Let’s Make Cava Bowls at Home

“We have food at home.” 

Five words that every child hates hearing while in the car with their parents. Once I got older, I finally understood their unwillingness to pull into the McDonalds drive-thru on the way home from lacrosse practice: it’s expensive and rather unhealthy. In hindsight, the at-home options were definitely better. 

I have stayed away from the greasy clutches of fast food restaurants, but I have fallen into the trap of the build-your-own quick service spots. You know, Cava, Chipotle, Moe’s, the list goes on and on. As a college student, I definitely don’t have 20+ dollars to spend at these spots each time I go.

A Cava bowl but on the couch

This leads me to the purpose of this story: teaching you how to make a Cava bowl at home. 

I know making all of the components may sound a bit overwhelming, but it is so much easier than it looks. My bowl begins with a base of arugula and saffron rice, followed by the harissa honey chicken, crazy feta dip, tzatziki, pickled red onions, grilled corn, feta cheese, and Greek vinaigrette, with a side of pita chips (of course).

Let’s get cooking!

Greens

I prefer arugula, but any leafy greens will work great! This is by far the simplest part of our assembly since you just have to pick up some up at the grocery store.

Saffron Rice

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups long grain white rice (I like basmati or jasmine for this recipe)
• ½ cup warm water
• 1 ½ cups room temperature water
• ¼ teaspoon saffron

Instructions:

1. Begin by using a mortar and pestle to crush the saffron fronds into a powder. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, the back of a spoon and a small bowl will work as well.
2. Add ½ cup of warm water to the bowl and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes. This allows the spice to open up before cooking.
3. Add your rice, saffron infused water and remaining 1 ½ cups of water to a rice cooker. If you don’t have a rice cooker, this process can be completed on a stove top according to your rice’s cooking instructions.
4. Once it is finished cooking, fluff with a fork.

Honey Harissa Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey 
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 2 tsp harissa spice 
• 1 tsp minced garlic 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley 
• 1.5- 2 lbs of diced chicken (I like chicken thighs for this recipe)

Instructions:

1. Mix together all ingredients except for chicken in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add in chicken and stir until all pieces are coated.
3. Cover with plastic wrap or tin foil and let marinade in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
4. Cook chicken in a pan on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.

Grilled Corn

This can be made by grilling ears of corn but I have found a much simpler alternative. The frozen Birds Eye Fire Roasted Corn gives the same great charred taste without the hassle. Just spread it out on a sheet tray and cook according to the instructions on the bag!

Tzatziki

This delicious topping can be found pre-made on most grocery store shelves, or made at home. The Cava branded version is even sold at Whole Foods! For this recipe, I put my own twist on traditional tzatziki by adding roasted garlic. 

Recipe:

• 1 cup greek yogurt (I prefer 0% fat)
• ½ finely grated cucumber
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cloves roasted garlic, smashed and mixed into a paste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Grate the cucumber and use a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to squeeze out excess water 
2. Stir together all  ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
3. Serve with pita chips or on top of your bowl.

Crazy Feta Dip

They also sell the Cava brand of this spicy and tangy dip at Whole Foods, but I opted to make it myself. I followed this copycat recipe from Mori Bryan and it turned out delicious.

Pickled Red Onions

One thing about me is that I LOVE onions. Fried, pickled, raw, you name it and I love it. These super easy pickled red onions turned out amazing and added a wonderful acidity to the bowl. 

Ingredients:

• One large red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups vinegar (I prefer white wine but apple cider is a great option as well)
• 2 cups water
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt 

Instructions:

1. Start by thinly slicing the onions and adding them to an airtight container such as a mason jar or glass tupperware container.
2. In a medium sized saucepan on low heat, mix together vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved
3. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. Once the mixture has cooled, pour the vinegar mixture over the onions and mix thoroughly to make sure they are completely coated.
5. Place the lid tightly on the container and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour depending on the thickness of the onions.

Greek Vinaigrette

Greek vinaigrette can be found on any grocery store shelf, but I have always found that homemade dressings taste so much better. The best part is that this one is super easy to make and contains ingredients you probably already have at home!

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½  teaspoon dried oregano
• ½  teaspoon dried basil
• Sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or mason jar and mix until well emulsified. If you prefer a thinner dressing, add water one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Homemade Pita Chips

In my humble opinion, these quick and easy homemade pita chips put the store-bought ones to shame. However, if you’re in a pinch and need a quick snack, the parmesan, garlic, and herb chips from Stacy’s are a great substitute!

Ingredients: 

• 6 pita rounds, each cut into 8 triangles
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit and place tinfoil on 2 baking sheets.
2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Place the pita triangles in a large bowl and add a small amount of the olive oil mixture (adding it incrementally prevents pieces from becoming too saturated with oil).
4. Mix thoroughly.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all olive oil has been used and all triangles are evenly coated.
6. Spread triangles out in a single layer across both baking sheets.
7. Place in the over for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
8. Serve with your favorite dip!

Once you have made all your components, it’s time to assemble and enjoy! The servings from these recipes gave me a week’s worth of bowls, saving me both time and money on dinner.

Now, all that’s left to do is wash it down with a homemade recreation of one of Cava’s famous juices!