Mediterranean Rice Bowl (Printable)
Fresh vegetables, chickpeas, and feta over fluffy rice with a zesty lemon-herb dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup long-grain white rice or brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Vegetables and Legumes
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 English cucumber, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
07 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
10 - 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
→ Dairy
11 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
12 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse rice under cold running water until the runoff turns clear. Combine rice, 2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes for white rice or 35 to 40 minutes for brown rice, until the grains are tender and all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff gently with a fork.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified. Set aside.
03 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the English cucumber, chop the red bell pepper, thinly slice the red onion, and finely chop the fresh parsley. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas under cold water. Pit and halve the Kalamata olives.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, olives, and parsley. Pour half of the dressing over the mixture and toss thoroughly to coat every component evenly.
05 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Spoon the dressed vegetable and legume mixture over each portion of rice. Finish by crumbling feta cheese generously over each bowl.
06 - Drizzle the remaining dressing over the assembled bowls. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes for a chilled serving option.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It uses one bowl for serving so your sink stays almost empty, and that alone is reason to celebrate.
- The dressing doubles as a marinade for anything else you want to throw at it later in the week.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the rice or you will end up with gummy clumps that feel nothing like the fluffy base this bowl deserves.
- Letting the dressed vegetables sit for ten minutes before serving actually improves the flavor because the salt draws out the tomato juices and merges with the dressing.
03 -
- Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge because it works on roasted vegetables, grilled meats, and even as a quick marinade on busy nights.
- Crumble the feta with your fingers instead of a knife because irregular chunks melt into the warm rice differently than uniform crumbs and create little pockets of tangy surprise.