Mediterranean cuisine is renowned for its fresh, vibrant flavors and healthy ingredients. These recipes are all delicious and include tons of flavor. Focusing on fresh vegetables, herbs, and lean proteins, Mediterranean side dishes are not only delicious but also contribute to a balanced and nutritious diet. From refreshing salads to hearty soups and flavorful dips, there's a Mediterranean side dish to complement any meal.
Refreshing Salads
Salads are a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, showcasing the region's abundant fresh produce. These salads are perfect as a light side dish or a refreshing starter.
Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)
This delicious tabouli salad recipe (tabbouleh and tabbouli) is heavy on fresh herbs and tomatoes. It's a herbaceous salad that's versatile and can be served in many ways and pairs well with many main dishes. This traditional Arabic salad combines chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions with spices and herbs for a refreshing, delicious side dish! You'll love the bright, crisp flavors in this veggie salad. This dish is incredibly popular across the Middle East.
Turkish Chopped Salad (Shepherd's Salad - Çoban Salatası)
This easy Turkish chopped salad is called Shepherd's Salad (Çoban Salatası or Choban Salad). It's made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and can be topped with feta. It's called "salad of the people" because it's made with common, seasonal ingredients like tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper. Combine the diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion in a large bowl.
Turkish Cucumber Salad
This delicious and easy Turkish cucumber salad is made with a few simple ingredients and includes a tasty Greek yogurt dressing.
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Arabic Salad
This Middle Eastern salad is a cinch to make and full of fresh ingredients. It's an Arabic chopped salad with a combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh mint, and a quick vinaigrette. This Arabic salad is similar to fattoush salad in that it has tomatoes and cucumbers as the main ingredients, but it's quicker and easier to make.
Caprese Salad
This delicious cherry tomato caprese salad is a standout recipe. This easy Caprese salad is the perfect summer side salad and saves well in the refrigerator so you can make it ahead of a party, BBQ, or picnic.
Italian Tomato Salad (Insalata di Pomodori)
This fresh Italian tomato salad recipe (Insalata di Pomodori) is a simple, easy summer side dish. It's perfect for a BBQ or picnic and absolutely bursting with fresh flavors. This bright, easy tomato salad is topped with a basil tarragon pesto and toasted pine nuts. It's truly delightful and makes a wonderful summer side dish.
Israeli Couscous Salad
This Israeli couscous salad with zucchini, mozzarella, and tomatoes is hearty and full of bright flavors. The vegetables in this dish can be quite flexible - add more zucchini if you'd like or substitute it for eggplant or other squash. It's really a delicious side dish option.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Feta
This 15-minute Mediterranean chickpea salad with feta is a fantastic recipe that's quick to pull together. It's got loads of fresh flavors and is a great side salad recipe. It's made with a few simple ingredients, including some pantry ingredients.
Read also: Delicious Mediterranean Recipes
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
This delicious Mediterranean pasta salad feeds a crowd. It's got loads of fresh veggies and bright ingredients. It's a flavorful vegetarian side salad perfect for a BBQ. This recipe is easy to make too. It's full of fresh foods like a mix of orange, yellow and red bell peppers, feta cheese, kalamata olives, tomatoes and fresh herbs. It's a real treat and one of the most delicious side dish recipes.
Grilled Halloumi Salad
This grilled halloumi salad is a tasty, savory Mediterranean recipe!
Mediterranean Summer Salad
This Mediterranean Summer Salad recipe is heavy on tomatoes, fresh herbs, and flavor. This is an easy, healthy recipe that showcases summer produce.
Hearty Soups
From light and refreshing to rich and satisfying, these soups capture the essence of Mediterranean cuisine.
Mediterranean Lentil Soup with Potatoes and Spinach
This Mediterranean lentil soup with potatoes and spinach is hearty, healthy, and easy to make! It takes a little time to simmer, but it makes a large pot of delicious soup. You will love the Mediterranean flavors in this hearty soup.
Read also: Mediterranean Diet, Instant Pot Style
Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
This delicious Turkish lentil soup recipe (called mercimek çorbası) is a velvety soup with loads of flavor.
Spring Minestrone Soup
This hearty, spring minestrone soup recipe is a delicious celebration of spring vegetables. Asparagus, spinach, and leeks all shine in this minestrone soup.
Vegetable Dishes
Vegetables take center stage in Mediterranean cuisine, often prepared simply to highlight their natural flavors.
Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables
These delicious grilled Mediterranean vegetables are a perfect side dish. They're char-grilled to perfection and topped with herbs, olive oil, and lemon juice. Grilling veggies enriches their flavor for a simple but tasty dish.
Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms
These pan-fried oyster mushrooms are a fantastic side dish! Oyster mushrooms are one of the most delicious types of mushrooms. They're savory and delicate with a mild, earthy flavor that pairs well with so many dishes.
Other Delightful Side Dishes
Turkish Potato Salad
This tasty Turkish potato salad is a hearty and filling side dish that's so flavorful. The combination of bell peppers, green onions, fresh herbs, and kicky spices really makes this dish special.
One-Pot Orzo with White Beans
This hearty one-pot orzo with white beans meal is bursting with flavor - from fresh greens to sun-dried tomatoes, this dish has it all! You'll love how the Mediterranean flavors combine for a cozy and delicious meal. This recipe is surprisingly easy to make.
Pesto Pasta Salad
This healthy pesto pasta salad recipe is full of flavor. The roasted veggies, grilled corn, and pesto make this a standout summer recipe. This recipe is a perfect side dish for summer BBQs or a picnic and can be served warm or cold.
Focaccia Bread
Focaccia bread is a wonderful side dish, especially when eating soup or pasta. Making decorated focaccia bread art is so fun (and it tastes great)! This recipe is delicious and looks beautiful on the dinner table. In addition to a tasty bread recipe, I'll show you how to decorate focaccia bread for many different seasons to impress your guests.
Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Pasta Shells
These spinach artichoke stuffed pasta shells are a delicious, vegetarian recipe. They're cheesy pasta deliciousness at its best!
Muhammara
Muhammara is a delicious, lightly spicy dip made from roast red bell peppers and walnuts.
Hummus
This delicious, homemade hummus recipe is the creamiest dip. Hummus is the chickpea dip we all love, but not all hummus is created equal. In fact, if not prepared properly, hummus can be grainy or too thick.
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