Gluten Free
Mediterranean Rice Bowl with Green Goddess Sauce
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
15 minutes
Yield
2 servings
Delicious, fresh, and quick lunch, this Mediterranean Rice Bowl with Green Goddess Sauce does not disappoint!
I love a good quick rice bowl for a healthy lunch on a busy day. Bowls are so versatile and you can add really anything to them that you have in your fridge. In this instance though, I’ve made a Mediterranean rice bowl that makes the perfect lunch or quick dinner.
❤️ Why You’ll Love Mediterranean Rice Bowl
- Quick Prep: Prep this rice bowl in only 20 minutes and have it ready in 35. This is the perfect meal for those busy nights after work or school
- Healthy: This Mediterranean rice bowl recipe is full of healthy, fresh ingredients. Even the rice I used is healthier. You’ll soak up all the delicious nutrients from these wholesome ingredients
- Versatile: Like I said, use up whatever you have on hand and get creative with this bowl. See below as I talk about some of the variations or substitutes you can make
🍲 Ingredients
Rice: For this recipe, I used RightRice’s Garlic Herb rice. This rice is packed with the power of nutritious vegetables (unlike regular rice). It has lentils, chickpeas, and green peas, and each serving has over 2x the protein, and 5x the fiber. It also has fewer carbs than rice and it’s a complete protein!! I love this easy (and healthier) swap to regular rice for recipes.
Herbs: If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, skip it and add in any other fresh herb you love! Fresh herbs are always the best when added to salads or bowls. They pack the best flavor, and won’t mess with the texture as some dry herbs can.
Yogurt: In this bowl, I used Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt provides more protein than regular yogurt, and it can be a great way to up the protein value of any recipe. It’s also rich in vitamins and minerals such as B12, selenium, and zinc. I love to use Greek yogurt in dressings, or as a substitute for mayo or sour cream as it packs more nutritional value.
👩🍳 How to Make Mediterranean Rice Bowls
2. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
3. Prep the lentils by adding the ingredients to a large bowl and mixing. If you are using dry lentils, you’ll want to cook these up first. Canned makes everything so much quicker though
4. Spread the lentils onto the baking sheet evenly, leaving room to breathe and crisp
5. Bake lentils for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally so they cook evenly and don’t burn
6. In a large, deep jug or jar, add all of the ingredients for the Green Goddess Sauce and blend using a hand blender until combined. You can also add all the ingredients into a blender and blend that way if you don’t have a hand blender
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Use this dressing on other salads or bowls. It’s honestly so tasty and healthy. You’ll want to put it on everything
- Top with pitted olives as it’ll make the salad easier to eat. If you’re on a budget, canned olives work great
🗒 Variations
Here are some easy variations you can make for these Mediterranean Rice Bowls:
- Protein: Kick up the protein by adding your fav into this recipe such as chicken or tofu.
- Dressing: You can make different variations of this salad by swapping out the toppings and dressing. Use this lemon dijon dressing from this recipe or this balsamic dressing.
🗒 Substitutions
Here are some easy substitutions you can make to these Mediterranean rice bowls:
- Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, you can swap the yogurt for your favorite dairy-free option, and swap, or omit the feta.
- Toppings: Add any other ingredients you desire to this dish! Avocado, basil, or sundried tomatoes would be delicious.
🗒 Best served with
- Greek Stuffed Vegetables: Serve this rice bowl alongside some traditional gemista
- Tomato Fritters: These are some of my fav snacks and they go so well with this rice bowl
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store this salad in the fridge for 3 – 5 days, without the dressing. This prevents the bowls from getting soggy. When you’re ready to serve, add the dressing, mix, and enjoy.
🤔 Common Questions
Black lentils are the most nutritious, but it’s important to think of the lentil consistency based on the recipe you’re making. For example, some lentils like red or yellow lentils tend to cook quickly and break apart as you cook them, whereas green or brown lentils hold their shape.
You’ll often find vegetables like cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes (okay, this is technically a fruit) in Mediterranean dishes. You’ll usually also see these paired with olives and feta.
If you use canned lentils, no, you don’t even need to cook them. However, if you use dry lentils, it’s best to rinse before cooking. Lentils are natural and don’t undergo any processing. This means that they can accumulate dust, dirt, etc. that you’ll want to rinse off. Think of it like how you rinse your veggies or fruit before eating.
Mediterranean Rice Bowl with Green Goddess Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 package of @RightRice - Garlic Herb - cook per package instructions
Crispy Lentils:
- 1-550 ml can of lentils
- 1/4 cup capers
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper chili flakes
- 1 dash salt and pepper
Green Goddess Sauce:
- large handful of fresh cilantro around 1 head
- large handful of fresh parsley around 1 head
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small lemon juiced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
- 3 cloves garlic roasted or raw
Instructions
- Prepare the rice and topping and set them aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prep the lentils by adding the ingredients to a large bowl and mix.
- Spread the lentils onto the sheet evenly, leaving room to breathe and crisp.
- Cool for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- To the large, deep jug or jar, add all of the ingredients for the Green Goddess Sauce and blend using a hand blender until combined. Alternatively, you can use a small blender.
- Portion the Right Rice into bowls (serves 2), add the toppings, and dollop with a gernerous amount of sauce!
THIS BOWL IS HEAVEN OMG. Thank you for always delivering Maria!!
You’re so welcome Stephanie!! My pleasure! Thank you so much for the love and support!! 🙂