Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Add more fish, whole grains, plant-based protein, and olive oil to your menu. Here are delicious and healthy dishes inspired by the Mediterranean diet.

Baked salmon with herb mustard glaze

Giada uses fresh herbs and mustard to create a light and flavorful glaze for baked salmon fillets.

Baked Cauliflower Steaks with Raisin Relish

Even a simple vegetable like cauliflower becomes much more appetizing when prepared in a unique way – as steaks. To do this, carefully slice the head of cauliflower lengthwise into even pieces. Some of the florets will fall off, but you can use them as well. For beautiful steaks, first fry them in a frying pan until golden brown, then finish cooking them in the oven. So, be sure to use an oven-safe frying pan. Before serving, garnish each "steak" with a unique relish made from a mixture of roasted peppers, capers, and raisins. Like bright confetti, it will decorate the dish and enliven the mild flavor of the cauliflower with its sweet tartness.

Pizza with zucchini, ricotta and lemon

Lemon and chives on pizza may sound strange, but this topping pairs perfectly with zucchini strips and creamy ricotta. The tart citrus juice contrasts with the rich cheese, lending a light, vibrant flavor to every bite.

Greek-Style Bulgur Stuffed Peppers

Sweet red peppers are stuffed with a flavorful filling of spinach, bulgur, and lean ground beef. Top with feta cheese and bake until tender.

Grilled Eggplant Sauce

Bobby's Mediterranean-inspired appetizer takes time, but the results are worth it. Bobby grills eggplant until tender and smoky, then purees it with tahini, olive oil, lemon, and fresh spices to create a creamy, smooth sauce. Serve with warm pita bread, lavash, or fresh vegetables.

Healthy Sicilian Cauliflower Rice

This light pilaf with raisins, lemon zest, and nuts is easy to eat without sacrificing your figure, because it's made with cauliflower! The cauliflower is blended until finely chopped and then added to the pilaf in place of rice. It makes a fiber-rich side dish that's perfect with chicken, salmon, and pork.

Vegetarian shawarma with chickpeas and dill hummus dressing

Crispy chickpeas, spiced and baked, make a wonderful filling for Mediterranean pita shawarma. Leftovers can be used in a salad: layer the vegetables, alternating with chickpeas, and top with a hummus-dill dressing.

Vegetarian Chickpea Salad with Arugula

The combination of fiber- and antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits, plus protein-packed chickpeas and avocado, makes this salad filling and balanced. Flavor the puree with additional ingredients—mango, celery, cilantro, or carrots—and serve as a dip, sandwich filling, or salad topping, as in this example.

Salmon with warm tomato and olive salad

Brush the salmon with a mixture of olive oil, honey, and vinegar and bake until crispy. Serve with two Mediterranean favorites: tomatoes and olives.

Turkey and Hummus Slider Sandwiches

Lean turkey and hummus sandwiches served in pita wraps are a Mediterranean take on mini burgers. For added flavor and texture, top each sandwich with a cucumber and feta salad.

Ptitim with cauliflower

Israeli couscous (larger than traditional couscous and more like pasta) is tossed with roasted cauliflower and shallots. Cinnamon and dates add a subtle, natural sweetness.

Healthy stuffed peppers with vegetables and ptitim

This dish looks especially vibrant and impressive when using bell peppers of several colors, such as red, yellow, and orange. Choose the largest peppers with the flattest, most stable stems (ideally four stems) so they stand upright when stuffed and baked in the sauce. These peppers, stuffed with ptitim, zucchini, oregano, and feta, are delicious hot from the oven or, Mediterranean-style, served at room temperature. Drizzle generously with the tomato sauce from the pan and enjoy.

Grilled rack of lamb with mint

Lamb is popular in the Mediterranean diet, especially in Greek cuisine. In this recipe, natural lamb cutlets are rubbed with a garlic-mint mixture and then grilled, preserving their juiciness and flavor.



We recommend

Mediterranean Summer Salad

This easy version of a favorite salad has a pleasant crunch and tartness thanks to watercress, green onions, tomatoes, capers, and pickled peppers.

Greek pizza with liquid dough

Yes, homemade pizza crust can be made and baked in less than half an hour! The secret is in the batter. A topping of baked eggplant and bell pepper, feta, artichokes, mint, and lemon gives this classic pizza a Greek twist.

Baked pumpkin with pickled lentils

Steaming canned lentils (or any canned beans) for a few minutes softens and refreshes their flavor. The hot beans absorb the oil and vinegar marinade more easily and complement the sweet roasted pumpkin and creamy goat cheese in this recipe perfectly.

Baked Salmon with Lemons and Lima Beans

Fish and heart-healthy beans are two essential components of the Mediterranean diet. Their combination in this dish is enhanced by a paprika-flavored Greek yogurt topping.

Tabbouleh salad with chicken

Fresh lemon, mint, and parsley add vibrant flavor to Aina's tabbouleh salad. The dish only improves as it sits, so it can be prepared well in advance.

Olives in citrus marinade

Olives, a key element of the Mediterranean diet, are even more delicious with the addition of fresh lemon and orange juice, along with garlic, thyme, and hot red pepper flakes.

Rapini with hot cherry peppers

Soften the bitter flavor of rapini by adding spicy cherry tomatoes, garlic, and a bit of rich Parmesan.

Healthy stewed lentils with kale

The Mediterranean diet embraces a wide variety of plant-based foods: legumes, whole grains, and plenty of seasonal vegetables and fruits. This recipe fully embodies this philosophy, combining several classic culinary techniques and a combination of ingredients typical of the Mediterranean. Firm black lentils from France are paired with olive-seared eggs from Spain. This recipe is simple, yet filling and nutritious enough to satisfy even the most ardent meat-eaters in your family.

Mussels with potatoes and olives

Cook fresh clams in a tomato-garlic broth and serve with Yukon Gold potatoes for their naturally creamy flavor.

Grilled scallops with spelt and plum salad

Scallops are loved not only for their flavor but also for how quickly they cook. Five minutes on the grill, and this magnificent dish is ready! Be careful not to overcook them, or they'll lose their tenderness. Serve with a healthy spelt salad with plums and fennel.

Salad with bulgur

Bulgur is a whole grain traditionally used to make tabbouleh salad. In this simple yet flavorful side dish, bulgur is seasoned with Mediterranean ingredients: cucumber, dill, and olives.

Steamed fish and a side dish of vegetable spaghetti with garlic butter

Agrodolce is a traditional Italian sweet and sour sauce. Here, it's used to add a vibrant flavor to firm white fish and vegetables.

Stuffed peppers with lentils

These peppers stuffed with Israeli couscous, lentils, olives, herbs, and feta cheese are inspired by a classic Mediterranean salad. Rich in fiber and plant-based protein, this dish is both filling and delicious.

Braised Escarole with Garlic

Escarole is a member of the endive family, but it's less bitter and suitable for cooking. Sauté this Mediterranean salad with garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes.

Fried Mahi Mahi Fish Fillet with Cauliflower

There's no shortage of flavor in this quick and healthy dinner. Cauliflower is cooked with almonds, raisins, and aromatic coriander, finished with a bright twist of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Provençal artichokes

Transform frozen artichokes into a simple Mediterranean-style side dish using white wine, tomatoes, lemon zest, and a few briny olives.

Baked eggplants

For an easy side dish, roast eggplant with garlic, shallots and walnuts, then toss with yogurt and freshly chopped dill.







Categories:

• 

  The best breakfast recipes
• 

  50 Easy and Quick Breakfasts to Make in a Hurry
• 

  5 Savory Snail Breakfast Bun Recipes
• 

  5 Unsweetened Oatmeal Recipes
• 

  50 Pancake and Waffle Recipes
• 

  Extravagant milkshakes for breakfast with
• 

  5 Sweet Oatmeal Recipes