“One-Pot Rice, Vegetables, Chickpeas and Feta with Lemony Green Tahini Sauce”
Recipe developed by nutritionist Vivian Seulin.
In our previous article dedicated to the importance of protein, we explained why protein plays an essential role in nutritional balance, satiety, and the maintenance of muscle mass.As a continuation of this topic, we wanted to offer you a practical, simple, and delicious idea that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. Developed by our partner nutritionist Vivian Seulin, this vegetarian one-pot recipe makes it easy to include a meaningful amount of protein in a complete, tasty, and easy-to-prepare meal, even when time is limited.
This complete oven-baked dish brings together a variety of flavours — curry, ginger, garlic, lemon, vegetable broth, basmati rice, chickpeas, and feta — enhanced by a creamy tahini sauce with herbs and lemon. It is a simple and delicious way to turn a rice dish into a nourishing meal.
Easy and quick to prepare, everything cooks in a single dish, meaning minimal effort and very little washing up. Served as a main course or as a protein-rich side dish, this colourful meal will delight your taste buds while providing valuable nutrients.
Enjoy this vegetarian recipe, rich in protein and incredibly easy to prepare, all in one dish.
Servings: 4 generous portions
Preparation time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Method: oven-baked, all in one dish
Ingredients
- 100 g basmati rice (or another grain)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped (approx. 150 g)
- 2 cups cauliflower, chopped (approx. 150 g)
- 250 g chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or another legume)
- 100 g frozen peas
- Fresh grated ginger, to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 220 ml vegetable broth
- 100 g feta, crumbled
- 5 g mixed seeds
- 10 g parsley (for garnish)
Lemony Green Tahini Sauce
- 100 g tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 10 g chives
- 10 g dill
- 100 ml water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C.
- In an ovenproof dish, add the basmati rice, then spread the onion, carrots, cauliflower, chickpeas, peas, grated ginger, lemon zest, thyme, curry powder, garlic, salt, and pepper on top.
- Drizzle with olive oil and vegetable broth, then add the feta.
- Without stirring, cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil.
- Bake for approximately 35 minutes.
- Once cooked, turn off the oven and let the dish rest for a few minutes while you prepare the sauce.
- Gently mix everything together before serving.
Prepare the sauce while the dish is resting
- Place all the sauce ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
This sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Serve the rice and vegetables on plates, drizzle with the green tahini sauce, and sprinkle with parsley and seeds.
Why this recipe is rich in protein
This recipe combines grains and legumes, which is a particularly interesting nutritional combination. Rice provides certain amino acids, while chickpeas provide others. Together, they form a complete plant-based protein.
Feta and tahini also help increase the protein content while adding creaminess and flavour to the dish.
Variations and tips
This recipe is perfect for using whatever vegetables you have in your refrigerator.
The rice and chickpeas can easily be replaced with:
- quinoa
- barley
- lentils
- beans
- or any other grain or legume
Serve this dish hot, topped with its herby lemon tahini sauce, for a simple, colourful, and nourishing meal that proves vegetarian cooking can be easy, delicious, and rich in protein.
Nutritional values (per portion)
- 517 kcal
- 38 g carbohydrates
- 29 g fat
- 21 g protein
- 9 g fibre
Protein intake
It is generally recommended to consume between 20 g and 40 g of protein per meal, ideally from a variety of animal and plant-based sources, in order to support satiety and the maintenance of muscle mass.
One portion of this vegetarian recipe provides just over 20 g of protein, which already covers the minimum recommended protein intake for a meal.
For those who wish to further increase their protein intake, you could for example:
- serve this dish with an egg, which provides around 7 g of additional protein;
- add 90 g of chicken breast for around 20 g more protein;
- or finish the meal with a bowl of 100 g low-fat quark and a few berries, which provides nearly 10 g of additional protein.
Protein requirements at a glance
The amount of protein a person needs can vary depending on several factors, including age, sex, health status, level of physical activity, and personal goals.
As a general guideline, it is often recommended to consume between 1.2 g and 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, ideally spread across the different meals of the day.
Illustrative examples:
- 60 kg → approximately 90 to 120 g of protein per day
- 70 kg → approximately 105 to 140 g of protein per day
- 80 kg → approximately 120 to 160 g of protein per day
These values are simply general reference points to help visualise daily requirements. Depending on your health status, lifestyle, level of physical activity, or personal goals, your needs may vary.
In this context, Swiss Ortho Clinic and the Dr. E Physiotherapy Centre work together with Vivian Seulin, nutrition therapist, to offer patients personalized nutritional support tailored to their needs.
