• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

our recipes + your inbox = the eatmail

Join now

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • About
  • Contact

Live Eat Learn

Easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time

free ebook

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • Recipe Index
  • Vegetarian 101
  • Travel
  • Meal Plans
  • Course
    • Breakfasts
    • Lunches
    • Dinners
    • Appetizers
    • Sweets
    • Drinks
  • Diet
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Raw
    • Vegan
  • Season
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Ingredient
    • Avocado
    • Bean
    • Cauliflower
    • Chickpeas
    • Eggplant
    • Mushroom
    • Tofu
    • Quinoa
    • View All
  • Collections
    • All Time Favorites
    • Air Frying
    • Budget Friendly
    • Comfort Food
    • High Protein
    • Meal Prep
    • Meatless Monday
    • View All
  • Visit our kombucha site
    Visit our dog food blog
Home Eat Salads

Lemony Arugula Grain Bowls

5 from 1 vote
Recipe Print Share
Share on:
By: Sarah BondUpdated: Feb 05, 2022 2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Fill up on greens, protein, and healthy fats with this Lemony Arugula Grain Bowl. With loads of flavor and substitution options, this is bound to make it into your dinner rotation.

A lemony arugula grain bowl topped with pistachios, feta cheese, navy beans, and lemon dressing

If you’ve been a part of the Live Eat Learn world for a while, you’ve probably seen a Buddha Bowl or twelve pop up! These bowls are meals filled with ingredients that typically target the main macros and provide a boatload of nutrients. Buddha’s Delight is one of my favorites!

Well, this lemony arugula grain bowl is quite similar. It’s loaded with protein, greens, nuts, and even cheese, and it tastes delicious with a zingy lemon dressing. The nutty arugula flavor really brings out the pistachios and creates a killer flavor combo!

This meal uses basic ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes. It provides 4 large servings, making it great for meal prepping! If you’re using it as this week’s meal prep lunch, I recommend storing the dressing and arugula in separate containers to keep everything nice and fresh.

A quinoa arugula bowl topped with pistachios, feta cheese, navy beans, and lemon dressing

How to create your own arugula grain bowl

Let’s dive into creating this grain bowl! Cook the quinoa, whip together the dressing, assemble, and enjoy!

Step 1: Prepare the grain
First, cook the quinoa (or other grain) according to the instructions on the package. You will need 1 cup uncooked, which will amount to about 3 cups once cooked. Don’t love quinoa? Try using another ancient grain like bulgur, farro, or sorghum here!

A white bowl filled with one serving of cooked quinoa

Step 2: Create the dressing
While your grains cook, create the dressing. Start by grating the zest of half of the lemon. Set the zest aside. Juice 1 lemon and divide the juice in half. Whisk together half of the lemon juice, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp of dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss 4 cups of arugula with the dressing. (We’re saving the lemon zest and half of the juice for later!)

Step 3: Flavor the grain
When the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork and fold in the reserved lemon zest, remaining lemon juice, and another pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 4: Assemble the bowl
You can either mix the ingredients all together in a large salad bowl, or portion them into individual serving bowls. Start by laying the base of seasoned quinoa and dressed arugula.

A white bowl filled with one serving of cooked quinoa and lemon dressed arugula

Next up, feta! You can also use goat cheese here, or omit the cheese entirely to make these grain bowls vegan.

A white bowl filled with one serving of cooked quinoa, arugula, and feta cheese

Navy beans add a nice texture and nutrient-boost to these bowls. Feel free to use pinto beans, black beans, or even chickpeas here.

A white bowl filled with one serving of cooked quinoa, arugula, feta cheese, and navy beans

Finish it off with pistachios! I prefer to buy these shelled and lightly salted. You could also use sunflower seeds, pine nuts, shaved almonds, or walnuts here.

A white bowl filled with one serving of cooked quinoa, arugula, feta cheese, navy beans, and pistachios

Quinoa Arugula Bowl Variations

Want to amp things up with extra toppings? Most salad toppings will work, but some definite key players include tomatoes, avocado, green peppers, radishes, onions, and watercress. You can also sub in your favorite beans, nuts, and cheese, whether that be black beans, kidney beans, peanuts, pecans, goat, or blue cheese!

A lemony arugula grain bowl topped with pistachios, feta cheese, navy beans, and lemon dressing

More arugula recipes

Arugula’s nutty flavor makes it great for recipes with nuts, but it works in so many other ways too. You can enjoy it on foods cold or hot!

  • Roasted Butternut Chickpea Hummus Wraps
  • Asparagus Pizza with Burrata and Arugula
  • Citrus Watercress Salad
  • Blueberry Balsamic Grilled Cheese
A arugula power bowl topped with pistachios, feta cheese, navy beans, and lemon dressing

Lemony Arugula Grain Bowls

5 from 1 vote
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Author: Sarah Bond
Calories: 247kcal
Servings: 4 servings
Print Rate
Fill up on greens, protein, and healthy fats with this Lemony Arugula Grain Bowl. With loads of flavor and substitution options, this is bound to make it into your dinner rotation.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa 175 g
  • 2 cups water 475 mL
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 mL
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard 5 g
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 4 handfuls arugula
  • ½ cup cubed feta 75 g
  • 1 can navy beans drained
  • ¼ cup shelled pistachios 28 g

Instructions 

  • Quinoa: Cook quinoa according to instructions on the package.
  • Dressing: Meanwhile, grate the zest off of half of the lemon and reserve. Juice the lemon and divide juice in half. Whisk together half of the lemon juice oil, garlic, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together the arugula and the dressing.
  • Season Quinoa: When quinoa is finished cooking, fluff it with a fork then fold in the lemon zest, remaining lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Assemble: Into 4 serving bowls, layer the quinoa, arugula, feta, beans, and pistachios.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving Calories: 247kcal (12%) Carbohydrates: 38.2g (13%) Protein: 12.9g (26%) Fat: 17.3g (27%) Saturated Fat: 4.5g (28%) Trans Fat: 17.3g Cholesterol: 17mg (6%) Sodium: 463mg (20%) Potassium: 447mg (13%) Fiber: 6.8g (28%) Sugar: 2.1g (2%) Calcium: 170mg (17%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
Did You Make This?

Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating Pin on Pinterest

You may also like...

  • Green smoothie bowl with fruit and a spoon.
    How To Build A Green Smoothie Bowl
  • Vegetarian Pineapple Poke Bowls
    Vegetarian Pineapple Poke Bowls
  • Strawberry Grapefruit Smoothie Bowl
    Strawberry Grapefruit Smoothie Bowls
  • Meal prep container with zucchini noodles on white background - This Zucchini Noodles Vegetarian Meal Prep is a low carb lunch solution that will have you looking forward to lunchtime! Packed with fresh veggies, avocado pesto, and crispy baked tofu.
    13 Vegetarian Meal Prep Recipes
Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Rate this Recipe:




  1. Liz Steele says

    Posted on 7/3 at 5:43 pm

    I’m not usually a fan of quinoa but I took a chance on this recipe because I like being open minded. I’m so glad I did! Loved this full of flavor salad. I replaced the feta with fresh Parmesan. A new favorite for sure. Thanks Sarah5 stars

    Reply
  2. Vivien Okeke says

    Posted on 2/25 at 12:09 am

    I need shawarma wrap and pizza.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hello

I'm Sarah

A flavor-loving nutritionist and sensory science specialist showing you how to make easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time.

Let's Meet

Freebie alert!

3 reader-favorite cookbooks delivered straight to your inbox.

Get in now!

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

Plate full of crispy chickpeas with a wooden spoon.

15 Minute Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

Personal size mozzarella pizza cooked in an air fryer

Air Fryer Pizza

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Brussels sprouts on a plate with wooden serving spoons.

The Best 15 Minute Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Kale chips on a white plate.

10 Minute Air Fryer Kale Chips

Dinner This Week

Vegan tikka masala with naan and rice in a white bowl

M

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

T

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

Vegan Thai red curry in a bowl on a red background

W

Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry

Vegan nachos on a black plate on a white background - These vegan nachos are piled high with easy mushroom BBQ "pulled pork" and a cashew-based queso cheese sauce that will knock your dairy-free socks off.

R

BBQ Mushroom Pulled Pork

Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos

F

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

Lemon risotto in a bowl with basil on a yellow background

S

Lemon Basil Risotto

As featured on:

3 bonus books!

Join our Eatmail newsletter to get free copies of our top 3 cookbooks, new recipes, exclusive meal plans, and more!

Follow Along

  • Easy Vegetarian Facebook Group
  • Kombucha Brewers Facebook Group
Back to Top
  • Web Stories
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Collaborate
© 2023 Live Eat Learn
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
267 shares