26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (2024)

The Mediterranean diet's focus on delicious, healthy ingredients and lack of restrictions makes it one of our favorites. These quick recipes are full of foods prized in the Mediterranean diet, like lean protein, fruits, veggies, whole grains and olive oil. Plus, every dish can be made in just 30 minutes, making them perfect picks for any night of the week. Recipes like our White Bean Soup with Pasta and Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta are tasty ways to shake up your routine.

01of 26

Salmon Rice Bowl

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (1)

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice.

02of 26

Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (2)

Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

03of 26

Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (3)

Gochujang, a Korean red chile paste, and honey give this salmon a little bit of sweetness and a whole lot of spice.

04of 26

White Bean Soup with Pasta

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (4)

We use mirepoix—a combination of onion, celery and carrots—to flavor this soup. Keep a store-bought bag of the mixture in your freezer to ensure you always have some on hand without worrying about it going bad.

05of 26

Sesame Kohlrabi & Chicken Salad

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (5)

Kohlrabi (a bulbous vegetable related to broccoli and Brussels sprouts but with a milder, sweet flavor) and almonds add crunch to this crowd-pleasing salad. Baked tofu or shrimp can be used instead of the chicken.

06of 26

Winter Greens Bowl

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (6)

This one-pan meal packs in lots of plant-based protein and flavor thanks to beans and quinoa, while a creamy lemon-garlic dressing completes the dish.

07of 26

Seared Scallops with Green Goddess Slaw

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (7)

Avocado, yogurt and buttermilk lend creaminess to the herbaceous dressing coating this salad.

08of 26

Sweet Potato, Broccoli & Wild Rice Hash

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (8)

Cooking this hash in cast iron ensures you'll get crusty bits, but any nonstick skillet will work fine. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.

09of 26

Chickpea Tuna Salad

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (9)

This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).

10of 26

Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (10)

This kale-quinoa salad pops with different flavors and textures. Massaging the kale helps break down its fibrous nature, while add-ins like toasted almonds, feta and cucumber add crunch and saltiness.

11of 26

3-Ingredient Farro Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (11)

To make this hearty grain bowl, grab a salad kit from the grocery store. Then, top the kit with farro and chicken for a high-protein lunch or dinner that's ready in minutes.

12of 26

3-Ingredient Teriyaki Edamame Sauté

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (12)

Whip up this high-fiber, plant-based stir-fry for a quick and convenient dinner. Look for bottled teriyaki sauce labeled less sodium or reduced sodium to cut back on the salt without sacrificing flavor.

13of 26

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (13)

This hearty vegetarian quinoa chili with sweet potatoes has mild spice from poblanos and green chiles. Chili powder, cumin and garlic provide classic chili flavor.

14of 26

Egg-in-a-Hole Fried Quinoa

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (14)

We used quinoa to bump up the fiber and protein in this stir-fry-inspired dish. Rather than making an omelet or stirring in the eggs as you would for fried rice, we cook them in divots right in the veggie-filled quinoa for a fun presentation. Opt for a flat skillet over a wok so you have plenty of room to nestle in the eggs.

15of 26

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (15)

You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.

16of 26

Lentil Curry with Cauliflower Rice

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (16)

Combine precooked lentils (often located in the produce section of your grocery store) with an Indian-style simmer sauce for a super-fast and flavorful curry. Serving it over riced cauliflower bumps up the vegetable count and keeps carb servings in check. This 3-ingredient dinner (not counting salt, pepper and oil) is really as easy as it gets. To be mindful of the salt, look for simmer sauces with less than or close to 350 mg sodium per ¼-cup serving.

17of 26

Crispy Rice Bowls with Fried Eggs

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (17)

We topped this rice bowl recipe with avocado, carrot, radishes and spinach along with eggs, but whatever vegetables you prefer will be just as delicious.

18of 26

Crispy Fish Taco Bowls

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (18)

The adobo sauce in a can of chipotles lends earthy heat to the crema that tops these bowls. Don't toss out the unused peppers! Freeze them in an airtight container and pull them out to add to sauces, marinades or chili.

19of 26

Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (19)

Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

20of 26

Southwestern Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp & Avocado Crema

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (20)

These healthy Southwestern cauliflower rice bowls, topped with black beans, corn and smoky chipotle shrimp, get a cool-down from homemade avocado crema and take just 30 minutes to make.

21of 26

Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (21)

Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.

22of 26

Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (22)

Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water--its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.

23of 26

Chicken, Avocado & Quinoa Bowls with Herb Dressing

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (23)

Arrange the toppings individually on these protein-packed grain bowls so each bite has a contrasting taste and texture. Make big batches of the salad dressing, quinoa and roasted chicken thighs and you'll have healthy meal-prep lunches or dinners for days. Though the chicken thighs take just 15 minutes to prep, you can also make the salads with leftover chicken or store-bought cooked chicken to make prep even faster.

24of 26

Cauliflower Tikka Masala with Chickpeas

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (24)

In this vegetarian riff on a popular Indian dish, we swap in cauliflower and chickpeas for the chicken in tikka masala. The cauliflower's nooks and crannies are particularly good at soaking up all the intense flavors of the sauce. Serve over rice for an easy healthy dinner that's ready in just 20 minutes.

25of 26

Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (25)

This vegan burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve them on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce--it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.

26of 26

Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

View Recipe

26 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less (26)

To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.