Easy Vegetarian Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

This Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl makes a healthy take-to-work lunch or a light vegetarian dinner. It's packed full of protein-rich quinoa, fresh Greek salad vegetables, olives and creamy tzatziki sauce. A healthy power bowl meal for any time of the year!

Easy. Healthy. Fresh. This Vegetarian Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl is definitely my kind of meal.

It's a Greek-style power bowl with raw Greek salad ingredients like cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers. Salty feta, briny olives and slightly acidic tzatziki sauce combine to make a bright, fresh bowl of yum! This quinoa recipe is surprisingly filling!

I never tire of eating foods from the Mediterranean diet (which is actually not a diet but more a way of eating.) Fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, herbs, nuts and beans make up the bulk of Mediterranean diet recipes, with moderate amounts of dairy, poultry, eggs and seafood rounding them out.

While I don't include wheat in my diet, quinoa satisfies that space. Quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain, and so it is gluten-free.

I use quinoa often in my meals. In the spring and summer, I love this Healthy Quinoa Bowl with Spinach Feta and Strawberries. Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is always a favourite here, too.

Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Pears is my go-to quinoa bowl in the fall and I LOVE this Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing year round! (with a to-die-for dressing!)

Winter? or any time of year! Try these totally satisfying recipes for Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls or Sesame Miso Salmon Bowls!

Let's get started on this easy lunch/dinner/meal prep Mediterranean recipe!

🔪 Instructions

Here's a quick overview of the steps in this easy recipe. Complete instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Start by cooking the quinoa. The general rule is to use twice as much water as quinoa, but I use a little bit less. Remember to rinse it first before adding it to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove it from the heat, fluff with a fork, then let it cool.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, make the tzatziki sauce, following the instructions in the recipe card below.
3. Chop the veggies while the quinoa is cooling, then divide the ingredients and arrange however you'd like in two shallow bowls.
4. To prevent browning, add sliced avocado just before serving.
5. Serve with a dollop (or two or three) of tzatziki sauce or hummus. And then . . .  mix it all together, let those fresh Greek flavours blend together and dig in!

🔁 Possible variations

• Make it vegan by substituting vegan feta (or omit the feta), make the tzatziki recipe with coconut yogurt, or substitute hummus for the tzatziki.
• Add chickpeas. Toss in a handful of canned and rinsed chickpeas.
• Substitute goat cheese for the feta cheese.
• Add cooked chicken breast slices or cubes of cooked chicken thighs. You'll love this recipe for Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs. It makes a great addition to this Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl if you want to add some poultry.

👍🏼 Time-saving tips

Make this Greek quinoa bowl ahead of time.

Sometimes when you know you'll have a busy afternoon, getting dinner made ahead of time can be a life-saver. This quinoa power bowl is perfect for those days. Assemble the quinoa and veggies, then add the avocado and tzatziki sauce at serving time.

Double this recipe and have your lunches ready for a few days! Either assemble in glass storage containers or layer in Mason jars. Start with the quinoa on the bottom, then layer the veggies (or just mix them all together) as you add to the jar. Again, add the avocado and tzatziki when you're ready to eat.

If you wish to double (or halve) the recipe amounts, click on the number beside the Servings in the recipe card below, then use the little slider that appears to change the ingredient amounts.

This Greek Quinoa Bowl is a great recipe to keep you on track with eating "clean" this week. Enjoy everyone!

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🗒More recipes for 30-minute meals

📖 Recipe

Fresh Vegetarian Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

This Vegetarian Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl makes a healthy lunch or light dinner. It's packed full of protein-rich quinoa, Greek salad veggies, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entrée/Main Dish

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 458kcal

Author: Elaine

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Ingredients

Quinoa Bowl

• ▢ ½ cup dry quinoa
• ▢ 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
• ▢ 1 cup bell pepper, red, orange or yellow, chopped
• ▢ ½ cup Mediterranean olives, pitted
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
• ▢ ¼ cup feta cheese
• ▢ ½ medium avocado, sliced

Tzatziki Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup cucumber, seeded, finely diced and well drained
• ▢ ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, very firm
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• ▢ 2 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 small clove garlic, minced
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil, for drizzling on top before serving

Instructions

Quinoa Bowl

• Arrange all bowl ingredients in a shallow bowl, either separately, or mixed together. Add avocado slices immediately before serving to prevent browning. Top with tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce

• Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds with a spoon. Finely dice the cucumber. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and let stand in a strainer to allow the water to drain off. Alternatively, pat dry with paper towel or a clean cloth to remove as much moisture as you can so that the sauce isn't watery.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
• Add the finely diced and thoroughly-drained cucumber and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh dill, if desired. Drizzle with a little olive oil just before serving, if you'd like.

Notes

Double this recipe and have your lunches ready for a few days! Either assemble in glass storage containers or layer in Mason jars. Start with the quinoa on the bottom, then layer the veggies (or just mix them all together) as you add to the jar. Again, add the avocado and tzatziki when you're ready to eat.

If you wish to double (or halve) the recipe amounts, click on the number beside the Servings in the recipe card below, then use the little slider that appears to change the ingredient amounts.

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 781mg | Potassium: 1073mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3030IU | Vitamin C: 125mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 3mg

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