Spinach and Feta Grain Bowl (Printable)

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

# What You’ll 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

# How-To:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth or water to a boil. Stir in quinoa or brown rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, 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 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped spinach and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until just wilted. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.
04 - Divide cooked grains evenly among 4 serving bowls. Layer sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion over the grains in each bowl.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese evenly over each bowl. Drizzle with prepared dressing, distributing it across all ingredients.
06 - Top each bowl with toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds and fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately at warm or room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can actually make it on a weeknight without losing your mind.
  • The flavors feel Mediterranean and bright, but nothing fancy or intimidating—just real food that tastes good.
  • It's infinitely customizable depending on what's in your fridge, so you'll never get bored making it again.
02 -
  • If your grains are still steaming hot when you assemble the bowl, the spinach will continue to wilt from the residual heat, which is actually perfect because it softens everything together.
  • The dressing is what elevates this from a sad desk lunch to something you actually want to eat—don't skimp on it or mix it into the grains too early.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet for a minute or two just before serving—it wakes up their flavor in a way that makes people notice.
  • Make the dressing in the bottom of the bowl you're about to serve in, then add grains on top; it saves dishes and means the bowl gets seasoned as you assemble.
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