Mediterranean Lentil and Grain Bowls
User Reviews
5
86 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4
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Calories
551 kcal
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Cuisine
Mediterranean
Mediterranean Lentil and Grain Bowls
Report
This Mediterranean Lentil and Grain Bowl recipe features creamy lentils cooked with garlic and cumin seeds, served with pickled red onions and a tahini lemon sauce. A grain such as farro is cooked with simple aromatics, providing a nutty base. The pickled onions add brightness and acidity, while the tahini sauce offers a rich, lemony finish, creating a balanced and textured meal option.
Description
Mediterranean Lentil and Grain Bowls bring together layered flavors and textures starting with pickled red onions made by soaking thinly sliced onions in a hot water, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt solution with optional spices like red pepper flakes and whole peppercorns. This bright and tangy component adds a vibrant contrast to the grain and legumes.
The lentils are cooked in vegetable broth with garlic and cumin seeds, which infuse the legumes with warm, aromatic notes. Cooking until tender but not mushy results in a creamy texture. Farro or an alternative grain like quinoa or millet is prepared separately with water and optional seasonings to provide a chewy, nutty base.
Serving the lentils over the grain with tahini mixed with lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and water creates a smooth and citrusy dressing that enriches the bowl. The bowls combine contrast between bright, tangy, creamy, and chewy elements for balanced bites and satisfying mouthfeel.
If cumin seeds are unavailable, ground cumin between 1/2 and 3/4 teaspoon can substitute for flavor.
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Ingredients
PICKLED ONIONS (Makes 1 large jar of pickled onions)
Ingredients
- 1 red onion medium
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or mixture of both
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or organic cane sugar)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt fine sea salt
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns optional, whole
CREAMY MEDITERRANEAN LENTILS (Makes about 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 6 garlic minced, cloves
- 2 ⅔ - 2 ¾ cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup lentils French green
- kosher salt or sea salt to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2-3 teaspoons tamari (depends on how salty your vegetable broth is)
FARRO (Makes about 2 1/2 cups cooked farro)
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro pearled or semi-pearled; can substitute any gluten-free grain such as quinoa, millet, brown rice
- 2 ½ cups water
- kosher salt or sea salt
- 2 bay leaf optional, for seasoning
- black pepper optional, for seasoning, freshly cracked
- 2 garlic sliced in half (optional, for seasoning, cloves
CLASSIC HUMMUS (Makes about 1 1/2 cups hummus)
Ingredients
- 1 chickpea canned or cooked
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1 lemon juiced (about 3 tablespoons, medium
- 2 garlic chopped, cloves
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- 4 - 6 tablespoons water ice
- extra virgin olive oil chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley, paprika, for serving
Instructions
Pickled Onions Directions
- Bring the water to a gentle boil, using a kettle or on the stove. Slice the onion very thinly. Place the onion slices in a large mason jar.
- Mix together the hot water, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, red pepper flakes, and peppercorns. Stir to combine until the syrup or sugar is dissolved. Pour the pickling liquid over the sliced onions in the jar.
- Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. You can serve now, but I prefer to refrigerate them for a more developed flavor.
Creamy Mediterranean Lentils Directions
- Heat a large, deep nonstick frying pan or a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and cumin seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, then add the lentils. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are tender but still al dente.
- Turn the heat to low and add the tahini and tamari, and stir well into the lentils. Taste for seasonings, and season with salt (as needed) and freshly cracked black pepper.
Farro Directions
- Add the water to a medium saucepan, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Add the farro and seasonings, then reduce to a simmer and cook until al dente-- tender yet chewy. For pearled farro, it should take 15-20 minutes; for semi-pearled farro, 20-30 minutes.
- Once al dente, drain the farro through a sieve and discard the aromatics. If you have the time, spread the farro out on a sheet tray to cool and dry out--this helps prevent it from getting mushy.
Classic Hummus Directions
- Add the chickpeas to a food processor and blend for 2 minutes until you have a thick paste-like puree, scraping down the sides with a silicone spatula as needed.
- Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt. With the motor running, stream in the ice water, a little at a time, until the hummus is thick yet smooth and creamy. Taste for seasonings and add more salt, lemon juice, garlic, or cumin as needed. If the hummus is still too thick for your liking, add a tablespoon or two more of ice water.
- Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Ideally, let it rest for 30 minutes before serving.
- When ready to serve, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and paprika.
Notes
- If cumin seeds are unavailable, ground cumin between 1/2 and 3/4 teaspoon can substitute for flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
551kcal
(28%)
Carbohydrates
88g
(29%)
Protein
25g
(50%)
Fat
13g
(20%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
(29%)
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Sodium
732mg
(31%)
Potassium
851mg
(18%)
Fiber
28g
(112%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
112IU
(2%)
Vitamin C
20mg
(22%)
Calcium
118mg
(12%)
Iron
7mg
(39%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 551 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 551kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 88g | 29% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Sodium | 732mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 851mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 28g | 112% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 112IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 20mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 118mg | 12% |
| Iron | 7mg | 39% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
86 reviews
Excellent
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