Prep: 10 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!
Healthy Mediterranean Bowl
Juicy, spiced Lebanese-inspired meatballs paired with a refreshing cucumber-tomato salad, fluffy pearl couscous, feta cheese, red onions, and a creamy tahini sauce for a delicious, flavorful meal. Healthy dinners do not get better than this! And it all comes together in just 30 minutes. Amazing.
I love this Mediterranean Meatball Salad recipe for easy weeknight meals or even as meal-prep lunches for the week ahead. But it’s actually also a great recipe if you’re having people over or want to gift a meal! It’s super easy to make a double or triple batch, and it’s one of those meals that looks and tastes impressive but is actually effortless to create. It’s SO good!
Why You’ll Love These Mediterranean Bowls
- 30-Minute Dinner – Quick and easy for busy weeknights. 30 minutes from start to finish, that’s it!
- 37 g Protein – I love that this meal is filling, hearty, and made with healthy ingredients.
- Flavorful – Warm spiced meatballs, crisp veggies, and a creamy, nutty sauce. Yeah, it’s goooooood.
- Gluten-Free Option – Swap the couscous for quinoa or cauliflower rice to easily make it gluten-free!
- Meal-Prep Friendly – Stores well for prepped lunches throughout the week.
You’ll Also Love: 129 Healthy Dinners You’ll Crave (30 Minutes or Less!)
Mediterranean Bowl Recipe Ingredients
Lebanese Meatballs
- Grass-Fed Ground Beef (opens in a new tab) – Lean ground beef is my preference, but any type of ground beef works great.
- Red Onion – Finely chopped for a hint of sweetness.
- Egg – Helps bind the meatballs together.
- Fresh Herbs – Fresh mint and parsley are an absolute must for that fresh Lebanese taste.
- Spices – Allspice, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. The perfect balance of warm, aromatic, and slightly spicy flavors.
- Garlic – Use a freshly minced garlic clove or store-bought minced garlic.
Garlic Coucous
- Pearl Couscous (opens in a new tab) – Has a chewy texture and absorbs all the flavors beautifully. Swap with quinoa or brown rice for a gluten-free version!
- Garlic
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed is best!
- Olive Oil
- Salt/Pepper – Simple but essential seasonings for flavorful couscous.
Mediterranean Salad
- Cucumber & Grape Tomatoes – Crisp and refreshing. I love these in Mediterranean salads!
- Red Onion – Adds a little sharpness that’s SO good.
- Fresh Herbs (Parsley or Mint) – Brings out the Mediterranean flavors. Freshly chopped or garnish on top!
- Feta Cheese – Salty, tangy, and creamy. I love feta cheese. This can be omitted for a dairy-free version!
- Toasted Pine Nuts – Optional, but totally worth it! I like to toast the pans in just a few minutes and add them over the salad bowls.
Tahini Sauce
- Greek Yogurt – Creamy and tangy. This is the perfect base for the sauce! Substitute with a plain dairy-free yogurt if needed.
- Tahini (opens in a new tab) – I love the flavor that tahini adds to the sauce. It’s so good!
- Lemon Juice, Garlic, Salt & Water – Brings everything together into a smooth, delicious sauce. That fresh lemon juice with minced garlic is the perfect combo!
How to Make Lebanese Meatballs
These Lebanese Meatballs are actually super easy to make! You can add them to skewers and bake them on a baking sheet with a roasting rack, (opens in a new tab) or you can always just bake them directly on the sheet pan. Either way, they’re so good!
- Prep the Meatballs – Mix all the ingredients together, roll into 1-inch balls, and thread onto skewers.
- Bake – Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 375°F for about 17-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
How to Make Mediterranean Bowls
- Cook the Couscous – Simmer pearl couscous in water with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Make the Salad – Toss together the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, and feta.
- Whisk the Tahini Sauce – Stir together Greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Add water as needed for desired consistency.
- Assemble the Bowls – Divide the couscous and salad into bowls, top with meatballs, drizzle with tahini sauce, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts if using.
You’ll Also Love: Vegan Turmeric Ginger Dressing (opens in a new tab)
Tips
- 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 (opens in a new tab) 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.
Mediterranean Salad Bowl Variations
- Meatball Quinoa Bowls – Swap the couscous for quinoa, cooking the quinoa according to package directions. Then just mix it with the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper for extra flavor!
- Spicy Lebanese Meatballs – Add extra crushed red pepper or a pinch of cayenne.
- Dairy-Free Option – Skip the feta (or use a diary-free feta cheese) and use plain dairy-free yogurt for the tahini sauce.
- Low-Carb Version – Serve over cauliflower rice or fresh greens instead of couscous.
You’ll Also Love: Sweet & Sour Meatballs
How to Store a Mediterranean Bowl
I love how this Mediterranean Salad Bowls w/ Lebanese Meatballs recipe can be easily stored for later or even made ahead of time! Here’s how to store these bowls:
Refrigerator – Store leftover meatballs, couscous, salad, and sauce all in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Freezer – The meatballs and couscous can be frozen for up to 3 months!
Reheat – Warm the meatballs and couscous in the microwave, air fryer, or oven. Serve over a fresh salad with freshly made sauce!
More Healthy Salads
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Tandoori Paneer Salad
- Cherry Plum & Goat Cheese Summer Salad (opens in a new tab)
- Sweet Potato Fennel Salad
- Peach Mozzarella Salad
More 30-Minute Dinner Recipes
- Ginger Beef & Broccoli Bowls
- Miso Glazed Salmon Bowls
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe
- Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
Mediterranean Bowl Recipe with Lebanese Meatballs
Ingredients
Lebanese Meatballs
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef (opens in a new tab)
- 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 (opens in a new tab)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Coucous
- 1 cup dry pearl couscous (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil (opens in a new tab)
- 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 (opens in a new tab)
- 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!
Watch Me Make This
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 (opens in a new tab) 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
Did you make this? I’d love to see!
Tag me on socials at @JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab) or #JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab)
I made this for lunch today, added a pepper as it was knocking about in the fridge.
AMAZING! Will definitely put it in our meal rotation this summer.
Thanks, Katrina. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This was so yummy and has really helped make my diet healthier
Thanks, Hannah. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Absolutely delicious! Very flavorful. I substituted quinoa for the couscous and loved it! All the recipes I’ve tried have been excellent!
Loved it! Easy to make, healthy and delish. 40 minutes start to finish!
I usually don’t leave comments on recipes – but this was a hit!
Used pearl couscous instead of quinoa and it was a great swap (if you’re not GF)
Made a simple lemon vinaigrette to drizzle on top and it helped to bring out the flavor of the meatballs even more!
Such an easy and flavorful meal that I can’t wait to make again.
Thanks for leaving a review, Chelsea! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂