- Recipes
Sheela Prakash
Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor
Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.
updated Nov 16, 2023
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This year, the Mediterranean diet ranked highest among 41 popular diets — and for good reason. It’s one of the most flexible, delicious diets around, encouraging you to load up your plate with colorful produce, heart-healthy fish, and whole grains. Here are more than 50 Mediterranean diet recipes that will set you up for feel-good eating.
In This Article
- Colorful Salads
- Light and Fresh Fish
- Vegetable-Forward Dishes
- Hearty Whole Grains
- Fruit-Filled Desserts
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Colorful Salads
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Tomato and Feta White Bean Salad
A light and easy recipe for a no-cook tomato and white bean salad. Make it now before the season's tomatoes disappear!
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Farmers Market Salad
No matter what you bring home from the farmers market, salad night deserves this summery spin on a classic Cobb dressed with an herby vinaigrette.
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Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous Salad
The Mediterranean flavors really shine in this simple spring salad and the roasted chickpeas add a lovely crunch. Grab a fork and dig in! Cauliflower “couscous” is a winner in our household and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do.
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Garlicky Grilled Kale Salad with Grilled Bread
This is a recipe to impress your kale-loving friends and shake you out of your salad stupor this summer. Smoky and garlicky, studded with chunks of grilled bread, this grilled kale salad is it.
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Nicoise Salad
A recipe to impress your kale-loving friends and shake you out of your salad stupor this summer. Smoky and garlicky, studded with chunks of grilled bread, this grilled kale salad is it.
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When you need a simple salad to make the meal complete, this tumble of arugula and shaved fennel is all you need. I find the combo of peppery arugula and sweet, crunchy fennel so delightfully addictive — so much so that I’ll sometimes eat a big bowlful with just a wedge of toasted baguette and call that dinner.
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Cucumber Caprese Salad
A simple twist on classic Italian Caprese salad that adds cool, crisp cucumbers to the equation.
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The Ultimate Grilled Zucchini Salad
Zucchini is grilled until smoky, then tossed with a lemon vinaigrette, feta, and mint.
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Marinated Feta-Beet Salad
Sweet roasted beets loaded with fresh herbs and feta cheese.
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Quick and Easy Roasted Vegetable Salad
A warm, entree-friendly salad that's filled with roasted sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and shallots and tossed in a tangy balsamic mustard vinaigrette.
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Broccoli and Kale Caesar Salad
This hearty vegan broccoli and kale salad is topped with golden croutons and a velvety vegan Caesar dressing made with roasted garlic and cashews.
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Spicy Panzanella Salad
A thrifty and very old-school salad, panzanella transforms slightly stale, too-hard-to-eat bread into a sponge for flavor that even picky kids tend to enjoy. I make this with a spicy dressing, but you can just make it with a classic vinaigrette if you prefer.
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Light and Fresh Fish
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Broiled Salmon with Lemon, Herbs and Mustard
A simple recipe for broiled salmon fillets topped with Dijon mustard and fresh herbs.
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Fish in Crazy Water
Crazy water, or acqua pazza as it translates to in Italian, is nothing but an easy tomato-based broth, enhanced with a few aromatics and herbs. Traditionally from the coast of the Italian region of Campania, the broth is most commonly used as a poaching liquid for white fish, but can be used to poach other ingredients like shrimp or a mix of vegetables.
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Skillet Braised Cod with Asparagus and Potatoes
This fast and fancy fish dinner is so beautiful and nourishing, yet so surprisingly easy to pull together.
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Tuna Puttanesca
una, swordfish, and salmon are all hearty enough in flavor and texture to work really well with this robust sauce. By all means, make a double batch and use leftovers later in the week, tossed with pasta for a side dish. You may alternatively grill the fish, either outdoors or on a grill pan.
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Salmon Salad
A simple and fresh recipe for Greek salad that's topped with baked salmon.
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Skillet Cod with Lemon and Capers
Any firm-fleshed white fish, like halibut, sea bass, or monkfish can be used in this recipe.
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Greek-Style Tuna Salad
A light and wholesome Mediterranean-inspired tuna salad that's packed with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and fresh herbs.
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This method of cooking salmon is the place to start for a cook intimidated by fish, because the process is truly foolproof; there’s almost no way to mess it up.
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Mediterranean Tuna Noodle Casserole
A fast and fancy French-inspired upgrade on the tuna noodle casserole from Faith Durand's Not Your Mother's Casseroles.
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Saucy Skillet Salmon
It’s cooked in a fresh tomato-based sauce that’s punched up with garlic, balsamic, and a hint of fresh thyme so it’s a little sweet and a little tangy. After the fillets soak up as much of the flavorful juices as they can, the rest is left for the couscous it’s served over, which ensures that not one bit of it will go to waste.
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Vegetable-Forward Dishes
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Smoky Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowl
This is one of those recipes that originated as an off-the-cuff concept while speedily scanning the grocery store aisles a mere hour before dinner.
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Vegetable Pesto Puff Pastry Tart
Layers of veggies, feta cheese, and pesto sit atop buttery puff pastry.
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Polenta with Spring Vegetable RagoutGo to Recipe
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Savory Vegetable Pancakes
A vegetable fritter isn’t anything new, but during the doldrums of winter, they can be just the thing to liven up your kitchen, clean out your pantry and fridge, and pack some extra nutrients into those little ones.
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A quick and easy recipe for pasta tossed in a lemon butter sauce and filled with sautéed zucchini and cherry tomatoes.
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Parmesan Chicken and Kale Sauté
A quick and easy one-skillet dinner that fits the bill on weeknights and at dinner parties alike.
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Veggie Supreme Pizza
Veggie supreme pizza is not only a way to get kids (and grown-ups) to eat more vegetables — it’s also a thoughtful way to clear out the crisper drawer at the end of the week.
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Chicken and Veggie Pesto Salad
Filled with a robust assortment of tender veggies, strips of juicy chicken, and tossed with an herby pesto, this no-lettuce salad is a summer essential.
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Vegan Sourdough Portobello Mushroom Sandwich
A good vegan sandwich needs some careful thought and construction. It has to have a good balance of textures and flavors, but it should also be satisfying without relying on meat or cheese. Portobello mushrooms are a popular ingredient choice (for good reason), and this one is no exception. Throw some sourdough bread in the toaster and let’s get cooking!
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Socca Pizza with Ricotta and Spring Veggies
A simple gluten-free flatbread made with chickpea flour and topped with ricotta, radishes, and arugula.
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Hearty Whole Grains
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Summer Vegetable Grain Salad
A light, wholesome quinoa salad filled with summer vegetables and tossed in a pesto vinaigrette.
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Garlic Basil Shrimp Farrotto
An easy recipe for a farro risotto with shrimp, garlic, and fresh basil.
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Meyer Lemon Grain Salad with Asparagus, Almonds and Goat Cheese
The sweet and herbal citrus plays beautifully with a chewy mix of farro, pearl couscous, and crisp asparagus. Toss in some almonds and goat cheese and lunch is ready!
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Warm Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Fontina
This recipe was inspired by a similar salad at Caffe Falai, a little skinny restaurant downtown in Soho. When we ate it, we knew it was a great healthy, hearty dish that would be perfect for lunch or dinner. We couldn’t believe how easy (and, to be honest, better) our at-home version turned out.
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Wheat Berry Salad with Tomatoes, Corn and Basil
This easy grain salad is an example of one such meal: we had cooked wheat berries on hand; I picked up fresh tomatoes and corn at the market; and for dinner, we just folded in basil, goat cheese and a bold lemony dressing. The result? Our new summertime go-to salad.
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Roasted Eggplant and Brown Rice Bowl with Turmeric Tahini
This vibrant grain bowl is topped with chickpeas, roasted eggplant, and a vibrant turmeric tahini sauce.
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Quinoa Tabbouleh
In this riff on traditional tabbouleh, the bulgur gets replaced with tender, nutty quinoa. It's a make-ahead salad, perfect for summer barbecues.
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Warm Bulgur and Lentil Salad with Roasted Shrimp
Warm lentil salads are always just the ticket when I want something satisfying yet light. Topped with some easy roasted shrimp, you now have a complete dinner that’s good any time of the year.
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Quick Balsamic Quinoa Salad
This filling salad is always a hit with dinner guests, and the leftovers — if there are any — make a nice lunch the next day. I once caught someone (who shall remain anonymous) — ha, ha, it was my sister, but I won’t say which one — in the kitchen after dinner cleaning out the bowl, eating every last bit.
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Farro Salad with Roasted Eggplant, Caramelized Onion, and Pine Nuts
Roasting eggplants when they are in season brings out their lush silkiness and natural sweetness. Here they shine in a simple yet aromatic salad with plump kernels of farro. Fresh as well as dried mint add layers of flavor. Don’t let the few steps deter you — this creation comes together seamlessly.
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Fruit-Filled Desserts
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Sour Cream and Berries Brûlée
A fast and easy recipe for mixed berry brûlée.
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Whipped Yogurt with Apples and Walnuts
I’ve added just a kiss of honey here to give it a subtle sweetness. I often make a double batch so we always have a little on hand to serve with fresh fruit, or as a late-night snack with toasted nuts and dusted with cocoa.
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Rainbow Fruit Salad
Fruit salad should be something you actually want to eat, rather than something that’s pushed to the side of a brunch spread or looked upon sadly when carried out for dessert. This one, featuring every color of the rainbow, is that and more.
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Granita with Any Fruit
A step-by-step to making granita — the easiest frozen fruit dessert ever.
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Red Fruit Salad with Lemon-Vanilla Bean Syrup
This fruit salad filled with peaches, raspberries, and cherries is drenched in a light lemon-vanilla syrup.
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Any Fruit Galette
Learn how to make this stunning fruit and pastry dessert that is easier than pie.
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Red Wine Strawberries
A recipe for strawberries macerated in red wine, brown sugar, and vanilla.
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Brûléed Fruit with Mascarpone Yogurt Sauce
Taking a page from the classic French dessert crème brûlée, juicy chunks of fruit are broiled with brown sugar until caramelized on top, and then topped with a creamy mascarpone-yogurt sauce and buttery macadamia nuts.
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Chocolate and Pear Clafoutis
The French have such a sensible attitude towards breakfast: Chocolate is perfectly acceptable, like in this easy chocolate clafoutis.
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Fruit Crumble
Learn how to make a crumble with any fruit in 3 easy steps.
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Filed in:
Healthy Living
mediterranean
Recipe Roundup
