Discover Delicious & Affordable Mediterranean Diet Recipes That Are Easy to Make!

The Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its health benefits and delicious flavors, offers a complete meal plan that emphasizes whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and heart-healthy fats. It is not just a diet; it’s a lifestyle characterized by healthy eating habits inspired by the Mediterranean countries. The transition to a Mediterranean eating pattern can be simple and truly delightful! By focusing on whole grains, lean protein, fresh fruits, and healthy fats, you’re not just eating well - you’re embracing a lifestyle.

Understanding the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet has been called one the healthiest diets in the world. It’s a way of eating and living modeled after countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, like Italy and Greece. It’s not a strict diet, but more a set of guidelines.

Mayo Clinic stresses that a Mediterranean diet is plant based, not meat based. It’s essentially a whole food plant based diet with a bit of seafood, poultry, and dairy thrown in. One of the best things about the Mediterranean diet is that it’s all about the lifestyle. This eating philosophy originated based on the longevity of people in the Mediterranean, and researchers observed more than just eating habits.

Key Components

Focus on Whole Foods: Incorporate fresh produce like leafy greens, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs into your meals.
Healthy Fats: Use unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, while minimizing red meat and saturated fats.
Lean Proteins: Include fresh fish, chicken of all kinds including thighs, and grass-fed lean beef. Legumes are also lean proteins! These include lentils, chickpeas, and white beans.
Moderation: Enjoy richer delicious dishes in moderation, and balance high-calorie items with lighter choices.

Lifestyle Aspects

Simply eating Mediterranean diet recipes is not all there is to it.

Stay active and exercise regularly.
Avoid smoking.
Reduce the amount of stress in your lifestyle.
Adopting the Mediterranean lifestyle extends beyond food! It’s about enjoying your meals, being mindful, and sharing food with family and friends.

Tips for Eating Mediterranean on a Budget

The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest ways to eat and our budget Mediterranean recipes are not only healthy but easy on your wallet. Mediterranean diet recipes can often be budget-friendly choices because they tend to include whole plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. If fish and seafood are in the recipes, it can be more costly. Other proteins typically eaten on the diet, such as poultry, eggs, and dairy, are only eaten in moderation. Mediterranean meals with these ingredients are still typically less expensive than those that contain a lot of meat.

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Smart Shopping Strategies

Buy in Bulk: Stores like Whole Foods often have bulk food sections that have real potential for saving money. Buying Mediterranean staples like beans, nuts, grains, and seeds in bulk can be a great way to make cheap healthy meals.
Utilize Seasonal Produce: When you buy food that’s in season it’s tastier and cheaper. Local foods that are picked when ripe give you the most nutrient packed fruits and vegetables possible.
Grow Your Own Herbs: Having a culinary herb garden will bring you so much joy if you like to cook. It will also save you money!
Minimize Food Waste: Properly storing your leftovers goes a long way. Avoid waste and losing money by getting good storage containers.
Cook at Home: Making your coffee at home is the cheaper alternative to buying it at a café.

Efficient Cooking Techniques

Embrace Slow Cooking: This awesome kitchen appliance will save you a ton of time in the kitchen and help make your food taste amazing. You can usually get one for under $50 and you will thank yourself 100 times over for the pure ease of cooking with a Crock pot (Slow Cooker).
Utilize an Instant Pot: For about twice the price of a slow cooker, you can get an InstantPot pressure cooker that has the function of a slow cooker but can also be a rice cooker, sauté pan, yogurt maker, sterilizer, steamer and more!
Sheet Pan Cooking: Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Peppers and Onions is a cheap healthy meal that can be made all on one sheet pan. Save the leftovers and juices at the bottom of the pan to make a paella or any other dish that calls for chicken, peppers and onions.

Delicious and Affordable Mediterranean Recipes

These Mediterranean diet recipes make eating well delicious and simple! Want to eat the Mediterranean way? You’ve come to the right place. I’m Sonja Overhiser, and over the past 15 years, I’ve dedicated my career to mastering Mediterranean diet recipes.

Salads and Bowls

Easy Chickpea Salad: This easy Chickpea Salad recipe is healthy, vibrant and delicious! Use chickpeas, lots of chopped vegetables, and a zesty Mediterranean vinaigrette. Great as a side, or a protein and fiber-packed snack or lunch. Your line-up of vegetables can include anything you like.
Lebanese Fattoush Salad: Once you start making Lebanese Fattoush Salad, it will be ago-to favorite salad!
Mediterranean Bowl: Try this Mediterranean Bowl, bursting with colorful veggies! It’s a simple “meal in a bowl” that stars spiced roasted vegetables, seasoned with an irresistible mix of cumin, coriander, garlic and a hint of cinnamon.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad: Here’s a healthy lunch or dinner idea to spice up your routine: Mediterranean tuna salad! This spin adds crispy Mediterranean-style veggies and swaps out the classic mayonnaise for olive oil and vinegar.
Hummus Bowl: Hello and welcome to the best quick Mediterranean diet recipe idea: the Hummus Bowl! At it’s base, this simple concept requires no cooking at all: layer a dollop of hummus with crunchy veggies and greens. To make it more filling, add cooked rice (leftover or from a pre-cooked rice packet).
Falafel Salad: Here’s an irresistible Mediterranean diet recipe: this Falafel Salad! Make a batch of this easy baked falafel, then layer them with crunchy veggies and top with a creamy, zingy tahini dressing. Or, use purchased frozen falafel or even repurpose take-out leftovers!
Couscous Salad: Here’s a salad that’s about as delightful as they come: this fresh and herby Couscous Salad! It’s an ideal way to use Israeli couscous, those delightfully chewy pasta spheres. Throw it together with fresh dill and mint, garlic, lemon and a pile of vegetables, then sprinkle with salty feta.
Quinoa Salad: Here’s a workhorse Mediterranean diet salad that’s fresh, delicious and ultra versatile: this deli-style Quinoa Salad! This recipe is delightfully refreshing, a jumble of crunchy, colorful veggies, fluffy quinoa grains, and a zingy Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
Greek Watermelon Salad: Refreshing and easy to make, this Greek watermelon salad is bursting with the flavors of summer.
Horiatiki (Greek Salad): Horiatiki is the original Greek salad, made with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell pepper, sliced onion, kalamata olives, capers, and a slab of feta cheese sprinkled with oregano, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
One-Bowl Chickpea Salad: This one-bowl wonder of a salad is packed with chickpeas, olives, feta, and fresh veggies. It's a fantastic make-ahead chickpea salad that stays fresh for a couple days in the fridge.
Dill Cucumber Salad: Made with three kinds of vinegar, this dill cucumber salad is deliciously tangy and pairs nicely with all of your favorite barbecue mains.
Greek Salad with Avocado: A simple Greek salad dressing completes this easy and authentic Greek salad with the addition of creamy avocado for a simple salad side dish that goes with everything.
Nicoise Potato Salad: This easy to make Nicoise potato salad is a fun spin on a classic Nicoise salad., and it comes together in just 15 minutes!
Mediterranean Kale Salad: This hearty Mediterranean Kale Salad with roasted chickpeas, artichoke hearts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and pine nuts is brightly dressed in a lemony dressing for a filling lunch or light dinner.
Garbanzo Bean Salad: This garbanzo bean salad is the ideal Mediterranean diet recipe, and it's so quick and tasty! There’s something about the combination of herbaceous parsley, bright lemon and crunchy tomatoes and cucumber that makes magic.
Quinoa Tabbouleh: Traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur wheat, a quick cooking whole grain. But seeing as quinoa is the grain of the moment…why not try it with quinoa?

Soups and Stews

Lentil Soup: This soup is hearty, vegan, gluten-free, and simple to make. The sweet-heat of the butternut squash and cayenne are a perfect balance.
Red Lentil Curry: This delicious red lentil curry is packed with flavor and plant based protein, topped with a sparkling cilantro chutney that makes it shine!
Moroccan Stew: This Moroccan stew recipe is one of our top Mediterranean diet recipes we refer to people who want to eat more plants. Why? It’s ultra flavorful, with a blend of Moroccan spices that’s truly irresistible!
Red Lentil Soup: Lentils are one of nature’s wonders: they’re full of protein, shelf stable for years, inexpensive, and make for some of the most satisfying filling meals. Try this simple Red Lentil Soup!
Tortellini Soup: This hearty tortellini soup has a lightly sweet depth that makes you want the bowl to be never-ending. Doughy pillows of tortellini float in a tangy, tomato broth seasoned with Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese. It’s loaded up with nutrient-dense spinach and tender vegetables like carrot and fennel, which add nuance and crunch.
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup: This easy vegetarian tortilla soup recipe comes together in just 30 minutes but tastes like it simmered all day!
Chicken and Rice Soup: This chicken and rice soup recipe is a cozy, easy soup everyone will love!
Kale Soup: This kale soup is one of our favorite Mediterranean recipes, and it's done in only 30 minutes! Hearty Tuscan kale, white beans and tomatoes float in a tangy broth flavored with oregano and fennel.
Pasta and Chickpea Soup: This pasta and chickpea soup is full of big Mediterranean flavors: intense vibrant tomato, leafy Tuscan kale, and a creamy broth made with Parmesan rind.
White Bean Soup: Try this white bean soup, full of humble ingredients and huge flavor! Tender white beans float in the cozy broth with soft potatoes and leafy kale. Lemon zest lends brightness and tarragon brings an herby nuance.

Main Courses

Lemon Chicken: Lemon Chicken is one of the best-and easiest-ways to prepare chicken!
Falafel Waffles: Enjoy the crispy, savory flavors of falafel waffles, and no frying!
Lentil Pilaf: This pilaf is made with lentils, caramelized onions, and rice or coarse bulgur. This combo is called the “perfect protein”!
Lebanese Stuffed Eggplant: One of the most savory delicious Lebanese recipes! Lebanese stuffed eggplant with tomato sauce can be made as stuffed halves (boats) or layered slices.
Kibbeh: Often referred to as the national dish of Lebanon, this flavorful combination of ground meat, bulgur, and spices offers a delightful taste of Mediterranean culture.
Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes & Feta: Here’s a Mediterranean diet recipe with a total wow factor: this Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes & Feta! The tender, flaky fish is covered in a lemon garlic sauce, cozied up with burst cherry tomatoes, Mediterranean seasonings and gooey bits of feta cheese.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies: This easy sheet pan chicken and veggies combines seasoned chicken breasts with colorful vegetables for a complete meal made on one pan! This simple method ensures juicy chicken and tender roasted vegetables with minimal cleanup.
Veggie Protein Bowls: These veggie protein bowls are my go-to weeknight dinner that’s nutritious, filling, and quick! With roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas, creamy cottage cheese, and a drizzle of honey mustard sauce, they’re simple and customizable.
Greek Chicken: Here’s a recipe that’s a total winner every night of the week: Greek chicken. We’re suckers for colorful one pot recipes, and this Mediterranean diet meal has charisma in spades.
Eggplant Rollatini: Here’s a delightful Italian eggplant dish that makes dinnertime more special: Eggplant Rollatini! It’s like a combination of eggplant Parmesan and lasagna roll ups.
Chimichurri Salmon: This chimichurri salmon pairs moist flaky salmon with the tangy, garlicky punch of this herby sauce-these flavors were made for each other!
Chicken Piccata: Here’s a classic dish that impresses every time: chicken piccata! Tender, golden-brown chicken cutlets are bathed in a vibrant lemon-butter sauce with pops of briny capers.
Shrimp Fra Diavolo: Looking for easy Mediterranean dinner recipes? Try Shrimp Fra Diavolo! This Italian-style dish stars tender shrimp that swim in a garlicky, spicy tomato sauce.
Pesto Salmon: Ready for the perfect Mediterranean sauce to add life to baked salmon? Try this pesto salmon! Bright green pesto goes hand in hand with tender baked fish to make a stunning dinner.
Mahi Mahi: Got a fillet of mahi mahi? Try this easy mahi mahi recipe! It’s simply pan-fried with lemon, garlic and herbs until it’s tender and juicy.
Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich: This Mediterranean veggie sandwich was inspired by our recent trip to Italy. The bread is spread with basil pesto and Kalamata olive spread, and then it’s filled with grilled eggplant, juicy ripe tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.
Couscous Bowls: These Mediterranean diet couscous bowls recipe is a common repeat in our dinner recipes repertoire. Why? In just 25 minutes, you have a fresh bowl of delicious vegetables that’s smothered in a tangy lemon tahini sauce.
Paella: This traditional Spanish rice dish is actually easy to make at home: we promise! You don't even need a fancy pan: a large skillet will do. Smoked paprika adds an earthy flair to the rice, which is topped with veggies, artichokes and shrimp.
Pesto Chicken: Combine basil pesto with a bit of cream and it makes a stunning fresh sauce for juicy chicken breasts!
Shrimp Stir Fry: Here’s a go-to in the fast and easy dinner category: shrimp stir fry! It’s quick to put together and the umami-packed stir fry sauce is full of irresistible flavor.
White Bean Shakshuka: This white bean shakshuka recipe is a tasty Mediterranean diet recipe that works for brunch or dinner! Shakshuka is a dish of eggs poached in a tomato sauce that originates from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean regions.
Grilled Salmon: If you’re looking for a healthy seafood recipe that fits into the Mediterranean diet: here’s the one! The flaky fish is bursting with savory, smoky flavor from the grill.
Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Fennel and Lemon Juice: Season chicken thighs with garlic, fennel, and lemon juice, sear and then braise for a succulent and flavorful main course.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers: These grilled shrimp skewers are marinated in the most delicious, zesty lemon-garlic marinade, then grilled with the tails on for maximum flavor.
Mediterranean Rice Bowl: This Mediterranean rice bowl is ready in just 30 minutes, packed with colorful vegetables and bright flavors!
Quinoa Bowls: Bowl meals are popular because they're one of the easiest ways to turn random ingredients into a healthy dinner! A good grain bowl has to be well-seasoned, and play up contrasts in color, texture and flavor.
Baked Shrimp: This baked shrimp is so easy and the shrimp come out juicy and perfectly seasoned with Mediterranean flavors like garlic and herbs.
Barley Salad: Here’s a unique grain salad that you won’t be able to resist: try Barley Salad! Whole grain barley isn’t often the star in a salad; typically trendier grains like quinoa and farro rein supreme.
Chickpea Burgers: These chickpea burgers full of whole foods are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a hint of nuance from smoked paprika.
Pan Fried Tilapia: When it comes to easy and healthy weeknight meals, fish is ideal: it cooks quickly and it’s full of protein and omega 3s. So why not try another way to make it taste amazing: this Pan Fried Tilapia! Coat the white fish fillets in seasonings and flour and pan fry them in a bit of olive oil. The tilapia comes out savory and tender with a light crispy coating: in minutes!

Appetizers and Sides

Mediterranean 7-Layer Dip: Layer it! Take the classic 7-layer dip and make it Mediterranean with hummus, avocado, tomatoes, olives, labneh, olive oil, spices (sumac!), and anything else your creative mind and refrigerator may suggest!
Falafel: These crispy falafel balls made from chickpeas and fresh herbs can be stuffed into pita bread, topped with turnip pickles, chopped tomatoes, and a drizzle of tahini sauce.
Hushweh: This is Hushweh, a favorite for anyone at the table. Reheats beautifully on the stove or in the microwave; just sprinkle with a bit of water or broth before reheating.
Hummus with Sautéed Red Bell Pepper: Use hummus as a base for sauteed red bell pepper seasoned with your favorite spices. Try taking them spicy with cayenne pepper and a shower of fresh herbs.
Homemade Hummus: The best homemade hummus recipe you can make or eat is here! Follow my simple recipe for how to make smooth, excellent homemade hummus using just a few ingredients and tips to get there.
Shakshuka: Once you start making shakshuka, you’ll see how adaptable it is to whatever garnishes you have on hand. I love to use labneh because it’s always at the ready in my refrigerator, but feta cheese and olives also make it great.
Hummus Dip: Here’s a Meditteranean diet recipe that’s ideal for snacks or entertaining: Hummus Dip! This one even doubles as a tasty snack or a light dinner with a few other filling appetizers.
Easy Veggie Wrap: In need of lunch ideas? Try this easy veggie wrap recipe! Veggie wraps can be bland and boring, but this one is anything but. Fill a tortilla with savory chickpea salad, colorful veggies, and a tasty spread, and you’ve got a lunch that will make everyone jealous!
Asparagus Risotto: Creamy, savory, crunchy, and zingy: this asparagus risotto is truly sublime. Roast up some asparagus with lemon at the same time that you’re stirring up a creamy risotto on the stovetop.
Whipped Ricotta Crostini: Creamy, peppered whipped ricotta is slathered on slices of crostini toasts and topped with jammy roasted cherry tomatoes to make an easy appetizer or simple breakfast or lunch.
Mediterranean-Inspired Swiss Chard and Chickpeas: This Mediterranean-inspired Swiss chard and chickpeas recipe is packed with nutrition for a quick-cooked side dish that goes with just about everything.

Other Ideas

Pizza: Is pizza a Mediterranean diet recipe? When it's this healthy pizza, it is! It starts with our Easy Thin Crust pizza dough. Then it's slathered with our tangy, garlicky Easy Pizza Sauce. Top that with caramelized peppers and onions, fresh arugula, and a handful of grated Parmesan cheese.
Instant Pot Oatmeal: Instant Pot oatmeal takes just a few minutes to prepare and can be doctored up using any sweet or savory toppings you like. Use steel cut or old-fashioned oats, and a blend of milk and water for the creamiest oatmeal of your life.
Parmesan Crusted Salmon: This Parmesan crusted salmon is a delicious easy dinner that’s surprisingly quick to prepare. The crispy, flavorful topping perfectly complements the tender salmon!
Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos: I’m always looking for plant-based dinners that are both healthy and satisfying. After years of making meatless meals in my kitchen, these sweet potato black bean tacos have become my favorite plant-based dinner that even my meat-loving friends love!
Turkey Burgers: Say goodbye to dry, crumbly turkey burgers and hello to moist and juicy patties that can be cooked in a skillet, on the grill, or in the oven.
Marinated Shrimp Skewers: Try these go-to Marinated Shrimp S…

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