Mediterranean Rice Bowl With Avocado Sauce

This healthy Mediterranean Rice Bowl is so delicious, flavorful, and satisfying at the same time. You will love this customizable bowl which is loaded with exotic flavors. The spicy chickpeas, brown rice, roasted broccoli, juicy tomatoes, and creamy avocado sauce will blow your mind. 

These Mediterranean rice bowls are a quick and easy meal option for a filling lunch or dinner. My family truly enjoys these customizable rice bowls and they are fabulous for meal prep too. If you love bowls like me, you will definitely enjoy this recipe. 

The layers of spicy, crispy, juicy, creamy, and tangy flavors are so satisfying. My husband loves these Mediterranean rice bowls so much that we make them once a week for lunch and they will keep you full for a long period of time. 

Do you remember, I posted oven roasted broccoli a few weeks ago? I enjoy combining it with this Mediterranean rice bowl and it tastes so delicious. This bowl is so versatile that you can add roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted carrots, or mixed roasted veggies. 

I have added fresh and juicy grape tomatoes, you can add fresh spinach leaves, diced cucumber, and olives as well. Sometimes I like to combine crispy lime tofu from my easy tofu fajitas recipe for an extra dose of protein. 

This Mediterranean rice bowl is so versatile that you can prepare all the components in advance and entertain your guests. Arrange everything on the table so everyone can assemble their own bowls with their favorite components. Don’t forget to check out some ideas in my variations section! 

Ingredients

Roasted Broccoli:

• Broccoli
• Garlic
• Paprika
• Cayenne pepper
• Black pepper 
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Olive oil

Spicy Chickpeas:

• Chickpeas
• Lime juice
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper powder
• Red chili powder
• Crushed red peppers
• Cumin powder
• Oregano
• Sesame seeds 
• Salt
• Olive oil

Brown Rice:

• Brown basmati rice
• Water
• Oil

Avocado Sauce:

• Avocado
• Lime juice
• Garlic
• Green chillies
• Cilantro 
• Salt

Toppings:

• Grape tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Bagel chips/Pita chips

Mediterranean Rice Bowl Step By Step Recipe:

Roasted Broccoli

Preheat the oven to 405°F (210ºC) 

Line a parchment paper on a large baking tray and brush olive oil on it. 

Transfer the broccoli florets, garlic, salt, spices, the remaining olive oil, and toss them together. Separate the broccoli florets for an even roasting.

Bake them for 25-27 minutes, tossing halfway until the florets are tender.

Let the broccoli cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle some extra seasonings if you wish, and set aside. 

Spicy Chickpeas

In a pan, heat some oil on medium heat, transfer all the spices, salt, and mix for 10 seconds. 

Combine the chickpeas, lime juice, and roast the mixture for 5 minutes. 

Next, add sesame seeds, roast them for a minute, and set aside. 

Making Brown Rice

Triple wash some brown rice, add 1.5 cup water, and let it stand covered for 20 minutes. 

Transfer the rice and water to a saucepan, and add 1/4 tsp olive oil. 

Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 30-35 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the water and looks tender.

Let the brown rice sit in a covered saucepan for 10 minutes and fluff it with a fork afterwards. 

Avocado Sauce

In a chopper grinder, add avocado slices, a handful of cilantro, garlic, lime juice, green chili, salt, ⅓ cup water, and blend to form into a smooth puree. 

Assembling

In 2 separate bowls, equally divide the cooked brown rice, spicy chickpeas, roasted broccoli, some halved grape tomatoes, feta cheese, 4-5 bagel or pita chips, drizzle some avocado sauce, and serve. 

You can add some greek yogurt as well while serving. 

Tips For Making Mediterranean Rice Bowl

• Every component of the rice bowl can be prepared ahead of time which will save a lot of time. 
• Add avocado sauce, tomatoes, yogurt (if using), cheese, and chips just before serving. 
• Check out my Oven Roasted Broccoli recipe for more detailed instructions.
• Cook the brown rice according to package instructions. You can cook the rice in a pressure or rice cooker for easy cooking. 
• You can easily double or triple the quantity of each component for bulk cooking or meal prep. 

How To Meal Prep Rice Bowls?

Rice bowls are excellent for meal prep. I have made the recipe for 2 servings but you can easily double it up. 

• Divide the rice in separate containers, top the rice with spicy chickpeas and roasted broccoli.
• Do not close the lid completely until everything has cooled to room temperature. 
• Store the avocado sauce and grape tomatoes in separate bowls. 
• Once you are ready to serve, heat the containers for about 45 seconds, add the tomatoes, cheese, chips, avocado sauce, and serve.

Variations

You can completely customize your rice bowl – use your favorite veggies, grains, protein, sauce, toppings, and let everyone assemble their own rice bowls.

• Base – white/brown basmati rice, jasmine rice, wild rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or lentils. 
• Veggies – some roasted veggies like cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, peppers, charred corn, or mixed veggies of your choice. 
• Protein – combine some lime flavored tofu or toasted paneer in the recipe. You can add black beans, black eyed peas, or pinto beans instead of chickpeas. 
• Additional ingredients – add some diced cucumbers, spinach, kale, red onions, red cabbage, olives, roasted peppers, dried cranberries, or lime pickled onions.
• Cheeses – goat cheese, feta cheese, parmesan, or white cheddar cheese. 
• Sauce/Dressing – avocado sauce tastes so delicious in this recipe, I will highly recommend not to skip it – you can add some lemon tahini dressing, spicy hummus, cilantro lime sauce, or Frank’s red hot sauce. Serve some dollops of greek yogurt or sour cream. 
• Vegan – make this dish completely vegan by simply skipping the cheese, yogurt, or sour cream.

How To Store A Mediterranean Rice Bowl?

Make the spicy chickpeas, rice, roasted broccoli, and sauce ahead of time in bulk and store them into portions in an airtight container for 4 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to store the avocado sauce in a separate container.

Wash, chop the grape tomatoes in halves, and store them in an airtight container for 4 days. If you are using some other veggies like cucumbers, red cabbage, or spinach, then clean them, chop, and store them into separate containers.

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