Hello and welcome to the best quick lunch or healthy easy dinner around: the Hummus Bowl! At it’s base, this simple concept requires no cooking at all: layer a dollop of hummus with crunchy veggies and serve with pita wedges. It’s easily customizable and you can make it super basic or fancier with easy additions of ingredients. It takes just 5 minutes to make this Mediterranean-style meal that’s bursting with creamy, tangy, crunchy, fresh, and savory flavors. Here’s how it’s done!
What’s in a hummus bowl?
This concept is so simple for easy lunches and dinners where you don’t even have to think. It’s great for filler days of the week where you don’t want to cook, or you want to use up veggies in the fridge. There are a few elements that are required, and then lots of fancy toppings that can step it up from basic to beautiful. Here are the required elements in a hummus bowl:
Hummus: find the best purchased brand you can, or make your own (see below)English cucumber: An English cucumber is long and thin with no tough skin, no seeds and a milder flavor than standard cucumber. Look for it in the produce section!Cherry tomatoes or red bell pepper: It’s nice to have a red element: we eat with our eyes!Olives: Kalamata olives add a satiating salty pop; try Castelvetrano olives as a milder optionRed onion: or use shallot for a milder optionPita bread or gluten free crackers: It’s nice to have a bread item for dipping: use whatever fits your dietBaby greens or chopped lettuce (optional): Baby greens add texture and nutrientsFeta cheese (optional): A sprinkle adds another savory element; omit or try vegan feta for dairy-freeRice or another grain (optional): This makes the hummus bowl more filling, so it’s nice to include as a dinner option. We like using the microwavable pre-cooked rice packages for quick meals, or using leftover cooked rice or quinoa, farro, or even pastas like couscous or orzo.
Variations: more hummus bowl toppings
Want to make a fancy hummus bowl? The great thing about this concept is you can make it as fancy or plain as you like. You can use leftover veggies from the fridge, or fancier pantry items to give it unexpected flavors. Or top it with a protein to make it into dinner! Here are some ideas:
Jarred roasted red peppersHarissa paste add some heatJarred Calabrian chilis are very spicy (use caution when adding them!)Capers or caper berriesFalafel: try frozen packaged, homemade raw falafel balls, or baked falafelShrimp: Try Sauteed Shrimp or Baked ShrimpCooked chicken
Buy best quality hummus, or try homemade
It’s easiest to pick up purchased hummus for this recipe: there are so many options at the grocery store these days! Look for a great quality brand with creamy, balanced flavor (for example to us, Sabra brand has an overly salty, artificial flavor). Or, you can make your own! Meal prep it over the weekend, then enjoy it for meals throughout the week. Here are some of our top homemade hummus recipes:
Try classic Homemade HummusGo green with Glowing Green HummusOpt for bright pink Creamy Beet HummusTry savory Easy Black Bean HummusOut of tahini? Try Hummus Without Tahini
More easy Mediterranean diet recipes
This hummus bowl is an ideal easy Mediterranean diet recipe that makes healthy eating fun! Here are a few more easy Mediterranean-style recipes to liven up your diet:
Go for Mediterranean Tuna Salad Try Mediterranean Couscous Bowls Recipe Opt for 5-minute Simple Chickpea SaladMix up a Greek Salad
This hummus bowl recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free. 5 from 4 reviews
