Mediterranean Rice Bowls with Chickpeas (Vegan)
Vibrant, fresh and wholesome Mediterranean Rice Bowls with Chickpeas made with high fibre and high protein plant-based ingredients. These meal prep bowls are ideal for Summer and are naturally gluten-free, too.
Welcome to episode 4 of rice bowls and this Mediterranean spin on the rice bowl. These are so fresh and summery, perfect for quick and simple mealtimes – the recipe is ready in the same amount of time it takes for you to cook rice. You can use a range of veggies in these bowls, but these are my favourites to use. I also love to add more flavour using olives and sun-dried tomatoes and the delicious chickpeas bring it all together. You can pack this up to enjoy for lunch tomorrow and make up a bigger batch to serve at picnics and BBQs, as well.
Why will I love this?
These bowls are so good:
- Fresh, vibrant, wholesome and nourishing
- Full of Mediterranean flavours and ingredients
- Requires no cooking apart from the rice
- Ready in the time it takes to cook rice
- Use white, brown or mixed rice
- Use pre-cooked rice to make this quicker
- Ideal for meal prep and speedy dinners
- Can be made ahead of time
- Delicious for lunch or dinner
- With marinated chickpeas
- High in fibre
- Chickpeas and veggies
- High in protein from the chickpeas
- With avocado for creaminess
- With added crunch from raw veggies
- Serve with homemade pickles
- Great for gut health
- Full of plant points
- Vegan, dairy-free and egg-free
- Naturally gluten-free and nut-free
- Everyone will love these bowls
- Delicious at BBQs and picnics
If you already love the sound of these bowls, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
To make the rice bowls:
- Brown rice: or your favourite rice.
- Cherry tomatoes: chopped into small pieces.
- Cucumber: chopped small.
- Pepper: I used a yellow pepper to add more colour and diversity.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: these add lots of lovely Mediterranean flavour.
- Olives: use your favourite olives e.g. black or green.
- Avocado: for creaminess.
- Sweetheart cabbage: to add some crunch and texture to the salad without going soggy.
- Homemade pink pickles: I use this recipe or this one to make my pickles.
- Hummus: I use homemade hummus here I can because it’s always so creamy.
- Mixed seeds: to add some crunch on top.
- Fresh herbs: like basil, mint or chive.
For the chickpeas:
- Chickpeas: I use the queen chickpeas from Bold Bean Co as they are plump and juicy.
- Herbs: garlic granules, dried oregano, ground cumin, chilli salt and black pepper. If you don’t have chilli salt, use some chilli flakes and add salt.
- Extra virgin olive oil: to toss into the chickpeas.
Are these bowls gluten-free and nut-free?
These are naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
How do I make them?
These are ready in a few steps:
- Cook the rice according to packet instructions: usually 25 minutes for brown rice.
- Chop all of the veggies: into small pieces.
- Toss the chickpeas with the marinade: and leave in a bowl.
- Plate everything up: and enjoy.
How long will they last?
These will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge in a sealed container.
What other recipes can I try?
For more rice bowls and meal prep ideas:
- Mexican Fajita-Style Tofu Rice Bowls
- Gochujang Tofu Rice Bowls
- Green Goddess Rice Bowls with Crispy Tofu
- Creamy Lemon and Ginger Pasta
- Tofu Cream Cheese Tomato Toasts
Mediterranean Rice Bowls with Chickpeas (Vegan)
Vibrant, fresh and wholesome Mediterranean Rice Bowls with Chickpeas made with high fibre and high protein plant-based ingredients. These meal prep bowls are ideal for Summer and are naturally gluten-free, too.
Ingredients
For the Bowls:
- 150g brown rice (uncooked weight)
- 120g cherry tomatoes, in ¼ or ½
- ½ cucumber, chopped small
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped small
- 50g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 60g olives (pitted weight), in half
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ small sweetheart cabbage, shredded (or baby spinach)
- 2-4 tbsp homemade pink pickles
- 2-4 tbsp homemade hummus
- 2 tbsp mixed seeds
- 2 sprigs fresh herbs e.g. mint or basil
For the Chickpeas:
- 1 tin chickpeas (240g once drained)
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- A pinch chilli salt
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to packet instruction (usually in a pan with twice the volume of water, on a low simmer for 25 minutes). Or use pre-cooked grains.
- Now prepare the chickpeas so they have time to infuse. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir well.
- Prepare all of the vegetables and salad.
- Plate up the bowls with some of the cabbage or spinach, the rice, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, avocado and then pour over the chickpeas. Add on some pink pickles and hummus. Sprinkle with mixed seeds and fresh herbs.
- Enjoy straight away or keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Mediterranean Rice Bowls with Chickpeas so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With rice bowl love x
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