Mediterranean Salad Bowls w/ Lebanese Meatballs
I've been making these Mediterranean Salad Bowls with Lebanese Meatballs for YEARS and they're still one of my top favorite healthy dinners! With 37 grams of protein and next-level flavor in every bite, I could eat these every single day. And as a mom of 3 littles, the fact that these bowls come together in just 30 minutes is such a game-changer! Make them with couscous or quinoa (for a gluten-free version), add any veggies you want, and top them off with the best yogurt tahini sauce. This is an easy dinner idea you'll definitely want to come back to!
Servings 4 Bowls
Calories 605kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Lebanese Meatballs
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 large egg
- 3 teaspoons finely chopped mint
- 3 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoons coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Coucous
- 1 cup dry pearl couscous
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Mediterranean Salad
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cucumber
- 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sliced or chopped red onion
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley or mint
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
Tahini Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons plain greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons tahini
- 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons water or more as needed
Garnish (optional)
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and soak 4 bamboo skewers in water (unless you're using metal skewers).
- Combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl and mix well to combine.
- Roll the meat into 1" balls and slide onto soaked skewers.
- Place each skewer on a lightly oiled baking sheet or a roasting pan with a grate, then bake for 17-20 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F).
- While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the couscous.
- In a pot, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil.
- Once the water begins to boil, add the dry couscous pearls, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Turn the heat down to a low simmer, place a lid on the pot, and cook covered for 10 minutes.
- While the couscous is cooking, slice the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion.
- Once everything is done cooking, toss the vegetables, couscous, feta, and fresh parsley together in a large bowl to create the salad.
- Combine and mix all of the ingredients together for the tahini sauce with a spoon or whisk.
- Serve each bowl by adding 1/4 of the salad, then topping with the baked meatballs (about 4 per bowl) and tahini sauce.
Optional Garnish
- Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to a pan on medium heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the pine nuts and toast until they start to slightly brown and become fragrant (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the pine nuts over each bowl and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Soak bamboo skewers before starting, this keeps them from burning on the ends!
- The skewers are optional, but a fun way to present to bowls! Bake them on a baking sheet with a metal rack or you can always just bake them directly on the sheet pan.
- Fresh mint and parsley make a HUGE difference in flavor!
- If you're meal prepping these bowls, the meatballs, salad, and tahini sauce can be prepped and stored in separate containers.
- Feel free to swap couscous for quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
- After baking the meatballs, be sure to let them rest for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 53g | Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1346mg | Potassium: 852mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 5mg