If you’re looking for a super simple lunch idea, look no further than this spread, veg, and bread bowl! This simple and versatile combination of ingredients is more of a concept than a recipe and can help get a nutritious, delicious, and filling lunch on the table in a pinch.

This recipe is inspired by my sister; she’s the master at taking humble ingredients and turning them into a visually appealing and delicious meal. Whenever I visit her, I can count on this spread, veg, and bread meal concept showing up on the lunch table in some way, shape, or form.
Whether she’s using leftover ingredients from last night’s dinner or fresh produce she’s grabbed at the farmers’ market, she always finds a way to combine hummus, veggies, and good bread in a salad format that really hits the spot. And, the best part is, it creates a balanced meal full of fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.

What You’ll Need
While more of a concept than an actual recipe, here are the ingredients I used in my bowls:
Spread: The spread is really the star of these bowls, and you can use several different types of spread. Although hummus is my go-to choice, and any savory flavor of hummus will work well, bean dip, baba ganoush, lentil dip, ricotta, tzatziki, and labneh would all work very well.
Vegetables: The inclusion of veggies helps to boost the fiber content of the bowls and add micronutrients at the same time. You can use any combination of leafy green and fresh vegetables you have on hand. These bowls are incredibly versatile, and you can adapt them to use whatever seasonal produce is available by filling them with radishes and peas in the spring; carrots, cucumber, and tomatoes in the summer; and roasted squash and beets in the fall and winter.
Bread: The better the bread the better these bowls will taste. I recommend using sourdough bread, as it’s the most unprocessed form of bread, as well as the tastiest, however, any bread you enjoy will work.
Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper: To dress the vegetables and season the dish.
In addition to the essential spread, veg, and bread in these bowls, you can jazz them up with additional toppings and seasonings. Some of my personal favorites include:
Cheese: A sprinkle of cheese helps to add some healthy fats and a bit more protein. Feta cheese is my go-to option, as I like the way it crumbles and enjoy the salty contrast to the creamy hummus, but you can use any cheese you like. Goat cheese, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, and halloumi would all work well.
Nuts or Seeds: Topping the bowls with some seeds, such as pumpkin or sunflower, or some chopped nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts, adds some texture and healthy fats.
Boiled Egg or Other Protein: While optional, including a jammy 8-minute boiled egg or two helps to boost the protein content of the bowls, as well as add some delicious flavor and texture. If you’re not a fan of eggs, you could also add an additional protein of your choice, such as grilled chicken, steak, tuna, or tofu.

Red’s Nutrition Tip
If you’re thinking, “Whoa, that’s a lot of hummus, much more than a serving size.”, it’s important to remember that serving sizes and portion sizes are not the same. While the serving size of hummus is 2 tablespoons, that’s not a recommended portion size, it’s simply the measurement used to quantify the nutrition data on the hummus packaging.

Dietary Adaptions
To Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free bread.
To Make it Dairy-Free: Omit the cheese.
To Make it Higher-Protein: Add an additional egg or two or top the bowls with another protein source such as chicken, steak, or tofu.
More Healthy Bowl Recipes:
Print
Spread, Veg, and Bread Bowl
Ready in 10 minutes, this spread, veg, and bread bowl is a quick and easy lunch idea that is packed full of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
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Total Time: 10 minutes
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Yield: 1 bowl 1x
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Category: Lunch
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Method: No Cook
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup hummus
- 2 cups leafy greens
- 1/4 cups radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup snap peas, sliced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons almonds, roughly chopped
- 1 slice of sourdough bread
- 1 egg (optional)
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- If including an egg, bring a small pot of water to a boil then, using a spoon, gently add your egg to the pot and boil for 8 minutes. Once cooked, remove the egg from the pot and transfer it to a bowl with cold water until cool enough to handle, then peel the egg and slice it in half.
- In a medium bowl, add leafy greens, sliced radishes, and peas, drizzle with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine. Set aside.
- In a shallow serving bowl, dollop the hummus into the bowl and then, using the back of a spoon, spread the hummus across 1/3 of the bowl.
- Dollop the leafy green mixture into the other side of the bowl, then place the sliced boiled egg on top of the hummus.
- Sprinkle the bowl with crumbled feta cheese and almonds and serve it with a slice of sourdough.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 561 calories
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Fat: 31 grams
- Carbohydrates: 47 grams
- Fiber: 10 grams
- Protein: 27 grams
This was great!! Thanks for this idea! Just what I needed today and so versatile!!
★★★★★
My pleasure, so happy you enjoyed it and hope the concept comes in helpful for summer meals! 🙂