Vegetarian Mediterranean Rice Bowls
These vegetarian Mediterranean rice bowls with roasted veggies, hummus, and tzatziki are the perfect balance of healthy and comforting for a satisfying lunch or dinner.
Equipment
- 1 XL sheet pan
- 1 small baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant sliced into quarter-inch thick triangles
- 2 medium cucumbers sliced into quarter-inch thick semicircles
- 1 medium bell pepper sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 15 ounces canned garbanzo beans
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 3 cups water
- 1½ cups basmati rice dry
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Roasted Veggies Seasoning Blend
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
Toppings
- ¾ cup hummus
- ¾ cup tzatziki
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Spread the prepared veggies out on an extra large sheet pan in a single layer and drizzle with about 1 teaspoon olive oil. Mix the seasoning blend in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the veggies.
- Drain and rinse the canned garbanzo beans, then shake off the excess water or gently pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Spread them in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with about 1 teaspoon olive oil, then season with a pinch of sea salt.
- Roast the veggies and garbanzo beans (chickpeas) in the oven until the veggies are tender and the chickpeas are hard and crunchy, about 25 to 35 minutes. Stir the chickpeas halfway through roasting.
- In the meantime, bring the water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Stir in the basmati rice, then lower the heat and cover. Steam until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 20 to 25 minutes, then fluff with a fork and stir in the lemon juice.
- To serve, plate the roasted veggies over a bed of rice. Top with roasted chickpeas, hummus, and tzatziki and serve immediately.
Notes
Roasting the veggies & chickpeas: It's important to use two separate pans for this, since the chickpeas may take longer to cook than the veggies. (We usually find an extra 5 minutes or so does the trick once the veggies are done, but oven temps and cook times will vary).
Sheet pan size: If you don't have an XL sheet pan to fit all the veggies, roast them on two pans instead. Toss all the veggies together in a bowl first so you get a mixture of all the veggie types on both pans - this will help things cook evenly. Then, make sure to split the seasoning equally between the two pans.
Homemade hummus: We suggest making our easy homemade hummus to go with these Mediterranean bowls - all you need is a food processor and a few simple ingredients! You can prepare this while the veggies are roasting and then stick it in the fridge until it's time to eat. Otherwise, use your favorite store brand (we love Cedar's).
Storing & reheating leftovers: Leftovers will stay fresh for up to 4 days. Store the rice and veggies together in an airtight container in the fridge and store the chickpeas at room temperature. To reheat, simply microwave the rice and veggies for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the chickpeas and topping with hummus and tzatziki.
Meal prep: These vegetarian bowls are great for healthy meal prep - check out our blog post above for some tips and recommendations!
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 917mg | Potassium: 848mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1226IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 4mg
