The Mediterranean may boast the healthiest recipes in the world, yet these dishes are anything but bland. Vibrantly colored with fresh ingredients (I mean, just look at this Marinated Celery Salad), this type of cuisine is used around the world for a variety of flavorful dishes. My Mediterranean-inspired dishes use ingredients common to this area for the freshest, most appetizing vegetarian Mediterranean recipes.
Grab one of these easy Mediterranean recipes to brighten your day and satisfy your palate.
I love drawing inspiration from Mediterranean cuisine and its use of fresh and pickled ingredients to create unique food experiences. These flavors are the inspiration for my downloadable Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan, and many other recipes as well. They are just so good!
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Ingredients for these recipes are commonly found in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, and there are 22 of them! So while I often use recipes common in Italy or Greece, these are not the only countries from which you can draw inspiration.
Explore your preferences and branch out to try new flavors. It’s the best part of food and how I’ve come to love Greek Salad and Vegan Pumpkin Soup along with the rest of these vegetarian Mediterranean recipes.
Easy Mediterranean Recipes
Vegetarians unite! Even if you aren’t vegetarian you can enjoy these recipes. They are great for anyone looking to incorporate meat-free recipes into their day. Use any of these for a Meatless Monday or share them with friends at your next gathering.
While vegetarian Mediterranean recipes sound exotic and exciting, I can’t wait for you to try my Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. They really do use a lot of ingredients that you are familiar with or may even have on hand. Don’t be intimidated if there is an ingredient you aren’t sure about, drop a comment and let me help you find it!
Mediterranean-Inspired Snack Ideas
I am a professional snacker during the workday. Since I work from home, I often don’t stop for a formal “lunch break” and instead snack throughout the day in between projects and work calls.
That’s why I like to have an arsenal of filling, protein-powered snack options to get me through each day. If one of these recipes sounds good to you and you want to make them dairy-free, then feel free to use vegan feta cheese (VioLife is a great option!).
If you don’t have tahini on hand, or it isn’t easy to source around you then swap it with sunflower butter or cashew butter. Use what you have on hand first and see if you can get it to work for you!
Common Mediterranean Ingredients
There is a vast list of ingredients used in Mediterranean recipes. Here are some of the most common examples of Mediterranean food you can start incorporating into your diet, many of which are used in my recipes!
- Fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, olives, apples, figs, avocado, cherries, onion, cucumbers, clementines, apricots, melons, nectarines, strawberries, pomegranates, bell peppers, peaches and grapes.
- Nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and pistachios.
- Whole grains like quinoa, pasta and wheat.
- Seeds
- Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, bay leaves, rosemary, fennel, mint, sage and parsley.
- Legumes and beans
- Unrefined oils
- Fish
- Moderate use of cheese, eggs, poultry and lamb.
You’ll find ingredients like this in many common Mediterranean-inspired recipes. If you’re trying to follow a certain lifestyle like vegan or gluten-free and aren’t sure if a new-to-you ingredient works, look it up! Knowledge is power, and you may be surprised what is (or isn’t) available to you.
I just learned that feta can be made from cow milk or sheep milk! If one doesn’t work, keep exploring until you find what works best for you and your body.
FAQs
A lot of fresh fruits and vegetables are found along the Mediterranean including tomatoes, eggplant, olives, apples, figs, avocado, cherries, onion, cucumbers, clementines, apricots, melons, nectarines, strawberries, pomegranates, peaches and grapes.
Breakfasts in the Mediterranean are often light and simple (if eaten at all). They include bread with soft cheese and fruit, a tray of bread, olives and cheese, and sometimes fried eggs, depending on the country you’re in.
Even in the Mediterranean, common food varies depending on the country you visit. There are many fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses and bread, olive oil, vegetables in oil like olives, pickled vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes and more. Fish is common as well.
Which one of these vegetarian Mediterranean recipes sounds like a winner to you? Drop a comment and let me know!
