Mediterranean Bowls with Trader Joe's Greek Chickpeas

Trader Joe's Greek chickpeas are my newest dinner hack obsession, and one of my favorite ways to use the marinated chickpeas are in this all-in-one bowl dinner. Along with orzo, hummus, a simple Greek salad, and homemade tzatziki, it's a meal the whole family loves, especially because it's a build-your-own adventure kind of recipe.

this recipe

I discovered the unassuming little can of herby, lemony chickpeas on a recent trip to Trader Joe's, and they're now a pantry staple in our house. Honestly, I could eat them straight from the can (probably even the whole thing in one sitting).

What I love though is that they are an easy way to add extra protein to pasta salad, Greek salad, tuna salad...you name it. Or, if you're out of side dish recipe ideas, just dump a couple of cans of them in a bowl and call it a day. They're great hot, cold, or at room temperature. And no, Trader Joe's is not paying me to say all this. I really, truly just love them that much.

Looking for another Mediterranean diet type of recipe? I happen to have a couple. Another favorite bowl recipe of ours is my Harvest Grain Bowl, loaded with roasted sweet potatoes, Refrigerator Pickled Onions, quinoa, chicken, mixed greens, and a cilantro vinaigrette. Or, if a warm, skillet dinner is more up your alley, check out my One-Pan Lebanese Freekeh with Chicken and Apricots. It's the perfect dinner option when you're stuck in a rut.

And, while you're at Trader Joe's, be sure to pick up some refrigerated butternut squash ravioli for my Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Browned Butter Sauce recipe, some chicken sausages and harvest vegetable hash for my Vegetable Hash and Sausage Stew, or some chicken meatballs for my Chicken Piccata Meatballs recipe. All recipes use Trader Joe's convenience items and are a lifesaver for our family on busy weeknights in particular.

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe.

• orzo
• Trader Joe's Greek chickpeas with parsley & cumin
• Greek yogurt
• English cucumber
• fresh lemon juice
• fresh dill
• fresh parsley
• extra virgin olive oil
• mixed baby greens
• grape or cherry tomatoes
• pitted kalamata olives
• hummus
• feta cheese
• red wine vinegar
• dried oregano
• honey
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!

First, grate the cucumber on a box grater and spread in an even layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

Then, cook the orzo in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Next, squeeze the liquid from the cucumber and place in a medium bowl. Add the remaining tzatziki ingredients and stir to combine.

Finally, make the Greek vinaigrette. Assemble the bowls and enjoy!

Substitutions

Here are some easy ingredient alternatives if you'd like to change things up:

• Orzo - instead of orzo, use rice, quinoa, farro, or couscous.
• Olives - out of kalamata olives? That's okay. You can use green olives, pimiento-stuffed olives, or black olives instead.
• Mixed greens - I love the texture variation of mixed greens, but feel free to use baby spinach, arugula, or chopped romaine instead.

Variations

Looking for other ways to adjust this recipe? I've got you covered.

• Spicy - stir some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper into the tzatziki. Or, serve with some harissa on the side.
• Falafel - Trader Joe's has really great frozen falafel. Bake them according to the package directions and add to the bowls.
• Kebabs - Trader Joe's also has fantastic frozen Middle Eastern style kebabs. For a meat-based protein, I like to add those to my Mediterranean bowls.

Falafel Variation

Kebab Variation

Storage

Store the hummus, tzatziki, and Greek vinaigrette separately from the orzo, marinated chickpeas, and Greek salad ingredients. If you have any leftovers, transfer them to airtight containers. Leftovers will last in the fridge 3-4 days.

These ingredients don't freeze well.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.

• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.