Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl Olives (Print version)
A vibrant bowl featuring fluffy quinoa, crisp veggies, creamy hummus, and Kalamata olives for a fresh meal.
# What you'll need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
→ Toppings & Protein
08 - 1 cup hummus (homemade or store-bought)
09 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
10 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled (omit for vegan option)
11 - ¼ cup roasted red peppers, sliced
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to make it:
01 - Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and chop the baby spinach or mixed greens.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
04 - Divide the cooked quinoa evenly among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with spinach or mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese if desired.
05 - Place a generous dollop of hummus on top of each bowl.
06 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over each bowl and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately or chill before serving.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in under 35 minutes, and most of that time is just waiting for quinoa to cook.
- You can make it for one or four without any scaling headaches—just divide and portion as you go.
- It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have gotten to know each other in the fridge.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the quinoa or it will taste bitter and slightly soapy—it's a five-second step that changes everything.
- The bowl tastes better the next day because the grains absorb more of the dressing and everything becomes more cohesive, so you can make these ahead without regret.
03 -
- Buy your hummus from somewhere with real people behind the counter if you can—homemade or small-batch makes a real difference in how the bowl tastes.
- Toast your quinoa in a dry pan for two minutes before adding water and it gets a subtle nutty flavor that grounds the whole dish.