Mediterranean Chickpea Feta Bowl (Printable)

A protein-packed bowl with chickpeas, vegan feta, Kalamata olives, and fresh vegetables, ideal for quick meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice (optional)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

→ Toppings

07 - 3 oz vegan feta cheese, crumbled
08 - 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, add chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and diced red bell pepper. Toss lightly.
02 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until fully combined.
03 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable and chickpea mixture. Toss gently to ensure even coating.
04 - Divide the mixture evenly into two bowls, optionally layering over cooked quinoa or brown rice.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled vegan feta, halved Kalamata olives, and chopped parsley over each bowl.
06 - Serve immediately for freshness or refrigerate for up to 2 days to develop marinated flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 15 minutes with zero actual cooking, which means you can make this even when the kitchen feels too hot to turn on the stove.
  • It tastes better the next day after the flavors have gotten cozy together in the fridge.
  • Protein-packed enough that you won't be hungry an hour later, despite how light it feels to eat.
02 -
  • Salt the cucumber lightly and let it sit for a minute before mixing if it tastes watery—it releases moisture that you probably don't want diluting your dressing.
  • This bowl tastes significantly better after sitting for even 30 minutes because the dressing has time to really penetrate everything instead of just sitting on top.
03 -
  • Keep your olive oil and lemon juice separate until you're ready to assemble because they'll emulsify slightly and become thicker, which changes how they coat everything.
  • If you're using vegan feta that crumbles into dust instead of chunks, add it at the very end right before eating so it maintains some structural integrity and doesn't disappear into the dressing.
Go Back