular water) until it comes to the desired consistency (some Greek yogurts are very thick!). Stores up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
- Cook the chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a medium bowl, mix them with the spices and kosher salt. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the chickpeas (carefully to avoid spitting) and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until warmed through.
- Assemble the bowls: Slice the remaining half of the cucumber and slice the tomatoes in half. If using red onion instead of pickled onions, slice the onion. Add the rice to a bowl and top with the vegetables and chickpeas, then sprinkle with olives and feta crumbles and add a dollop of tzatziki. Leftovers last up to 3 days refrigerated.
Notes
To add protein, make the chicken from Greek Chicken Bowls.
To make this recipe vegan, make Tahini Sauce instead of the tzatziki and omit the feta cheese.
More recipes you might enjoy
If you love this rice bowl, you might also like these Mediterranean diet-inspired favorites:
- Falafel Bowl – Another quick Mediterranean-inspired bowl with crispy falafel instead of chickpeas
- Mediterranean Bowl – A similar concept with roasted vegetables
- Greek Chicken – The perfect protein addition to your rice bowl
- Perfect Quinoa – For a great alternative base for your Mediterranean bowl
- Mediterranean Salad – A nice side salad for Medi meals
