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25 Easy Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Maureen Abood

Jan 04, 2025, Updated Jan 03, 2026

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Here are 25 easy Mediterranean Diet recipes all born out of Lebanese cuisine, food that defines this ultra-healthy diet in incredibly delicious ways.

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The Mediterranean diet is celebrated for its health benefits and delicious flavors, offering a complete meal plan that emphasizes whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and heart-healthy fats. In particular, because Lebanon is perched directly on the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanese recipes showcase some of the very best of Mediterranean cuisine, delivering simple yet satisfying and flavorful dishes that also promote a healthy lifestyle.

Why Choose the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is not just a diet; it’s a lifestyle characterized by healthy eating habits inspired by the Mediterranean countries. It promotes the consumption of whole grains, plant-based foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil. U.S. News and World Report consistently rates the Mediterranean Diet one of the best diets due to its numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and even enhancing brain function.

Key Principles of the Mediterranean Diet

1. Focus on Whole Foods: Incorporate fresh produce like leafy greens, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs into your meals. You’ll find fresh mint, parsley, and more in Lebanese recipes.
2. Healthy Fats: Use unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, while minimizing red meat and saturated fats. Healthy fats also include yogurt, labneh, and Greek yogurt.
3. 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. Together with high-protein, high-fiber grains such as bulgur and legumes make for a significant and healthy part of a complete meal.
4. Complex Carbohydrates: Choose whole grains, such as bulgur and brown rice and lean toward wheat breads such as whole wheat pita bread over white bread.
5. Moderation: Is this not the key word for all of life?! Enjoy richer delicious dishes in moderation, and balance high-calorie items with lighter choices. Keeping favorite yet infrequent treats in your diet makes it easier to hold to eating healthier the rest of the time.

25 Easy Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Here are 25 easy Mediterranean diet recipes that not only get us excited to cook and eat well, but also can support heart health and even weight loss. 

Falafel Bowls

Create nutritious and delicious falafel bowls with this easy recipe. Packed with fresh veggies, creamy hummus, and crispy falafel. Explore your refrigerator for options to add to your bowl, and include your favorite salads, cooked chicken and other meats, and cooked grains too!

Falafel Waffles

Enjoy the crispy, savory flavors of falafel waffles, and no frying! Simple ingredients, easy steps, and full of flavor—perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Lebanese Mujadara

This pilaf is made with lentils, caramelized onions, and rice or coarse bulgur. This combo is called the “perfect protein”! My recipe will work for you every time.

Lebanese Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas and Kale

This soup is hearty, vegan, gluten-free, and simple to make. The sweet-heat of the butternut squash and cayenne are a perfect balance. The chickpeas and kale make the soup a great main dish, filling and satisfying.

Simple 7 Spice Chicken

This baked chicken yields deep golden color with mouthwatering flavor from 7 Spice, a blend of many spices that imparts hallmark Middle Eastern flavor.

Chickpea Feta 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. A mix of colors and a lot of crunch is the goal.

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken is one of the best–and easiest–ways to prepare chicken! It's big on lemon flavor, and the chicken is moist and tender.

Fattoush Salad

Once you start making Lebanese Fattoush Salad, it will be ago-to favorite salad! My Fattoush recipe is an authentic Lebanese salad made with fresh vegetables, an addictive tangy Fattoush dressing, and pita chips.

Za’atar Chicken

This is a simple recipe that puts za'atar, the beloved Lebanese spice blend of wild thyme, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds, in a starring role in a garlicky, lemony marinade.

Mediterranean 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! Use vegetables for dipping, or pita chips.

Lebanese Spicy Fish

Fresh fish fillets with tahini sauce and pine nuts is fabulous and can be jazzed up further with cherry tomatoes, olives, and a drizzle of olive oil for a dish that’s both easy to prepare and full of heart-healthy fatty acids.

Chicken Rice Pilaf

This is Hashweh, 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. For the shredded chicken, roast a whole chicken, or bone-in or skinless breasts. A grocery-store roasted chicken is also a fast option. Serve the hushweh with a green salad and a dollop of labneh (Greek yogurt).

Hummus with Spicy Red Peppers

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. Mouthwatering!

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. Get your vegetable sticks ready to dip and enjoy!

Shakshuka with Avocado, Labneh, and Za’atar

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. Even with no garnishes at all, shakshuka saves the day.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

This recipe comes together in no time, with a quick 30-minute marinade and a grill time of just 6 minutes. You can also expand the recipe with tremendous ease! The shrimp makes a great appetizer, or a main dish served with rice and salads, or served over fattoush.

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. Both methods are here and both yield equally savory goodness. The layered version handles a full pound of ground beef or lamb.

Baked 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. This one takes a touch more doing, but it’s worth it!

Tabbouleh

A refreshing salad made with bulgur, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and a dressing of lemon juice and olive oil, tabbouleh is ideal for adding freshness to your meals. Fine bulgur is a healthy grain but does contain gluten. A good substitute is quinoa that has been rinsed and cooked.

Roasted Cauliflower Shawarma

Roast cauliflower florets and red onion tossed in shawarma spices, olive oil and lemon juice for a simple side that brings out the vegetable’s natural sweetness.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

This quick salad recipe incorporates couscous, cherry tomatoes, olives, and fresh herbs, tossed in a zesty vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Baba Ganoush

Roasted eggplant blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic creates this creamy dip that’s perfect for pairing with whole wheat pita or fresh vegetables. High in fiber and healthy fats, baba ganoush is a staple in any Mediterranean kitchen.

Chicken Shawarma

Your simple, succulent grill (or baked!) favorite is here! Spices for the marinade bring huge flavor, along with char from the grill or broiler for that hallmark shawarma goodness.

Lebanese Lentil Soup, Rushta

Packed with dietary fiber and rich in protein, this hearty lentil soup uses simple ingredients for a satisfying vegetarian meal.

Cabbage Salad

My easy cabbage salad drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with garlic and lemon juice is a winner on all scores: the salad comes together in 10 minutes tops, packs incredible fresh flavor in just a few ingredients, and is at home with most every grilled meat, vegetable, and wrap you can think of.

Incorporating Mediterranean Diet Principles into Your Daily Life

The transition to a Mediterranean eating pattern can be simple and truly delightful! It focuses on variety, so think of it as an opportunity to explore new tastes and dishes that include lots of healthy recipes using simple ingredients. Start with meal planning by choosing two or three recipes from this list each week. Select fresh produce from your grocery store, incorporating seasonal items for the best flavor and nutrients.

Health Benefits Beyond the Plate

Adopting the Mediterranean lifestyle extends beyond food! It’s about enjoying your meals, being mindful, and sharing food with family and friends. In other words: filling your table with love! 

Incorporating these 25 easy Mediterranean diet recipes into your weekly meal rotation is a delicious and effective way to enhance your diet and promote overall health. Each recipe showcases authentic Lebanese cuisine, providing both flavor and nutrition. By focusing on whole grains, lean protein, fresh fruits, and healthy fats, you’re not just eating well — you’re embracing a lifestyle. From heart-healthy dishes using olive oil and garlic to refreshing salads packed with leafy greens, the Mediterranean way of eating offers countless delicious dishes that cater to all tastes and dietary needs.

The best part? You can enjoy these meals knowing you’re making choices that benefit your long-term health. It’s time to dig in, savor every bite, and relish following these easy Mediterranean diet recipes.