The Mediterranean diet has become widely popular due to it being known as perhaps the world’s healthiest diet. It mostly consists of eating fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish, and lean protein. The idea is to avoid processed foods, and focus on a whole food eating plan.
Essentially, it’s a great way to live an overall healthier lifestyle. My favorite thing about this diet is that it isn’t super restrictive. There are so many things that you can eat that actually taste good.
Common Mediterranean foods and examples include:
- Fresh Vegetables – (ex. artichokes, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and cabbage)
- Fresh Fruits – (ex. berries, avocados, apricots, lemons, figs, dates, bananas, pomegranate, and oranges)
- Herbs & Spices – (ex. basil, thyme, tarragon, cumin, mint, and parsley)
- Healthy Oils & Fats – (ex. extra-virgin olive oil, grape seed oil, and avocado oil)
- Seafood & Poultry – lean proteins in moderation
- Dairy & Eggs – (ex. low-fat milk and greek yogurt)
- Nuts & Seeds – (ex. flax, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds)
- Whole Grains – (ex. couscous, polenta, and quinoa)
- Beans & Legumes – (ex. black beans, chickpeas, hummus, and pinto beans)
Foods that you should avoid on the Mediterranean diet include:
- Butter and other trans fats
- Full-fat dairy products
- Red meat – allowed in moderation
- Highly processed foods and meats like bacon and sausage
- Refined oils like vegetable oil
- Added Sugars
The Meditteranean recipes on this list all fall under these guidelines, and are so good you won’t feel like your missing out on anything! I’ve broken these recipes down by breakfast, lunch, and dinner to help you get started with a solid Mediterranean diet meal plan. Click on the links highlighted in pink for full recipes.
Mediterranean Breakfast Recipes
Creamy Oatmeal Bowls with Raspberries Seeds and Honey
Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with Spinach Tomato and Feta
Mediterranean Potato Hash with Asparagus, Chickpeas, and Poached Eggs
Mediterranean Breakfast Sandwiches
Mediterranean Lunch Recipes
Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Pan Seared Salmon with Mediterranean Salsa Fresca and Couscous
Easy Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce
Greek Burger with Tzatziki, Tapenade, & Feta
The Ultimate Mediterranean Bowl
Greek Turkey Meatball Gyro with Tzatziki
Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Paprika, Cumin, and Fresh Dill
Ortine’s Mediterranean Platter
Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes
Mediterranean Dinner Recipes
Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken
Fresh Tomato and Ricotta Whole Wheat Pasta
One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken Recipe with Tomatoes and Green Olives
Whole Wheat Pasta with Walnut-Sage Pesto and Roasted Delicata Squash
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken + Dill Greek Yogurt Sauce
5 Ingredient Lemon Chicken with Asparagus
Lamb Chops & Farro, Arugula, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
Broiled Swordfish with Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce
Don’t forget to pin these Mediterranean recipes for later!
Meaghan says
While I think that this is a great list of recipes, you mention above that butter is to be avoided when following a Mediterranean diet, and yet butter was one of the ingredients in the first recipe I read. So now I’m a little confused, is butter something I want to include in my 30 day Mediterranean challenge or not? Couldn’t I use olive oil instead? Butter is an ingredient in your quiche recipe.
Ivana says
use olive, grapeseed or avacado oil. I always use one of those instead of butter.