Spinach and Feta Grain Bowl (Printable Version)

Vibrant Mediterranean bowl with sautéed spinach, creamy feta, and fresh vegetables atop fluffy quinoa grains.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth

→ Vegetables

03 - 4 cups fresh spinach, washed and 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
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Toppings

14 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in quinoa, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chopped spinach and sauté for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Divide cooked grains among 4 serving bowls. Top each with sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese evenly over each bowl.
06 - Drizzle dressing over bowls. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately, warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, making weeknight dinners feel less like an obligation and more like a treat you're giving yourself.
  • The combination of warm and cool elements, creamy feta against crisp vegetables, creates a texture experience that keeps you coming back for more bites.
  • You can prep components ahead and assemble in minutes, which means meal prep actually works without tasting like meal prep.
02 -
  • If you assemble the bowl more than 30 minutes before eating, the dressing softens the raw vegetables slightly—which some people love and others find disappointing, so serve closer to eating time if you're not sure.
  • Room temperature bowls are actually incredible; let them cool and the flavors settle into each other in a different, equally delicious way than eating them warm.
03 -
  • Taste the dressing before you dress the bowls—one extra squeeze of lemon or pinch of salt now saves you from an underseasoned bowl later.
  • If your spinach is particularly bitter, salt it lightly as it cooks; the salt draws out moisture and mellows the bitterness in a way that feels magical when it hits the warm grain.
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