Mediterranean Mezze Bowl
This Mediterranean Mezze Bowl has crispy za'atar chickpea fritters, fresh veggies, and a creamy tahini dressing. It's a quick, satisfying vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.25 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying
- 2 tablespoons za'atar seasoning
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup couscous
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 0.5 large cucumber, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 0.5 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 0.5 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- 0.5 cup tahini
- 0.25 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cold water, plus more if needed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 0.25 teaspoon salt (for tahini drizzle)
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped (for garnish)
- 0.5 lemon, cut into wedges (for garnish)
Instructions
- For the Chickpea Fritters: Mash 2 cups cooked chickpeas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth but some texture remains. You can also pulse them a few times in a food processor.
- Add 0.5 cup all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons za'atar seasoning, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper to the mashed chickpeas. Mix well until everything is combined and forms a firm dough.
- Divide the chickpea mixture into 12 equal portions and gently flatten each portion into small patties, about 0.5 inch thick.
- Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat (enough to cover the bottom by about 0.5 inch). Once hot, carefully place the chickpea fritters into the pan, making sure not to overcrowd it. You may need to cook them in batches.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Set aside.
- For the Couscous: Bring 1.5 cups vegetable broth (or water) to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in 1 cup couscous. Cover the saucepan tightly and let it sit for 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is fluffy. Fluff with a fork.
- For the Tahini Drizzle: In a small bowl, whisk together 0.5 cup tahini, 0.25 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon honey, and 0.25 teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the fluffy couscous among 4 serving bowls. Arrange 0.5 large diced cucumber, 2 medium diced tomatoes, 0.5 medium thinly sliced red onion, and 0.5 cup halved pitted Kalamata olives around the couscous in each bowl.
- Place 3 chickpea fritters in each bowl. Drizzle generously with the prepared tahini sauce.
- Garnish each bowl with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves and a wedge of 0.5 lemon. Serve immediately.