Mediterranean Beef and Hummus Bowls
About this Recipe
This beef bowl recipe is one of my favorites, because it is protein packed with a mix of animal and plant protein. The ground beef comes together quickly and is the only component of the recipe that require a stove! Once we cook the beef in a flavorful spice mixture, we make a creamy hummus with a couple secret ingredient to make it super fluffy. To complete the bowl, we chop up some cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion, add some greens, feta cheese and olives and the result is the most satisfying Mediterranean-inspired bowl with lots flavor and texture. The ground beef alone can also be a great salad topper or a filling for a wrap. This dish takes just 30 minutes to prep, making it a perfect meal prep recipe, packed with fiber and protein.
Why Ground Beef?
- High in Protein – It is a great source of animal protein to support muscle repair and growth.
- Versatile – It is great for salads, bowls, tacos, burgers and wraps.
- Affordable – It is usually cheaper than whole cuts of beef.
- Nutrient Dense – Beef is high in iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B3, vitamin B6 and selenium.
- Quick Cooking – Cooks faster than whole pieces of meat, making it great for weeknight dinners.
Lemon and Herb Quinoa is an easy and tasty way to prep quinoa for meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner.
What are Mediterranean Beef and Hummus bowls?
This recipe is essentially a flavorful, healthy and filling full meal made with sautéed ground beef, fresh tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, red onion, creamy hummus, feta cheese and olives. The beef cooks quickly over the stove, the hummus comes together in just five minutes in a food processor or blender and the veggies require just a little chopping. These bowls are super customizable and easy to make for meal prep lunches and dinner. They taste great warm or cold and the hummus serves as a great dip or sauce. The beef is tossed with some simple spices, and the veggies need nothing more than some chopping. Simply cook the beef, chop and slice the veggies, whip up the hummus and assemble your bowls. That’s it! This can be enjoyed immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later in the week! Sounds good right? So let’s make it!
How to make Mediterranean Beef and Hummus bowls?
It’s a very easy recipe and requires only 30 minutes to make. So you can prep it, cook it and have it as part of dinner in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for meal prep or a quick weeknight dinner. We cook the ground beef, whip up the hummus, chop the veggies and serve. Enjoy these bowls immediately or store it in the refrigerator for later.
What you’ll need:
- Lemon – adds a little acid to elevate the flavor.
- Salt – for seasoning.
- Ground Beef –
- Dried oregano, Cumin, Paprika and Garlic powder – to season and flavor the ground beef and cumin for the hummus.
- Chickpeas – we use canned chickpeas to make an easy hummus.
- Olive oil – to make the hummus.
- Tahini – to flavor and make the hummus.
- Lemon – to add acid to the hummus.
- Baking soda – adds a great fluffy texture to the hummus.
- Red Pepper Flakes – to add to the flavor of the hummus.
- Garlic – essential for the hummus.
- Cherry Tomatoes, Persian (mini) Cucumbers, Red Onion and Arugula – fresh veggies for the bowls.
- Feta Cheese – the perfect addition to the bowls.
- Kalamata Olives – great addition for the Mediterranean flavors.
- Fresh Dill – for extra fresh flavor.
What to serve with Mediterranean Beef and Hummus bowls
Personally, I think these bowls are perfect as is–packed with protein, veggies and fiber. If you want to add anything to these bowls, I would recommend adding some rice or quinoa. You could also make these bowls more of a salad by using extra greens. Sometimes I add some crackers to dip in the hummus, but pita or naan would be tasty too!
Tips:
- I do not recommend not skipping the baking soda and ice cubes in the hummus, because it makes it extra fluffy.
- If you would prefer to use a different ground meat, ground chicken or turkey work well.
- To store these ingredients for meal prep, store each component separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, and the beef can be frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Mediterranean Beef and Hummus bowls
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 1 1/4 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the hummus:
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt, or more to taste
- ½ tsp cumin
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 ice cubes
For the bowls:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups chopped Persian (mini) cucumbers
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- A couple handfuls arugula
- 6-8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup chopped Kalamata olives
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Make the beef. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and cook for about 4 minutes until begins to brown. Add the oregano, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and salt and toss to comine. Continue to cook and stir the beef until fully browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Make the hummus. Add the chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, baking soda, salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic and ice cubes. Process until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion to a medium bowl and toss.
- Make the bowls. To each bowl, add a little arugula, then a couple spoonfuls of hummus, a couple large spoonfuls of beef and a couple large spoonfuls of the tomato and cucumber mixture. Top with some of the dill, feta and olives.
Notes
* To store these bowls for meal prep, I recommend storing the hummus, beef and veggie mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
* The baking soda and ice cubes are recommended to make a fluffy hummus consistency.
