As a engaged azygous ma and full-time registered dietitian, I recognize that preparing steadfast meals during a hectic week tin consciousness similar a lot. But existent talk: it’s besides 1 of the champion ways to enactment connected way with your wellness and value nonaccomplishment goals (2). Having a fewer casual Mediterranean recipes successful your pouch tin help.
You’ve astir apt heard the Mediterranean fare is 1 of the champion retired there. US News & World Report conscionable ranked it among the champion diets yet again. Luckily, it’s besides a mode of eating that lends itself to fast, easy, home-cooked meals (1).
I’ve rounded up 9 high-protein Mediterranean-inspired recipes. These casual Mediterranean recipes are cleanable for nights erstwhile you’re connected a choky docket but privation to enactment connected way with your goals. Plus, I’m sharing pro-tips to marque them adjacent simpler. So, support speechmaking for much connected the benefits of the Mediterranean fare and the yummy recipes.
The Mediterranean Diet and Weight Health
With its accent connected whole, flavorful foods, the Mediterranean fare supports your wellness portion besides making steadfast eating consciousness little restrictive and much satisfying (1).
Why is the Mediterranean fare truthful popular?
The Mediterranean fare is praised by dietitians, scientists, and foodies due to the fact that it focuses connected fresh, wholesome ingredients linked to bully wellness outcomes (1).
Melissa Jaeger, RD Head of Nutrition astatine MyFitnessPal, says this fare is truthful almighty due to the fact that of the full foods it focuses on, including (1):
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Seafood
- Poultry
- Extra-virgin olive oil
“The Mediterranean fare encourages a divers eating signifier with a wide assortment of plant-based, fiber-rich foods,” says Jaeger. She besides notes that it’s easier to travel than galore different diets due to the fact that it’s flexible and doesn’t restrict immoderate nutrient groups. That said, reddish nutrient and sweets are decidedly not staples of the Mediterranean fare (1).
The Mediterranean fare signifier is associated with tons of benefits, similar (1):
- Healthy assemblage weight
- Better humor sugar
- Reduced cholesterol
- Lower humor pressure
- Sharp encephalon function
How to marque Mediterranean cooking easier
Mediterranean cooking doesn’t person to beryllium complicated. Here’s however I support it elemental successful my ain kitchen:
- Batch navigator the basics. Roast veggies, grill chicken, and navigator large batches of grains similar quinoa and oatmeal. That way, they’re acceptable to spell erstwhile you’re acceptable to eat.
- Use shortcut ingredients. Canned beans, pre-washed greens, rotisserie chicken, and frozen veggies streamline prep erstwhile your docket is tight.
- Choose one-pot oregon cookware meals. Tools similar an Instant Pot, dilatory cooker, and expanse cookware chopped down connected prep and cleanup.
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Guide to the Mediterranean Diet: Benefits, Foods, and Lifestyle Habits
9 Easy Mediterranean Recipes
See thing you like? Make it a recipe successful the MyFitnessPal app to streamline tracking the adjacent clip you devour it. You tin bash this for non-recipe-style meals you devour connected repeat, too.
1. Sheet Pan Almond-Crusted Salmon With Green Beans
The Mediterranean fare embraces seafood and veggies, and you get some successful this recipe. I emotion a expanse cookware repast due to the fact that there’s little to cleanable up! By utilizing salmon and 2 types of veggies (green beans and mushrooms), you get a flavor-filled repast with 8 grams of fibre and 30 grams of protein.
Though this repast takes lone 20 minutes of hands-on time, you could velocity things up by utilizing ready-to-cook greenish beans.
You tin service this crockery arsenic a standalone, lower-carb repast oregon implicit brownish atom oregon quinoa for other fiber. Make definite to way immoderate extras you adhd utilizing MyFitnessPal. Use the Voice Log diagnostic to speedy and casual logging of immoderate other ingredients.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 salmon portion, 2/3 cup/130g vegetables
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 311; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 59mg; Sodium: 590mg; Carbohydrate: 22g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 30g
2. Instant Pot Rotini With Chicken and Bell Peppers
Pasta is simply a staple of the Mediterranean diet, but it’s often eaten alongside veggies and macromolecule alternatively of arsenic the main people (1). This repast is packed with macromolecule and veggies, making this center-stage pasta a cleanable Mediterranean fare dinner.
Using the Instant Pot saves time—prep takes conscionable 10 minutes, and the remainder is hands-off. While it cooks, usage the clip to prep snacks oregon veggies for the week ahead.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups pasta mixture
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 407; Total Fat: 11.2g; Saturated Fat: 2.5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5g; Cholesterol: 78.6mg; Sodium: 707mg; Carbohydrate: 66.6g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 4.1g; Protein: 48.5g
3. Toast With Mediterranean Tuna Salad
This 20-minute repast features tuna the mode it’s eaten successful the Mediterranean region–prepared successful olive lipid alternatively of mayonnaise (1). The look calls for a slew of jarred veggies, specified arsenic artichokes, roasted reddish doorbell peppers, and pepperoncini. All told, you’ll get a half-serving of veggies successful this open-faced sandwich.
Tuna is simply a large root of macromolecule (this repast delivers 26 grams of protein) and omega-3 fats that enactment wellness (1, 3).
The tuna crockery tin beryllium prepped successful beforehand and added to toast oregon crockery greens astatine lunchtime.
Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 cupful of crockery and 1 portion of bread
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 365; Total Fat: 15g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 36mg; Sodium: 528mg; Carbohydrate: 32g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 3g; Protein 26g
4. One-Pan Loaded Cauliflower Nachos
Nachos mightiness not beryllium the archetypal happening to travel to caput erstwhile you deliberation of casual Mediterranean fare recipes. But ingredients similar cauliflower, legumes, Greek yogurt, chicken, seasonings, and olive lipid marque it perfectly suitable for the Mediterranean fare (1).
Most of the ingredients, including rotisserie chicken, canned pinto beans, and store-bought pico de gallo (optional), are low-prep. The main enactment comes from cutting the cauliflower. To prevention time, bargain ready-to-cook oregon frozen cauliflower.
This is the cleanable repast to fulfill your nacho cravings portion inactive staying existent to your wellness goals. With 11 grams of fibre and 27 grams of protein–and a hearty serving size–you’re practically guaranteed to get comfortably afloat and enactment that mode for hours (3).
Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1/2 the pan
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 380; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 11mg; Sodium: 354mg; Carbohydrate: 31g; Dietary Fiber: 11g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 27g
About the Experts
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, is simply a nationally recognized nutrient and nutrition expert, media personality, nutrition consultant, and author. Cassetty is simply a erstwhile nutrition manager for Good Housekeeping and the co-author of the publication Sugar Shock.
Melissa Jaeger RD, LD, is the Head of Nutrition for MyFitnessPal. Melissa received a Bachelor of Arts successful Nutrition (DPD) from the College of Saint Benedict and completed her dietetic internship done Iowa State University. In May 2024 she was recognized arsenic the Registered Young Dietitian of the Year awarded by the Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
5. Air Fryer Salmon With Arugula-Berry Salad
Air frying gives salmon a crisp crust portion keeping the food tender. Pairing it with arugula and berries creates a fiber- and protein-rich repast acceptable successful 15 minutes.
If you don’t similar peppery arugula, you could usage outpouring greens instead. If berries aren’t successful season, swap them for unsweetened dried effect oregon pomegranate seeds.
This repast provides tons of Mediterranean diet-friendly fruits and veggies positive 9 grams of fibre and 26 grams of macromolecule to enactment your value nonaccomplishment and wellness goals (3).
Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 salmon fillet and astir 2 1/2 cups salad
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 345; Total Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 501mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 9g; Protein 26g
6. Spaghetti With Roasted Tomatoes & Shrimp
A bully magnitude of seafood is eaten connected the Mediterranean fare (1). In this case, shrimp and tomatoes are roasted connected the aforesaid expanse cookware for a weeknight-easy meal.
This crockery is packed with 38 grams of protein. For much fiber, usage full wheat oregon pulse-based pasta (such arsenic lentil oregon chickpea pasta) alternatively of mean spaghetti.
Although this repast includes immoderate veggies, I’d suggest serving it with a broadside crockery for much veggie goodness.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 2/3 cups
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 419; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 220mg; Sodium: 504mg; Carbohydrate: 49g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 7g; Protein 38g
7. Chicken Shawarma Pita Pizzas
If you’re a instrumentality of pizza, you’ll admit this easy, protein-packed mentation that sticks to the principles of the Mediterranean fare (1).
Whole wheat pita serves arsenic your casual pizza crust. It’s topped with rotisserie chickenhearted tossed successful shawarma spices, hummus, and cheese.
This all-in-one casual Mediterranean look includes a broadside tomato-cucumber crockery for the cleanable finishing touch.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 pizza
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 409; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 18mg; Sodium: 574mg; Carbohydrate: 40g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 3g; Protein 25g
8. High-Protein Chicken Salad
Chicken crockery sounds astir arsenic American arsenic it gets, but the ingredients–chicken, full atom bread, Greek yogurt, apples, and grapes–make it Mediterranean diet-friendly (1). Plus, this repast serves up a hefty 34 grams of macromolecule and 7 grams of fiber acknowledgment to these ingredients.
Rotisserie chickenhearted oregon leftover chickenhearted bosom is the time-saving leader here. Meal prep the chickenhearted crockery successful advance, and you’ll person high-protein sandwiches–or salads if you prefer–for days!
Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 3/4 cupful (about 5 ounces oregon 142 grams) + 2 slices full atom breadstuff + 1 mean lettuce leaf
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 364; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 65mg; Sodium: 412mg; Carbohydrate: 44g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 10g; Protein: 34g
9. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Black beans, avocado, and chickenhearted bosom are the Mediterranean fare leader ingredients of this repast (1).
The look couldn’t beryllium simpler. Toss immoderate no-prep ingredients, specified arsenic chickenhearted breasts, canned beans, and jarred salsa, into the dilatory cooker successful the greeting and travel location to a delicious, protein- and fiber-filled dinner.
Pro tip: Make capable crockery to bask leftovers for lunch. Try to take full atom tortilla chips by looking for the words “whole atom corn” connected the constituent list.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 344; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 55mg; Sodium: 259mg; Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 33g
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What snacks are allowed connected the Mediterranean diet?
Whole nutrient snacks tin easy acceptable into a Mediterranean fare manner (1). Produce picks, similar caller fruits and vegetables and dried fruits, successful summation to nuts, seeds, and full grains are welcomed successful the snack class successful this eating pattern. Plus, tiny amounts of dairy foods, similar plain Greek yogurt oregon humble amounts of cheese, are besides included (1).
Is popcorn allowed connected the Mediterranean diet?
Yes, popcorn fans, consciousness escaped to incorporated this full atom into your Mediterranean diet. Opt for air-popped popcorn that is seasoned with olive lipid and a sprinkle of oversea brackish implicit those varieties that are coated with food oregon sugar, similar caramel corn.
What chips oregon crackers are OK connected the Mediterranean diet?
A accepted Mediterranean fare would not trust connected processed snacks, similar chips oregon crackers, that travel from a bundle (1). However, with the roar successful functional foods connected the marketplace embracing the Mediterranean diet, determination is simply a spot of a grey area. This means connected juncture (and successful moderation), full atom based chips oregon crackers, similar 100% wheat, corn, oregon lentil based crips, whitethorn beryllium enjoyed.
What is the Mediterranean fare attack to snacking?
The Mediterranean fare is simply a manner attack to nutrition and wellness. “The Mediterranean fare encourages affirmative repast clip behaviors, specified arsenic slowing down to bask your repast successful the institution of others,” says Jaeger. So astir Mediterranean cultures absorption connected these meals, not snacking betwixt meals.
The Bottom Line
Smart snacking is imaginable erstwhile pursuing a Mediterranean diet. Instead of a accepted packaged snack, crook to full foods that are affluent successful analyzable carbohydrates, steadfast fats, plant-forward proteins and antioxidants to circular retired between-meal hunger (1). A elemental Greek yogurt vessel paired with caller berries, chopped nuts, and adjacent a drizzle of chromatic is simply a great, Mediterranean fare snack option!
Let MyFitnessPal assistance you execute your goals portion optimizing your snacks with better-for-you Mediterranean-flare bites. Checkout these high-fiber snacks nether 255 calories or these low-sugar snacks nether 200 calories to fulfill a saccharine tooth to get you started. Whatever you’re craving, we’ve got you covered with a snack enactment that volition enactment for you connected the Mediterranean diet!
The station 9 Easy Mediterranean Recipes appeared archetypal connected MyFitnessPal Blog.
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