If you’re anything like me, you get sick of the same old same old when it comes to dinner. Thankfully, when I have a craving it does NOT go away until it is satisfied! I was craving something Mediterranean, greek inspired, vibrant and easy! I wanted it to be packed with veggies and protein so that I could make it ahead of time but have a few lunches planned for the week. Just like that- this Nourishing Mediterranean Bowl was created! It is crunchy, creamy and satisfying. You can switch out so many of the toppings to fit your favorite veggies or what’s in season. The meatballs are moist and herby, easy to freeze and turn out great when re-heated. The rest of the bowl is very customizable, but below I included instructions for my Lemon Labneh Sauce & Pickled Red Onions as well. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Meatballs:
- 1 1/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1/8 cup fresh parsley, finely chipped
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- I didn’t add oregano because *allergies* BUT would 10/10 recommend adding in 1-2 tsp of oregano!
Instructions for Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash, chop and prepare all fresh ingredients (zest 1 lemon, finely chop shallots and parsley).
- In a large bowl, place all of the ingredients together. With a spoon or your hands, thoroughly combine everything until the eggs, breadcrumbs, ground beef, fresh produce and dried herbs are well incorporated.
- Using your hands or a spoon, form 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. You could also use a non-stick pan.
- Place your meatballs into the oven, baking for approximately 12-15 minutes or until they are cooked through or have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Instructions & Ingredients for Lemon Labneh Sauce:
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp caper juice
- 1 tsp capers
- 1 tsp Onion Salt (from Trader Joe’s, but any onion salt/garlic salt/herby combo will work!!)
- salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and there you have it! This sauce isn’t a true Labneh (a highly strained, soft and tangy cheese similar to yogurt) but it reminds me of that tangy consistency hence the name! Yours should be zesty and a true sauce consistency. If you don’t like as much sour flavor, add more salt or even a little sugar 🙂
Instructions & Ingredients for Quick-Pickled Red Onions:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup boiling, filtered water
- 3/4 red onion, roughly chopped into large chunks
- medium size mason jar with a lid
Combine red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and water into a small pot, and cook on the stove until it boils. Add 3/4 of a red onion (or as much as you can fit) into a mason jar or a glass jar. Pushing the onion down with a spoon to pack it into the jar as much as possible. Fill the jar up 95% of the way with onions, leaving a little space between the top and the lid. As soon as the mixture begins boiling, pour the liquid over the red onions and cover the jar. Leave this sit on your counter for 30 minutes, at that point it is ready to eat! Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Instructions & Ingredients for Mediterranean Bowl Assembly:
- Using a plate or a bowl, add a generous amount of your Lemon Labneh Sauce onto the bottom of the plate. On top of that add your meatballs in the center, along with your red onions on the side.
- This is the fun part! I added about 1/2 cup of a cooked couscous & quinoa mixture (which I did according to the box, except I used bone broth instead of water and added some herbs like my Trader Joe’s Onion Salt).
- For added veggies on the side I baked zucchini and chickpeas in salt, pepper, olive oil and herbs of choice (basil, oregano and parsley are amazing greek-inspired flavors) for 25 minutes on 325 degrees F. I also cut and added 1/4 of a fresh bell pepper and 1/4 cup of black olives for some extra creaminess.
- This bowl would be amazing topped with cherry tomatoes and cucumbers (when in season) along with some goat cheese, feta or avocado. I wanted more of a saucy bowl and to stay true to seasonal produce, so I skipped the cucumbers/tomatoes and added a dollop of Yaya’s Greek Almond Dip – Red Pepper flavor. I find this at Sendik’s and absolutely LOVE this dip. It is non-dairy for all of my lactose intolerant friends! https://yayasdips.com is the website if you’re interested! If you don’t have this near you, tahini or even red bell pepper hummus will do!
- Customize this to what flavors you like and enjoy! I topped my whole bowl with fresh parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper 🙂
