Mediterranean Hummus Garden Bowl

Fresh, Mediterranean-inspired flavors with a creamy twist — this bowl is simple, colorful, and easy to come back to throughout the week.

This week’s Salad of the Week leans into fresh, vibrant flavors with a mix of crisp textures and creamy elements that feel both light and satisfying.

It’s built with leafy greens, quinoa, chopped cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red peppers, and parsley, with a generous spoonful of hummus and a light balsamic drizzle to bring everything together.

Like all of my Salad of the Week bowls, this one follows a simple framework — leafy greens, a few key add-ins, and a simple oil-free dressing — making it easy to adapt based on what you have on hand. The ingredients change from week to week, but the structure stays the same.

Here’s how this week’s bowl comes together:

New to growing your own food?

Here’s how my Tower Garden works

This Week’s Bowl

Leafy Lettuce

• Use a mix of tender leafy greens you enjoy — tower-grown or store-bought — such as romaine, leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, or spring mix

Cruciferous Greens & Veggies

• Cauliflower, finely chopped or small florets (or cauliflower rice or bagged florets for convenience)

Alliums (Onion Family)

• Red onion, thinly sliced

Plant-Based Protein & Staying Power

• Quinoa, cooked and cooled

Amp Up the Volume

• Cherry tomatoes, halved

• Cucumber, sliced or chopped

• Roasted red peppers, sliced (homemade or jarred; look for water-packed or lower-sodium options if using store-bought)

• Carrots, shredded (or pre-shredded)

• Fresh parsley, chopped

Healthy Fats

• Pumpkin seeds

Signature Savory Add-In

• Hummus (homemade or store-bought)

Finishers

• Light balsamic drizzle

Simple Creamy Hummus (Aquafaba-Based)

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas, drained (reserve liquid)

1/4 cup tahini

2–3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 small clove garlic

2–4 Tbsp aquafaba (chickpea liquid)

1/2 tsp cumin (optional)

1/8–1/4 tsp salt (optional, to taste)

Directions

Add chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin (if using), and 2 Tbsp aquafaba to a blender or food processor.

Blend until smooth.

Add additional aquafaba, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the hummus reaches your desired creamy consistency.

Taste and adjust lemon juice and salt, if using.

How I Build the Bowl

1. Start with a large bowl of leafy greens.
2. Add the chopped cauliflower and sliced red onion.
3. Spoon in quinoa for staying power.
4. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red peppers, shredded carrots, and parsley.
5. Add a few spoonfuls of hummus.
6. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the top.
7. Drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar, then gently toss to combine.

Prep Ahead Tip

This bowl comes together easily when a few components are prepped ahead.

• Cook quinoa

• Chop cauliflower (or use cauliflower rice or bagged florets)

• Slice red onion

• Chop cucumber

• Cut tomatoes in half

• Prepare roasted red peppers (or use store-bought)

• Shred carrots (or use pre-shredded)

• Chop parsley

• Prepare hummus (or use store-bought)

Store everything separately in jars or containers in the refrigerator so building a salad during the week is mostly assembly.

Notes & Variations

Easy swaps

• Quinoa → farro or brown rice

• Pumpkin seeds → sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts

• Hummus → white bean dip or a simple tahini drizzle

Easy add-ins

• Olives

• Artichoke hearts

• Chickpeas (if you want to double the legume component)

Prep notes

Quinoa

Rinse quinoa well under running water.

Simmer in water using a 1:2 ratio (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water) for about 12–15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

Let sit for a few minutes, then fluff with a fork and allow to cool before adding to the salad.

Roasted red peppers

Cut peppers in half or large sections and remove seeds and membranes. Place cut-side down on a lined baking sheet and roast at 375–400°F for about 20–30 minutes, until softened and fragrant.

You’re looking for tender, lightly roasted peppers — not charred.

Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins if desired (they loosen easily after roasting), then slice into strips.

Serve With (Optional)

This bowl pairs well with a simple tomato basil soup — something warm and lightly blended to balance the fresh, crisp textures of the salad. It’s an easy way to turn a fresh bowl into a more complete, satisfying meal.

Bonus Recipe: Simple Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes

1 medium onion, diced

3–4 cloves garlic, minced

2 to 2½ cups vegetable broth (or water)

¾–1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, chopped

1 medium carrot, finely diced

½ tsp dried oregano or thyme

¼ tsp salt (optional, or to taste)

¼ tsp black pepper (or to taste)

Optional (for light creaminess):

½ cup unsweetened plant milk or

¼–⅓ cup raw cashews

Instructions

1. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and broth to a pot.
2. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened and fragrant, partially covered.
3. Stir in crushed tomatoes and dried oregano or thyme.
4. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, partially covered.
5. Add fresh basil and turn off heat.
6. Add creamy element and blend: Add either the plant milk or cashews to a blender. Carefully transfer the soup to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If using plant milk, you can alternatively use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
7. If using cashews: For the smoothest texture, use a high-speed blender. Soaking cashews in hot water for 10–15 minutes beforehand helps them blend more easily.
8. Adjust thickness with additional broth or water if needed.
9. Taste and adjust with black pepper.

Final Thoughts

This is one of those bowls that feels fresh, simple, and easy to come back to — especially when a few ingredients are already prepped and ready to go.

It’s also a great reminder that hummus can be more than just something you serve on the side. Adding a few spoonfuls to a bowl like this turns it into a creamy, satisfying meal without needing a separate dressing.

If you’d like to learn the simple framework I use to build salads like this every day, you can download my Tower-to-Table Recipe Guide, which includes the Daily Salad Formula I use to build nourishing bowls like this one.

Here’s to simple, nourishing meals — one bowl at a time 🌱

Karen

Vertical Hydroponic Garden