What is your comfort food? Beyond the ubiquitous carby, sugary treats most of us conjure up when we hear the term, what food truly brings you comfort? For me, it’s bowl food, food that I can eat with a spoon, or even, sometimes, my hands. Food that is fast and easy but full of bright, nourishing flavor. Food that makes great leftovers. Food that is just as good eaten alone as it is shared.

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Comfort food is, for me, also about memory. About eating something that brings me the taste of ease. These Mediterranean bowls are full of my favorites: Hummus packed with tahini, lemon, and garlic, roasted tomatoes flavored with oregano, hot from the oven, a quick blitzed pesto of basil and mint (hello spring!), lush tzatziki, and all the necessary accoutrements.ingredients-mediterranean-bowl-kale-caramel-sonima

Mix and match your own bowl ingredients and additions, and get your spoon ready—the combination is just as good on its own as it is layered on top of pita.

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Ingredients

Tahini Hummus
  • 1 15.5 ounce can cooked garbanzo beans, drained (about 1 3/4 cup cooked beans)
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced + more to taste
  • 1-2 cloves cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon water paprika, for serving
Roasted Tomatoes
  • 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large clove garlic, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Basil Mint Pesto
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Tzatziki
  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons grated cucumber
  • 1 small clove garlic, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Bowl Additions
  • olives of choice, like kalamata and castelvetrano
  • artichoke hearts
  • feta cheese (I used sheep’s milk feta)
  • pita bread

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.

  2. For hummus: Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. 

  3. For roasted tomatoes: Rinse tomatoes, and place in a baking dish with olive oil, garlic, oregano, and sea salt. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to lightly toss the cherry tomatoes in oil and herbs. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tomato skins start to wrinkle, pop, and blister. Remove from heat and set aside.

  4. For basil mint pesto: Combine all ingredients for pesto in a food processor and blend until herb leaves are small flecks. Empty into a bowl and set aside.

  5. For tzatziki: Combine all ingredients for tzatziki in a bowl, mix, and set aside.

  6. Assemble bowls by adding some of each ingredient, including the bowl additions—olives, artichoke hearts, feta, and pita—mixing and matching as you like.

Nutritional Information

Calories
571
Total Fat
45g
Saturated Fat
8g
Cholesterol
5mg
Sodium
916mg
Carbohydrates
32g
Dietary Fiber
8g
Sugars
7g
Protein
15g
YIELD:

4 servings