35 simple Mediterranean recipes anyone can make

And we mean anyone can make these fast and simple Mediterranean recipes! Fresh, flavorful, colorful and healthy these simple Mediterranean dishes are great for anyone wanting to enjoy a more balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle on a daily basis.

This collection features traditional and not-so-traditional Mediterranean recipes including simple breakfast ideas, side dishes, salads and soups, and of course – simple dinners.

So take a look and make sure to save this list of simple Mediterranean recipes for when you need some inspiration in the kitchen!

Mediterranean Breakfast Recipes

These Mediterranean breakfast ideas are made with simple wholesome ingredients like whole grains, vegetables, fruit, yogurt, seeds and nuts that are typical for the Mediterranean diet. The solid way to start your day!

1. Mediterranean Breakfast Avocado Toasts

These avocado toasts are topped with eggs and fresh vegetables like scallions, tomatoes, peppers, basil and olives. You will love how satisfying and filling this version of a breakfast toast actually is! Recipe here.

2. Mediterranean Breakfast Bowls

Feta cheese, olives, scallions and peppers make it into these Mediterranean-style scrambled eggs. You can enjoy these eggs with some bread and tomato sauce or as they are for a more low-carb version. Recipe here.

3. Yogurt, Fruit and Nuts Bowls

If sweet breakfast is more your thing, you definitely should try these healthy yogurt bowls with nuts and fruit. Add some honey, fruit and nuts of choice to a cup of yogurt and your breakfast is ready. Recipe here.

4. Crustless Tuna Quiche

Quiche is one of our favorite things to enjoy for breakfast! This version is made without a crust and with canned tuna and it is perfectly healthy and simple to make. It’s a great make-ahead breakfast and you can even bake it into muffins too. The recipe is here.

5. Healthy Breakfast Apple Cake

We grew up in Bulgaria, which is right next to Turkey and we remember as a child having this satisfying apple cake from a Turkish store we had in our little town. It was so lovely! This oatmeal apple cake truly reminds us of that apple cake and it’s just wonderful for breakfast. Recipe here.

Mediterranean Appetizer And Side Dish Recipes

One of our favorite things about Mediterranean cuisine is that the meals are usually built from many small dishes, like appetizers. Think tapas in Spain or mezze in Greece, Turkey or Lebanon. All satisfying on their own, but when they come together – magic happens.

You can customize your own dinner plate by adding a little bit of this, a little bit of that…we mean, some falafels with hummus, pita bread and salad makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner for us.

Here are some of our favorite Mediterranen-style appetizers and sides that you can even use to build your own bowls.

6. Quinoa Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a popular salad made with thinly chopped parsley, tomatoes, onion and bulgur. This gluten-free version is made with quinoa and tastes fresh and lemony. It pairs well with legume-based patties like falafel or with grilled fish and meat. Recipe here.

7. Feta Garlic Appetizer

You only need four ingredients and about three minutes to whip up this simple Mediterranean appetizer: feta, garlic, olive oil and parsley. It is so good and pairs well with fresh salads or roasted vegetables like peppers, potatoes, zucchini or eggplant. Recipe here.

8. Spicy Chickpea Patties

These simple vegan chickpea patties are simple to make and much quicker than falafel. They’re made with canned chickpeas, paprika, garlic and zucchini and go well with salad, olives, feta cheese (you can try the feta garlic appetizer too). Great for meal prep too! Recipe here.

9. Tomato Cucumber Salad

There are many, many ways to make tomato and cucumber salad. This one is made with fresh dill, onions and peppers and is a healthy side dish to meat, seafood or vegetarian dishes. It goes well with feta cheese, hummus, tzatziki and bread too! Recipe here.

10. Tomatoes and Green Beans

This is a great simple dish to make with frozen green beans, onions, garlic and tomatoes. Just a few ingredients this is a tasty vegetarian meal that you can serve with fresh bread and a simple yogurt garlic sauce. Recipe here.

11. Mediterranean Garlic “Roasted” Vegetables

These Mediterranean garlic roasted vegetables are a tasty healthy addition to your dinner table. Flavorful and simple to make in just 10 minutes on the stove. Recipe here.

12. A reliable Simple Hummus

Hummus can be made in many different ways for example with cumin and other spices, thicker with more tahini or more lemony. Some versions require you to soak and cook chickpeas in order to make hummus, but you can make this easier version using canned chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt and tahini. It is so good and fluffy!

You can enjoy hummus on your breakfast toast, with dinner, with salad and meat or for a fast snack during the day. Recipe here.

13. Roasted Pepper Feta Dip

If you love roasted peppers, feta and garlic, this is the dip to make. You can make it from scratch by roasting the peppers yourself or you can use already roasted peppers and make it in no longer than 10 minutes.

The roasted pepper dip is great for breakfast on toast, or at lunch and dinner with some salad, meat and bread. Recipe here.

14. Tomato, Avocado Arugula Salad

This arugula and tomato salad with avocado might not be your typical Mediterranean dish, but it fits perfectly into the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. It’s healthy, colorful and simple to make.

Serve with bread, cheese, hummus, tzatziki and protein of choice like legumes, meat or seafood. Recipe here.

15. Feta Black Bean Balls

No need for an egg in order to make these delightful black bean and feta balls. They’re spicy, make a ready-to-eat snack and are best served with avocado-based sauces and fresh salad. Recipe here.

16. Simple Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a traditional Greek dish made with strained yogurt, olive oil, cucumbers and garlic. Depending on your preference you may or may not want to add fresh dill, mint and lemon juice. While typical for Greece, there are many similar dishes in other Mediterranean countries, the Balkans and the Middle east.

In this recipe you will find two simple tzatziki variations: one with yogurt and a dairy-free version using cashews. Both satisfying and great with legumes, salad, grilled meat and seafood. Recipe here.

17. Zucchini Feta Appetizer

Five ingredients, ten minutes and a lot of love go into this notable feta zucchini appetizer. It’s scrumptious and will definitely add a lot of Mediterranean flavor to your dinner.

Serve at dinner to share with others, it goes well with roasted vegetables, legumes like chickpeas or lentils, fresh salad for a vegetarian option. It will, again, also go well with meat and seafood. Recipe here.

18. Simple Turkey Meatballs

No need for breadcrumbs to make these healthy turkey meatballs. Made with pesto and cheese these will go well with a tomato-based sauce and cooked pasta or couscous. Recipe here.

19. Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

This salad tastes so, SO much better than it looks. Ripe tomatoes and cucumbers meet roasted peppers, eggplant and Manouri cheese and that meeting is a satisfying one. This is a great side dish for chickpea patties, served with hummus and some bread. Recipe here.

20. Bulgur With Spinach

If you’ve never had bulgur, try it with this simple bulgur and spinach recipe. This vegan dish is simple, yet so tasty. You can have it as a side dish or you can enjoy it as the main meal as well. Recipe here.

21. Roasted Vegetable Dip

Never knew roasted carrots can taste this good! This vegetable dip is vegan and great on some toast for breakfast or to enjoy with dinner. Recipe here.

Salad And Soup Mediterranean Recipes

Salads and soups are great healthy options for dinner or lunch and these recipes are all bursting with Mediterranean flavor! Most of the soup and salads here build on legumes and grains, but there are some tasty options with chicken as well.

22. Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

There are so many Mediterranean chickpea salad recipes out there. We have personally made about five of them over the years…Why? Because they’re so tasty! And take just a little bit of time to make.

However, if you want to have a reliable chickpea salad, you need to try this recipe. We're telling you, it is AMAZING. The secret is in the roasted vegetables they bring this salad to a whole other level. Recipe here.

23. Mediterranean Black Bean Salad

This Mediterranean black bean salad is loaded with herbs, feta cheese and roasted vegetables. It is fresh, tasty and ready in about 5 minutes. You can serve it as a main or side dish. Recipe here.

24. Healthy Quinoa Salad With Roasted Vegetables And Feta

This is a beautiful healthy Mediterranean version of quinoa salad! Roasted peppers and cauliflower, feta cheese, tomatoes and arugula go so well with some cooked quinoa. Recipe here.

25. Mediterranean Cobb Salad

This is a simple, lightened-up version of Cobb salad that will fit the Mediterranean diet perfectly. The list of ingredients includes eggs, cooked chicken, avocado, and olives for a satisfying healthy lunch. The recipe is low carb and paleo. You can find it here.

26. Home-cooked Bean Soup

You can cook your bean soup from scratch using dried beans and that’s actually the more authentic way to do it. However, if you’re short on time, you can also use canned beans. We promise you, with this Mediterranean bean soup you will not sacrifice the flavor. Recipe here.

27. Chicken and Chickpea Soup

One of our favorite meals in the whole world is home-cooked chicken soup! Just, nothing beats it, okay…Some crushed black pepper and parsley on top, even if we're craving pizza at the moment, chicken soup always, always wins. This variation is made with chickpeas and noodles and it tastes so good. Recipe here.

28. Bulgur, Red Lentil Spinach Soup

This is a simple, comforting vegan soup with red lentils, bulgur and spinach. It is absolutely satisfying, healthy and great for the Mediterranean diet. The recipe is here.

Mediterranean Dinner Recipes

Mediterranean dinner recipes can be simple, or colorful, vegetarian or meat-based, but they’re always satisfying. As we mentioned before, you can easily customize your own dinner plate by just making the appetizers above, however, we also wanted to share some of our favorite simple recipes that we often make for dinner. And here we are.

29. Leftover Gyros Bowls

If you have bought some rotisserie chicken and wonder what to do with the leftovers, try this gyro bowl recipe! Save it for later if you don’t have the rotisserie or leftover chicken right now. You will definitely need it, because the bowls are SO good. So healthy, so simple and so fast. All done in 20 minutes. Recipe here.

30. Spicy Mediterranean Bowls

Spicy chickpeas, hummus, avocado and lots of vegetables are the things that make these Mediterranean bowls absolutely satisfying and healthy. If you decide to, you can adjust the servings and make this ahead for the week too! Recipe here.

31. Vegetarian Hummus Wraps

Hummus wraps are popular right now and when you try this Mediterranean recipe you will understand why. A hummus wrap is basically the vegetarian, simplified, easier version of shawarma or falafel wrap and it tastes so notable.

These wraps are filled with hummus, spicy chickpeas, vegetables and an notable sauce with garlic and zucchini. Recipe here.

32. Garlic Shrimp In Tomato Sauce

When we tell you, you can make this entire dinner recipe with just 5 ingredients, would you believe us?

Yes, it is that simple and while it’s simple, it’s packed with Mediterranean flavor. Serve with some bread of choice, you will love it. Recipe here.

33. Mediterranean Salmon Wraps

If you love salmon and Mediterranean cuisine, these wraps are a must-try! They’re similar to gyros, but lighter and made with baked salmon. The baked salmon is then wrapped in a flatbread of choice together with tzatziki sauce and chopped vegetables. It is just wonderful! Recipe here.

34. One-Pan Rice, Spinach and Chicken

Comfort food, made a bit healthier. This is how we would describe this home-cooked chicken and rice recipe. Much like chicken soup, this variation of rice and chicken is something we can rarely resist. The rice, chicken, spinach and chickpeas are all cooked together in one pan and it’s solid. Recipe here.

35. Mediterranean Baked Falafel Bowls

Baked falafel is a great option if you want to avoid deep-frying! These falafels are packed with vegetables, chickpeas and are kind of addictive. Serve with tzatziki sauce, olives and salad for an simple vegetarian dinner. You can also add some hummus or any of the appetizers listed above. Recipe here.