A Month of Mediterranean Diet Dinners That Are High in Protein

Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas
Photo: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin

Add some extra deliciousness this month with these healthy dinner recipes. Each of these meals focuses on ingredients prized in the Mediterranean diet, a flexible eating plan that experts say is the healthiest diet around. You'll find plenty of fish, legumes, whole grains, fruits and veggies in these filling dinners that have at least 15 grams of protein in each serving. These recipes are proof that many different foods can fit into an eating pattern that aligns with a Mediterranean diet. Dishes like our Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas and Spinach & Feta Scrambled Egg Pitas are deliciously healthy ways to meet your protein needs and help support healthy digestion and muscle growth.

01 of 30

Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

a blue bowl full of chicken and vegetables and a smaller bowl with dressing

For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente, or just done. If you have a little extra time, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing and use it to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp.

02 of 30

Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas

Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas
Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin

These sheet-pan poblano-and-corn chicken fajitas are seasoned with mild ancho chile powder, paprika and cumin. The chicken and vegetables cook on a sheet pan under the broiler so you can forget working over a hot stove or grill to get dinner on the table fast. Plus, with only one pan, cleanup is a breeze!

03 of 30

Chicken Hummus Bowls

8373215.jpg

The spiced chicken atop these bowls is ready fast with the help of the broiler. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita for scooping up extra hummus at the bottom of the bowl.

04 of 30

Greek Roasted Fish with Vegetables

Greek Roasted Fish

This dish is packed with flavor and fits perfectly into a Mediterranean diet.

05 of 30

Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad

Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad
Greg DuPree

Avocado adds creaminess while sunflower seeds provide texture and crunch in this easy tuna-spinach salad.

06 of 30

Crustless Spinach & Asparagus Quiche with Gruyère

Crustless Spinach & Asparagus Quiche with Gruyere
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Styling / Emily Nabors Hall / ulia Bayless

This light but filling crustless spinach-and-asparagus quiche features plenty of spring vegetables baked with richly flavored Gruyère cheese. Enjoy a slice for dinner with a salad on the side or as part of a simple spring brunch.

07 of 30

Chile-Garlic Salmon Bento Box with Avocado

Chile-Garlic Salmon Bento Box with Avocado
Charlotte and Johnny Autry

Keeping salmon in your freezer means you always have something on hand for dinner, and—bonus!—you can cook it from frozen as we do here.

08 of 30

Spinach & Feta Scrambled Egg Pitas

5694957.jpg

This meatless dinner comes together in only 15 minutes, thanks to the convenience of frozen chopped spinach and crumbled feta. We've added a flavorful burst of sun-dried tomato tapenade to spread over the whole-wheat pita before nestling the scrambled eggs inside. If you can't find it, basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto also work well.

09 of 30

Spinach, Mushroom & Egg Casserole

Spinach, Mushroom & Egg Casserole
Greg Dupree

This delightful spinach, mushroom and egg casserole is layered with earthy cooked mushrooms and baby spinach, fluffy eggs and nutty cave-aged Gruyère that deepens the flavor. Serve this easy casserole for breakfast, brunch or even dinner with a green salad on the side.

10 of 30

Spinach-&-Artichoke-Dip Grilled Cheese

spinach artichoke dip grilled cheese
Jacob Fox

This spinach-and-artichoke-dip grilled cheese offers the classic ooey-gooey filling, packed with plenty of spinach and artichokes, between two slices of crispy toasted bread so you can ditch the dipping.

11 of 30

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

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.

12 of 30

Shrimp Cobb Salad with Dijon Dressing

6774311.jpg

We've replaced chicken with shrimp in this delicious and easy spin on the classic Cobb salad. This satisfying salad takes just 20 minutes to make, so it's perfect for weeknight dinners, but it's elegant enough to serve to guests.

13 of 30

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

4112357.jpg

This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.

14 of 30

Crispy Fish Taco Bowls

8376485.jpg

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.

15 of 30

Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli

Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli
photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall

The vibrant combo of cheese, cilantro, chili, and lime--inspired by Mexican street corn--makes this salmon sheet-pan dinner burst with flavor.

16 of 30

Chopped Power Salad with Chicken

Chopped Power Salad with Chicken
Jason Donnelly

Enjoy this filling and colorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor.

17 of 30

Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

6351608.jpg

This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

18 of 30

Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw

5969627.jpg

Lighten up your burger! Bean patties have less saturated fat and more fiber than beef patties. They're also cheaper and easier to cook indoors--and we promise they're just as satisfying, especially with the mouthwatering creamy slaw on top.

19 of 30

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles

Packed with plenty of vegetables and tons of flavor, this chicken pasta bake is inspired by the ingredients in a caprese salad.

20 of 30

One-Pot Lentils & Rice with Spinach

8050078.jpg

This hearty vegan dish gets its earthy flavor from cumin and brown rice. If you can handle extra heat, try doubling the crushed red pepper for a bigger punch of flavor.

21 of 30

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken & Orzo

Slow-Cooker Chicken & Orzo with Tomatoes & Olives

Perk up basic chicken breast and whole-wheat orzo with the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean, like lemon and olives. This load-and-go recipe makes a complete and satisfying meal; just add a green salad.

22 of 30

Southwestern Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp & Avocado Crema

7886477.jpg

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.

23 of 30

Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

4548023.jpg

It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!

24 of 30

Chicken Souvlaki Kebabs with Mediterranean-Inspired Couscous

Chicken Souvlaki Kebabs with Mediterranean Couscous

Fennel adds a nice flavoring to the marinade in this Mediterranean-inspired chicken souvlaki dish. The kabobs are perfectly paired with a veggie-packed, yogurt-dressed Israeli couscous.

25 of 30

Quinoa Power Salad

Quinoa Power Salad

Make this satisfying salad in the evening and enjoy one portion for dinner, then pack the remaining portion for lunch the next day. Loaded with protein- and fiber-rich ingredients like chicken, sweet potato and quinoa plus power greens, this meal is nutrition-packed!

26 of 30

Shrimp Poke

Brown Rice Shrimp Bowl with Tomatoes & Avocado

Not a fan of raw fish? No problem--this poke (pronounced poke-ay) recipe substitutes cooked peeled shrimp instead. This fast, veggie-loaded dish includes seasoned brown rice for a hearty boost of fiber.

27 of 30

Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Chicken

6707073.jpg

These healthy Greek-inspired cauliflower rice bowls topped with feta, olives, veggies and grilled chicken are impressive yet take just 30 minutes to make.

28 of 30

Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

falafel salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Deep-fried falafel can be a total grease bomb. But these pan-seared falafel still get crispy in just a few tablespoons of oil with equally satisfying results. Be sure to use dried, instead of canned, chickpeas in this healthy recipe--canned chickpeas add too much moisture.

29 of 30

One-Pot Cheesy Tex-Mex Pasta

8153565.jpg

This comforting one-pot pasta dish has a Southwestern kick. Chili powder and pico de gallo flavor the dish, while melted Mexican cheese adds a creamy finish. Top it with your favorite fixings like scallions, cilantro and sour cream, and serve it alongside a crisp green salad for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

30 of 30

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

4550449.jpg

This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles