These Homemade Cava Bowls are packed with fresh Mediterranean ingredients, bold flavors and various textures that will leave you feeling satisfied all day.
This is one of those meals that you always crave once you try it because it’s so addicting.
That’s why I absolutely had to recreate the best Cava bowls at home so I could have it anytime I want and now you can too!
Need more easy meal ideas? I’ve gotcha covered with Chicken Souvlaki Wraps or Quick Homemade Pad Thai.
WHAT IS A CAVA BOWL?
Cava is a fast-casual restaurant that is essentially the Mediterranean version of Chipotle.
A Cava Bowl is made up of your choice of mixed greens, grains, proteins, toppings, and dressings.
The bowl building process is fully customizable and with the variety of options this is a meal that everyone will love.
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED?
I did my best to replicate the recipes from Cava and I do believe my version tastes even better than theirs, yep I said it!
Basmati saffron rice:
- Basmati rice
- Water
- Butter
- Parsley
- Lemon
- Saffron spice
- Salt
Harissa honey chicken:
- Chicken breast
- Olive oil
- Harissa seasoning or Harissa paste (I found a delicious one at Trader Joe’s)
- Cumin
- Cayenne
- Honey
- Salt
- Black pepper
“Crazy” feta:
- Feta
- Olive oil
- Garlic clove
- Jalapeno
Tzatziki sauce:
- Greek yogurt
- English cucumber
- Garlic cloves
- Olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Salt
- Black pepper
Pickled red onions:
- Red onion
- Apple cider vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Warm water
Tomato + cucumber salad:
- English cucumber
- Grape tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Salt & pepper
Roasted corn:
- Corn on cob
Crumbled feta:
- Feta
Kalamata olives:
- Kalamata olives
Side pita:
- Whole pita or pita chips
HOW TO MAKE CAVA BOWLS AT HOME
Basmati saffron rice:
- Add washed rice, water, butter and cook according to package instructions. I used my rice cooker.
- Roughly chop parsley, cut lemon in half, and roughly chop saffron strands.
- Once rice is done, fluff with a fork and mix in chopped parsley, saffron, and lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon.
Harissa honey chicken:
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, harissa, cumin, cayenne, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Cut chicken breasts into small cubes. Add to bowl with marinade and mix together well.
- Place in fridge for 30-minutes or up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, thread the pieces of marinated chicken onto a skewer.
- Preheat grill or grill pan and lightly spray with non-stick spray.
- Grill chicken skewers, turning on all sides until chicken is fully cooked through (internal temp 165F).
“Crazy” feta:
This is a Cava signature that everyone raves about when they try it.
It’s just whipped feta with some fresh jalapeno for a little kick.
You can easily make it at home and even change up the ingredients like my Honey Whipped version!
- Add 4 oz crumbled feta, olive oil, minced garlic, and sliced jalapeno to a food processor or blender.
- Blend together until consistency is creamy and all ingredients are combined well.
Tzatziki sauce:
- Add Greek yogurt to a medium sized bowl and place minced garlic on top.
- Peel cucumber and grate using the large side of a box grater.
- Drain the cucumber using your hands or a cheesecloth to get all the excess water out.
- Add cucumber to bowl with yogurt and garlic.
- Mix in olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper.
Pickled red onions:
- Thinly slice red onion and set aside.
- In a large mason jar or bowl with lid, add vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Add in warm water and mix to dissolve.
- Add thinly sliced red onions and soak for 1 hour at room temp. Store in the fridge after.
Tomato + cucumber salad:
- Chop 1/2 an english cucumber into small cubes and halve cherry tomatoes.
- Add cucumber and tomatoes to a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Roasted corn:
- Spread butter on the corn and sprinkle with salt.
- Place on preheated grill, turning on all sides until roasted.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the cooked corn from the cob.
Crumbled feta:
- Use remaining 4oz of the Feta to crumble up and use as a topping.
Kalamata olives:
- Halve olives and use as a topping for your bowl.
Side pita:
- Toast 2 pitas and cut into triangles or serve with pita chips.
HOW TO SERVE CAVA BOWLS
The best part about making your own cava bowls is the personal customization, so get creative and do you.
This is how I assembled our copycat Cava bowls:
- Basmati rice
- Grilled Harissa honey chicken
- Tomato + cucumber
- Pickled red onions
- Roasted corn
- Kalamata olives
- Crumbled feta
- Crazy feta
- Tzatziki
- Warm pita on the side
RECIPE VARIATIONS
I selected my favorite things from the Cava menu to recreate but there are many other options that you could try. I listed them below!
- Salad – arugula, spinach, romaine.
- Grains – brown rice, cauliflower rice, black lentils.
- Protein – falafel, lamb or beef meatballs, roasted vegetables.
- Spreads – hummus, harissa, red pepper hummus, roasted eggplant dip.
- Toppings – avocado, shredded cabbage, pickles, lentil tabbouleh.
- Dressings – greek vinaigrette, lemon herb tahini, yogurt dill sauce.
CAVA BOWL SHORTCUTS
There are a few shortcuts you can take to minimize time spent in the kitchen:
- Buy pre-made ingredients: such as tzatziki, hummus, or pickled onions.
- Use instant rice: cooking the basmati in my rice cooker took the longest out of everything.
- Prepare ingredients in advance: marinating the chicken, making tzatziki, or pickling the onions can all be done in advance to speed things up.
- Use canned corn: this is a great time saver, especially during times corn isn’t in season.
RECIPE FAQ’S
How do you store leftover Cava bowl ingredients?
Store all ingredients in separate sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Save the tomato + cucumber salad for cutting up day of, it doesn’t hold up well.
What kind of food is Cava?
Mediterranean food.
MORE GREEK RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!
Homemade Cava Bowls
Packed with fresh Mediterranean ingredients, bold flavors and various textures this protein packed bowl will leave you feeling satisfied all day.
Servings: 4 bowls
Ingredients
Basmati saffron rice:
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1.5 cups water
- 1.5 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 tsp saffron spice
- 1 tsp salt
Harissa honey chicken:
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp harissa spice or harissa paste
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
"Crazy" feta:
- 4 oz feta
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4-5 jalapeno slices
Tzatziki sauce:
- 1.5 cups plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 english cucumber, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Pickled red onions:
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm water
Tomato + cucumber salad:
- 1/2 english cucumber, chopped
- 15 grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- salt & pepper, to taste
Roasted corn:
- 4 corn on cob, grilled and removed from cob
- butter & salt, to taste
Crumbled feta:
- 4 oz feta, crumbled
Kalamata olives:
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
Side pita:
- 2 whole pita, warm (or side pita chips)
Instructions
Basmati saffron rice:
- Add washed rice, water, butter and cook according to package instructions.
- Roughly chop parsley, cut lemon in half, and roughly chop saffron strands.
- Once rice is done, fluff with a fork and mix in chopped parsley, saffron, and lemon juice from 1/2 lemon.
Harissa honey chicken:
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, harissa, cumin, cayenne, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Cut chicken breasts into small cubes. Add to bowl with marinade and mix together well.
- Place in fridge for 30-minutes or up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, thread the pieces of marinated chicken onto a skewer.
- Preheat grill or grill pan and lightly spray with non-stick spray.
- Grill chicken skewers, turning on all sides until chicken is fully cooked through (internal temp 165F).
"Crazy" feta:
- Add 4 oz crumbled feta, olive oil, minced garlic, and sliced jalapeno (about 4-5 slices) to a food processor or blender.
- Blend together until consistency is creamy and all ingredients are combined well.
Tzatziki sauce:
- Add Greek yogurt to a medium sized bowl and place minced garlic on top.
- Peel cucumber and grate using the large side of a box grater.
- Drain the cucumber using your hands or a cheesecloth to get all the excess water out.
- Add cucumber to bowl with yogurt and garlic.
- Mix in olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper.
Pickled red onions:
- Thinly slice red onion and set aside.
- In a large mason jar or bowl with lid, add vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Add in warm water and mix to dissolve.
- Add thinly sliced red onions and soak for 1 hour at room temp. Store in the fridge after.
Tomato + cucumber salad:
- Chop 1/2 an english cucumber into small cubes and halve cherry tomatoes.
- Add cucumber and tomatoes to a bowl with drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice from 1/2 lemon, salt, and pepper.
Roasted corn:
- Spread butter on the corn and sprinkle with salt.
- Place on preheated grill, turning on all sides until roasted.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the cooked corn from the cob.
Crumbled feta:
- Use remaining 4 oz feta to crumble up and use as a topping.
Kalamata olives:
- Halve olives and use as a topping for your bowl.
Side pita:
- Toast 2 pitas or serve with pita chips.
Assemble:
- Start with a base of basmati rice and then add your desired amounts of each ingredient / topping!
Notes
Saffron – can be hard to find and pricey, feel free to skip this ingredient.
Feta – typically sold in 8 oz chunk, just buy 1 and use 1/2 for crazy feta and the other 1/2 for crumbles.
Shortcuts – save yourself time by buying pre-made tzatziki sauce, use instant rice, or cook chicken in advance so it’s ready anytime.
I wanted to thank you for this fantastic read!! I certainly enjoyed every little bit of it. I have got you saved as a favorite to check out new stuff you postÖ
The harissa honey chicken recipe is delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Emma,
So happy to hear you liked the recipe! Thank you for coming back to leave a review.
Sierra