35 Mediterranean Diet Recipes That Are Full of Flavor
Incorporate more fish, whole grains, plant-based proteins and olive oil into your routine with these healthy Mediterranean diet-inspired recipes.
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Escape to the Mediterranean
Considered one of the best diets in the world for overall health, the Mediterranean diet is also one of the easiest to follow — no cutting food groups! While this style of eating focuses on fruits and vegetables, it includes meat and other protein sources, like fish and legumes, and dairy. You don't have to travel far to enjoy Mediterranean favorites, either; you can make restaurant go-tos like this Classic Greek Salad at home with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta and an easy homemade Greek dressing.
Get the Recipe: Classic Greek Salad
Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze
Get the Recipe: Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Raisin Relish
The relish is a bold, savory-sweet combo that works well with mild cauliflower, turning it into a flavorful side or vegetarian main.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Raisin Relish
Zucchini, Ricotta and Lemon Pizza
Lemon and chives on a pizza might sound strange, but it pairs perfectly with thin strips of zucchini and creamy ricotta. The tart citrus juice cuts through the rich cheese and provides just a hint of bright flavor with every bite.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini, Ricotta and Lemon Pizza
Greek-Style Stuffed Peppers
Get the Recipe: Greek-Style Stuffed Peppers
Grilled Eggplant Dip
Bobby’s Mediterranean-inspired appetizer does require a bit of time, but the end result is so worth it. He fires up the grill to get the eggplant tender and smoky, then purees it with tahini, olive oil, lemon and fresh spices to form a smooth and creamy dip. Serve with warm pita, lavash or fresh veggies for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Eggplant Dip
Healthy Sicilian Cauliflower Rice
Studded with raisins, lemon zest and pine nuts, this fluffy pilaf makes a flavorful, high-fiber side for chicken, salmon and pork.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Sicilian Cauliflower Rice
Chickpea Shawarma Pitas with Hummus-Dill Dressing
Covered in spices and roasted to crispy perfection, chickpeas are a natural swap in these Mediterranean-inspired shawarma pitas. For a "cook once, eat twice" approach, transform any leftovers into a chickpea shawarma salad: Layer the vegetables with roasted chickpeas and top it with dollops of hummus-dill dressing.
Get the Recipe: Chickpea Shawarma Pitas with Hummus-Dill Dressing
Vegetarian Arugula Chickpea Power Salad
The combination of fiber-packed, antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruit plus high-protein chickpeas and avocado makes this a well-balanced and satisfying salad. Spice up the mash with additional ingredients like mango, celery, cilantro or carrots, then enjoy it as a dip, sandwich filling or, in this case, a salad topper.
Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Arugula Chickpea Power Salad
Salmon with Warm Tomato-Olive Salad
Brush salmon with an olive oil-honey-vinegar mixture and broil to create a crispy crust. Serve with two Mediterranean favorites tomatoes and olives on the side.
Get the Recipe: Salmon With Warm Tomato-Olive Salad
Turkey-Hummus Sliders
Get the Recipe: Turkey-Hummus Sliders
Cauliflower Couscous
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Couscous
Healthy Vegetable and Couscous Stuffed Peppers
This dish looks particularly vibrant when you use a combination of sweet yellow, red and orange bell peppers. Pick the largest ones you can find, with the flattest, most stable bottoms so they remain standing once they're stuffed and baked in the tomato sauce.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Vegetable and Couscous Stuffed Peppers
Greek Salad
Get the Recipe: Greek Salad
Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint
Get the Recipe: Grilled Lamb Chops With Mint
Greek Pizza with Pourable Crust
Yes, you really can make and bake homemade pizza crust in less than 30 minutes! The trick is whipping up a pourable crust. Toppings like roasted eggplant and bell peppers, feta, artichokes, mint and lemon put a Greek-style twist on a classic pizza crust.
Get the Recipe: Greek Pizza with Pourable Crust
Roasted Squash with Marinated Lentils
Steaming canned lentils (or any canned bean) for a few minutes softens them and freshens the flavor. While warm, they more readily absorb the oil and vinegar marinade in this recipe and become a full-flavored counterpart to roasted squash and creamy goat cheese.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Squash with Marinated Lentils
Lemon Salmon with Lima Beans
Get the Recipe: Lemon Salmon with Lima Beans
Chicken with Tabbouleh
Fresh lemon, mint and parsley lend a bright flavor to Ina’s tabbouleh salad. The dish only gets better the longer it sits, so feel free to prepare it in advance.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Tabbouleh
Citrus Marinated Olives
Olives, a key component of the Mediterranean diet, are made even more flavorful with the addition of freshly squeezed lemon and orange, plus garlic, thyme and spicy red pepper flakes.
Get the Recipe: Citrus Marinated Olives
Broccoli Rabe with Cherry Peppers
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Rabe With Cherry Peppers
Healthy Braised Lentils with Kale
In the Mediterranean, meals rely heavily on plant-based recipes favoring legumes, whole grains and loads of fresh vegetables and fruits. This recipe fully embraces that philosophy, borrowing a few of the classic cooking techniques and ingredient combinations from the region--firm black lentils from France and olive oil-fried eggs from Spain. This recipe is super simple, yet hearty enough to satisfy even the most hard-core meat eaters in your family.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Braised Lentils with Kale
Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Olive Relish
Inspired by the ever-popular cauliflower steak, this recipe calls for broccoli instead. The stalks of broccoli are just as edible as the florets and contain the most fiber of the vegetable. Enjoy them with this herb and green olive relish.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Olive Relish
Mussels with Potatoes and Olives
Get the Recipe: Mussels With Potatoes and Olives
Grilled Scallops with Farro and Plum Salad
We love scallops for delicious weeknight meals in a hurry because they cook in mere minutes. Just be careful not to overcook them here — they can become dried out very easily!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Scallops with Farro and Plum Salad
Bulgur Salad
Get the Recipe: Bulgur Salad
Crispy Tofu with Roasted Vegetables
Preheating an empty baking sheet while the oven reaches the right temperature means the vegetables for this dish instantly start sizzling and cooking the second they hit the tray. It will cut down on the time it takes to roast them, while also ensuring they brown evenly.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Tofu with Roasted Vegetables
Bass Agrodolce with Spaghetti Squash and Mushrooms
Get the Recipe: Bass Agrodolce with Spaghetti Squash and Mushrooms
Cod with Potatoes, Peppers and Saffron
The key to this colorful Mediterranean fish dish is braising thick potatoes, peppers and onions in olive oil with a hint of saffron. Cod is then gently simmered in this vegetable stew with a little chicken broth to create a beautiful, hearty one-pot meal.
Get the Recipe: Cod with Potatoes, Peppers and Saffron
Lentil-Stuffed Peppers
These peppers were inspired by a popular Mediterranean salad, filled with Israeli couscous, lentils, olives, herbs and plenty of feta. Loaded with fiber and plant-based protein, they are delicious and satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Lentil-Stuffed Peppers
Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Roasted Broccolini
While there are a variety of za’atar spice blends, the majority of them include oregano, thyme, sumac and sesame seeds, making it a great short cut ingredient that imparts a lot of flavor. Za’atar, lemon zest and pistachio are mixed with panko to coat the halibut, giving this mild fish plenty of delicious fresh flavor with a crunch.
Get the Recipe: Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Roasted Broccolini
Spicy Escarole with Garlic
Get the Recipe: Spicy Escarole with Garlic
Mahi Mahi With Cauliflower
There’s no shortage of flavor with this quick-and-healthy dinner. The cauliflower is cooked with almonds, raisins and fragrant coriander – and finished with a bright pop of fresh lemon juice.
Get the Recipe: Mahi Mahi With Cauliflower
Artichokes Provencal
Get the Recipe: Artichokes Provencal
Eggplant with Yogurt and Dill
Get the Recipe: Eggplant with Yogurt and Dill
