Spinach and Feta Grain Bowl (Printable Version)

Vibrant Mediterranean bowl with sautéed spinach, creamy feta, fresh vegetables, and fluffy grains.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa uncooked or brown rice
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Vegetables

03 - 4 cups fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dairy

08 - 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Toppings

14 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth or water to a boil. Stir in quinoa or brown rice, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed, approximately 15 minutes for quinoa or 35 minutes for brown rice. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chopped spinach and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just wilted. Remove from heat.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Divide cooked grains evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese evenly over each bowl and drizzle with prepared dressing.
06 - Top with toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds and fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately, warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in about 35 minutes, which means you can make it on a Tuesday without losing your whole evening.
  • Every bowl feels different depending on what you add, so it never gets boring even when you make it three times in one week.
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes just as good cold the next day, which makes meal prep actually enjoyable.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of sautéing the spinach—raw spinach clumps together in the bowl and feels clumsy compared to the silky wilted version.
  • If you make the dressing while the grains are still hot, the warmth will help the flavors bloom into the bowl instead of sitting on top of it.
03 -
  • Prep your vegetables the night before, but don't slice the tomatoes or cucumber until you're ready to eat because they'll weep and make the bowl soggy.
  • If you're making this for meal prep, store the grains and dressing separately from the raw vegetables, then assemble everything in the morning so nothing gets waterlogged.
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