Over the weekend, I was talking to a friend about pickles.
Admittedly, pickles are more predictable topics. But we’re all descended from Greeks, and so is the creamy vanilla dip based on yogurt.
I just wrote an article and shared my favorite vegetarian pickles recipe. Coincidentally, my friend made a traditional version just a few days ago, so we couldn’t help but compare notes.
We said we could eat this creamy, cool dip with almost anything: vegetables, salads, grilled burgers, kebabs, or just ripped, toasted pita.
Fortunately, I have a much better recipe than “almost anything” today.
Today’s vegan Greek Bowl has given me life this past week. It’s filled with crisp, fresh vegetables, refreshing pickles, homemade vegan protein ingredients, and one of my favorite foods: salami!
They are the perfect healthy food to make in the middle of summer.
The components of the perfect vegetarian Greek bowl
I’ve given you a little ode to plant-based yogurt. What else is in a Greek vegan’s bowl?
Delicious Mediterranean chickpea oat balls
Back in 2021, I made a recipe for chickpea oat balls. I remember trying to turn a can of chickpeas into a versatile protein. At the time, the whole grain I had on hand was oatmeal.
The two ingredients are combined with sun-dried tomato flavoring and nutritional yeast flavoring.
The taste is Mediterranean-style, and the texture mixes falafel, veggie burgers, and veggie meatballs.
You must always find out which recipes will stand the test of time. Over the years, these versatile little spheres have become one of my favorite vegetarian proteins.
I add them to pasta and salads and dip them in tahini for an easy and delicious afternoon snack.
Oat balls are the main source of protein in the Greek Bowl and the entire recipe’s nutrient and substance source.
Rice grains of lemon
Another ingredient that makes the Greek Bowl super satisfying is a layer of lemon orzo.
This dish is more elaborate than my favorite fresh lemon pasta salad with peas and dill. However, the bright, citrusy seasoning is the same.
A little lemon juice, zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper can transform a tiny pasta shape into a delicious cereal ingredient in a bowl.
Kalamata olives
Like many people, one taste I’ve picked up as I’ve grown older is a love of olives. Given my mother’s family background, Kalamata olives are my favorite.
Olives add saltiness and savory flavor to a Greek vegetarian bowl. You can substitute Nipalasoy olives or any other olives.
You can also substitute olives entirely. Try using canned, roasted red pepper strips or banana pepper flakes instead.
Fresh vegetables
It would only be a classic vegetarian lunch (or dinner) if it were crunchy and fresh. Here, the vegetables are:
- Crushed romaine lettuce
- Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- Sliced cucumber
- Herbs (dill and parsley)
These vegetables are similar to those in a classic Greek salad, so they are perfect for this recipe.
Of course, if you have other fresh vegetables or herbs that need to be used up, feel free to make creative substitutes.
Cool, creamy vegan yogurt
Taking these Greek bowls to the next level, yogurt pickles are entirely dairy-free but have the tangy flavor and freshness of traditional yogurt pickles.
In place of yogurt, I mix soaked cashews, lemon juice, lime juice, and salt. This is actually my vegan sour cream recipe, and for a traditional flavor, I’ve added herbs and garlic.
If you are allergic to cashews or nuts, swap out cashews for store-bought plant-based yogurt that suits your needs.
Greek vinegar
While cashew yogurt produces a rich, creamy texture, I also like to coat the greens in a Greek bowl with Greek vinaigrette.
When making more complex bowls, I’ll follow the cooking advice I always get: Season each ingredient to your taste.
Greek vinaigrette is a fairly simple condiment: red wine vinegar, lemon, olive oil, garlic, and oregano. You can use other favorite seasonings here.
Also, if you prefer vegetables without oil, you can add more sour cream to your vegetables.
Is the Greek bowl gluten-free?
These bowls are not gluten-free, thanks to orzo, a wheat pasta dish.
However, you can purchase the gluten-free orzo variety online if you want to make an alternative.
You can also use another gluten-free small pasta dish or try millet, quinoa, or rice as an alternative.
How to make a Greek-style plant-powered board
Yes, it’s a recipe for a bowl, but the blueprint is the same one I wrote in my cookbook Power Plate.
My meal plan follows the same principles:
- protein sources (chickpeas + wheat pasta)
- healthy fats (cashews + olive oil)
- complex carbohydrates (beans + oats + wheat pasta)
- vegetables
Whether we call it a plate or a bowl, this nutritious meal now comes together.
Step 1: Prepare the pickles
Once the cashews are mixed, my vegan yogurt is not hard to make. However, it tastes better when the flavors have melted after at least one night in the fridge. Therefore, I recommend doing it a full day before preparing the bowl.
Step 2: Make chickpea oat balls
The chickpea oat ball is the most labor-intensive part of the Greek bowl.
If you’re like me and feel overwhelmed when making a longer recipe, it’s wise to make these ahead of time (up to three days before assembling the bowl).
Chickpea oat balls are also easy to freeze. Store them in the refrigerator for eight weeks, defrost overnight, and then continue with the recipe.
Step 2: Cook and season
Thankfully, pasta cooks more quickly than whole grains like wheat berries or rice.
After cooking for 10 to 12 minutes, drain.
Orzo is a popular ingredient in Greek cuisine, and it’s also easy to cook quickly.
Lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper are some of a Greek bowl’s simplest yet effective seasonings.
When the freshly cooked pasta is hot, season it with lemon juice, zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Side note: This is how I always prepare pasta as a side dish from now on! It’s so delicious.
It’s okay to make salami slightly hot when you put it in bowls, even if those bowls are made for cold. But you can cool it as much as you want – transfer it to the fridge to speed up cooling – before serving.
Step 3: Make Greek vinaigrette (if desired)
You can make the vinaigrette a week in advance, but it’s pretty quick. While cooking the corn, you can quickly stir it together.
Step 4: Assemble the Greek bowl
Now for the fun part. First, divide the romaine lettuce into four bowls (or four plates) and lightly drizzle the vinaigrette over each bowl.
Lightly coat the vegetables with Greek vinaigrette, ensuring the bowl’s salad ingredients are delicious and well-seasoned.
For each bowl, you’ll need some cooked lemon orzo mixture, pitted olives, chickpea oat balls, peeled and chopped cucumbers, and half-and-half grapes or cherry tomatoes.
Top each layer with a quarter of olives, vegetables, chickpea oat balls, and cooked orzo.
Finally, it’s time to serve the food. When you enjoy these bowls, you can mix all the delicious tzatziki so that everything has an excellent, creamy flavor and texture.
Cashew yogurt is the finishing touch that makes these bowls so creamy and delicious. Be as generous as you like!
Mixing the pickles into the bowl brings a rich flavor to the whole meal, along with flavors of lemon, garlic, and herbs.
Meal preparation & storage
It’s hard to think of a recipe more conducive to meal preparation. Suppose you want your bowl assembly to feel effortless. In that case, I highly recommend making one or all of these components in advance:
- Chickpea oat balls (can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days or frozen for 8 weeks)
- Vinaigrette (can be stored in the fridge for up to a week)
- Tzatziki(can be stored in refrigerator for 4 days and frozen for 6 weeks)
Vegetables can also be chopped a few days in advance so they are ready to go or efficiently fit into a lunch box.
Having said that, if you want to make Greek bowls all at once, that’s fine. I can’t say this is a quick and easy recipe, but I can assure you that your effort will be worth it, whether done in stages or all at once.
Ingredients
1 cup dried orzo(225g)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 TSP lemon zest
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped (175g; About 1 head)
2 cups grapes or cherry tomatoes, halved (320g)
2 cups peeled and chopped cucumber (260g)
1/2 cup Kalamata olives sliced and cored (60g)
1/2 cup Greek vinaigrette (120ml)
1 batch of Mediterranean chickpea oat balls
1 cup creamy vegan yogurt (240ml; For more)
Chopped fresh parsley and dill for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Prepare in advance (if you prefer)
- Prepare chickpea oat balls, vegetarian pickles, and Greek vinaigrette in advance, according to your schedule.
Prepare orzo
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the onion and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes, until tender but not gelatinized. Drain the Onions.
- Place the orzo in a medium bowl with lemon juice, lemon zest, and olive oil; stir well. Taste the orzo and add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Assembled bowl
- If preparing a meal, divide the chopped romaine lettuce into four bowls or four storage containers. Drizzle a few teaspoons of vinaigrette over the vegetables.
- Top each portion of greens with a quarter of cooked tomatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and chickpea oat balls. Top each bowl with a quarter cup or more of pickles. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or dill and serve or store if desired.
