I love the vibrant ingredients of the Mediterranean, and love making Mediterranean-inspired recipe using these gorgeous ingredients. Are are my top 5 vegetarian Mediterranean recipes that are easy to make and oh so enjoyable.
As much as I’ve grown to love a salad, I still prefer my veggies either blended into a green smoothie or roasted with fun seasonal flavors. These Mediterranean inspired recipes are truly masterpieces at the latter.
Yes I know that’s a bold claim. Yet stay with me and see what I mean…
They are packed with veggies AND flavor…oh the flavors!!! Your taste buds are gonna go crazy from all the flavor-fusion happening here. I suggest doubling some of these recipes (especially the Mediterranean veggie bowl below) so you have leftovers galore and can keep on enjoying it. These recipes are also gluten-free and dairy free, which I love because they won’t cause bloating or skin issues. Eating a clean, plant-based whole foods diet can really do the body some serious good!
Vegetarian Mediterranean Foods
I adore Mediterranean recipes and love how vegetarian-friendly the mediterranean diet is overall! The more natural, fresh ingredients we eat, the longer we live— study after study has proven that!
What are some examples of Mediterranean food?
If you’re wanting to embrace more of a Mediterranean kinda diet, then you have to use ingredients that benefit the body most. Here are some of the most common examples of Mediterranean food you can start incorporating into you diet (and many are used in the recipe below!)
- vegetables
- nuts
- grains
- seeds
- herbs
- fruit
- legumes
- unrefined oils
- fish
- moderate use of cheese, eggs, poultry
Now that you know what a huge part of a Mediterranean diet looks like, it’s time to put it into practice with one of my favorite recipes from Seasonal Cleanse. Here’s to good health and happiness!
5 Mediterranean Diet Recipes for Beginners
After you make this tasty dish below, you should check out these five mediterranean inspired recipes for beginners:
- Herb Hummus: If you’ve got this recipe on hand, then you’ll never need store-bought hummus again! Along with iron-rich chickpeas, I’ve included loads of fresh, vibrant herbs to add extra vitamins, minerals, and leafy green love to an already beloved dip.
- Pumpkin Soup: One thing I really love is a good vegan pumpkin soup. It’s healthy, filling, comforting, and warms you up when the weather is chilly. Check out the recipe notes for all the variations.
- Kale Chickpea Salad: This easy-to-assemble, seasonal salad is perfect when you need lunch on the go! Packed with protein, healthy fat, and antioxidant rich pomegranate seeds, this autumn-inspired salad is sure to keep your body fueled through the afternoon.
- Vegetarian Taco Salad: I’ve spiralized sweet potatoes and used walnuts as a protein source for this delicious taco salad recipe.
- Roasted Vegetarian Bowl: Loaded with salty kalamata olives and rich nutritional yeast, the recipe below is the perfect Mediterranean recipe for you to enjoy right now.
Using mediterranean recipes to heal
If you’re ready for more energy and less weight, then check out my 7-Day Plant-Based Whole Foods Reset. You’ll have a shopping list, meal plan and simple recipes to help you take control of your health as well as reset your body… in just 7 days.
If you’re new to the world of plants, grains and rich oils, then you’re not alone! I feel like there was a time when I watched a lot of people cook on TV, yet I wasn’t actually doing it. It can be intimidating at first to take the reins in the kitchen. Yet once you find a few staple recipes you love, like this Mediterranean recipe, you can really be set free to experiment and find your own favs.
Roasted Vegetable Mediterranean Recipe
Ingredients
FOR BOWL
- ½ spaghetti squash seeds removed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper ground
Toppings
- 1 cup kale cut into ribbons
- ¼ cup marinated artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- 2 tbsp kalamata olives
- 2 tbsp raw walnuts chopped
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley roughly chopped
- crushed red pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp raw almonds
- 1 tbsp raw cashews
- .5 tsp sea salt
- .5 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the squash half on the baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Flip it over and bake, cut-side down for 40–45 minutes.
- While baking, prepare the vegan parmesan cheese: Place all ingredients in small food processor and pulse until finely chopped. The mixture should look like breadcrumbs. Set aside.
- While baking, prepare the vegan parmesan cheese: Place all ingredients in small food processor and pulse until finely chopped. The mixture should look like breadcrumbs. Set aside.
To Serve
- When squash is done, remove from oven and scrape the inside of the squash with a fork to create "strands". Use a fork to scrape the squash strands away from the shell.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the top, and all toppings, including Vegan Parmesan Cheese. Eat immediately.
Notes
- Vegan Parmesan makes a great topping
- Eat within 24 hours, or the spaghetti squash ‘noodles’ start to go mushy.
- Use the nuts or seeds of your choice in place of walnuts.
This is fantastic. It is easy and so delicious. Because of that, I have made this over and over.
Love everything in this bowl BUT the spaghetti squash. Have any suggestions on a substitute?
You could try Zucchini noodles.
Moe is totally right Laurie! Zucchini or even sweet potato noodles would be a great sub here.
Noodles made of millets
Incredible taste and easy to make; this is going to be a regular in my meal rotation!
Want to try this but do not like olives and artichokes. Can I substitute something else or just leave them out?
Thank you.
Love it
This looks really yummy. The nutrition facts have me puzzled are the fat and sodium counts listed correct? The numbers seem way to high for this dish?
Hey Amy,
The facts are correct but that is why we personally don’t count calories. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole foods, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info so that is why we are adding it in.
Looks awesome, can I substitute real cheese, feta? Where does the nutritional yeast fit in to the recipe? Thanks I can’t wait to make this.
Hey Alice,
Yes you can totally substitute with real feta cheese. The nutritional yeast is what makes your vegan cheese so you will leave that out if you use your feta cheese.
Enjoy!
This will definitely be a meatless Monday meal. It’s so colorful!!!! I can’t WAIT!!!!
He Patrice,
It’s crazy how much you do not miss the meat with this dish. So good!!
Although I have not made this yet, I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a couple weeks now. It looks amazing! Tomorrow I complete day 21 of the Fresh Start Cleanse, so think I will try this as my “grand finale” dinner. Thanks for making healthy eating so delicious!
Hey Jennifer,
Congratulations on completing Fresh Start Autumn!! That is amazing and this dish will be the PERFECT finale to an amazing 21 days 🙂
I made this as planned for my dinner tonight, and it was yummy. It’s such a colorful meal, and I love the Mediterranean flavors combined with the spaghetti squash!
Hey Jennifer,
Congratulations you are our winner for our Thrive Winter Reset!!! Yay!!! Please email me at hello@simplegreensmoothies.com so I can send you your digital guidebook to you 🙂
what can I substitute for the olives? These are a food that I have never been able to eat and will never buy. My tummy cannot handle them.
Hey Bev,
Since that is more of a topping you can just leave the olives out!
Enjoy!!!
I LOOOOOOVE these recipes!!! Especially now surrounded by this cold weather it’s so nice to have these wonderful, flavorful and colorful dishes to warm our hearts and souls! I’m looking forward to trying this bowl. It sounds really good!
Hey Marilynn,
This really is the perfect winter dish!! Cannot wait for you to give this one a try 🙂
Let us know what you think when you do!
Akways enjoy your recipes.The fun magic is when I introduce my carniverous family members and friends and they are always won over and can’t believe how yummy they are.
Hey Holly,
Hahaha That really is the best accomplishment ever!! 🙂
I first tried this recipe while going through the Thrive Winter Reset, and it was sooooo good. I now buy spaghetti squash regularly.
Hey Erin,
It really is one of those recipes you have to constantly make over and over again, because it’s THAT good! 🙂
I have made this a few times and love it!!
Hey Debi,
Yay!!! Thanks for letting us know how much you love this recipe!!
I made this recipe a few weeks ago and LOVED it! You don’t even miss meat or feta cheese at all- which is surprising to me! It’s really satisfying and I love that I can make a batch of them and have all week long. Super great meal prep right here.
Hey Dani,
So happy that you love this recipe so much! It really is crazy how much you don’t miss meat and cheese when you make delicious recipes like this =D