23 Mediterranean Diet Dinners That Support Gut Health

Sheet-Pan Shrimp & Asparagus
Photo: Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Ruth Blackburn

Once you scroll through these recipes, you'll be looking forward to dinner tonight. Ingredients like kimchi, asparagus, beans and onions are not only flavor-boosting additions to your dinner plate, but they can also help support your gut health. And by including them alongside poultry, fish, whole grains and other veggies, you can make healthy meals that naturally follow the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns to follow. Recipes like our Gochujang-Glazed Tempeh Rice Bowls and Leek, Potato & Spinach Stew are delicious ways to put your health first.

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Gochujang-Glazed Tempeh & Brown Rice Bowls

Korean BBQ Tempeh Grain Bowl

If you're a tempeh skeptic, you've probably never had the firm soy-based slabs slathered with a sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce. We give this easy BBQ tempeh combo a punch of umami with tamari and add a little heat courtesy of gochujang. It's easy to put your own spin on this recipe; see Variations (below) for some riffs.

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Miso Vegetable Soup

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Tofu, rice and plenty of vegetables transform miso soup from a light accompaniment into a dish that's substantial enough to leave you feeling satisfied.

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Leek, Potato & Spinach Stew

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For this light, brothy stew, use the vegetables of late spring and early summer from your CSA share: leeks, potatoes, garlic and spinach. Vary what's in the stew according to the weekly bounty. Serve with: Crusty whole-wheat baguette spread with goat cheese.

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Sheet-Pan Shrimp & Asparagus

Sheet-Pan Shrimp & Asparagus
Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Ruth Blackburn

This sheet-pan shrimp and asparagus is a complete meal all on one pan! The shrimp and asparagus cook perfectly together. Crushed red pepper adds a dash of heat while lime juice brightens the dish.

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Gat Kimchi Mandoo (Mustard-Green Kimchi Dumplings)

Gat Kimchi Mandoo (Mustard-Green Kimchi Dumplings)
Ryan Liebe

This dumpling recipe uses gat kimchi as its filling for bright flavor in every bite. Be sure to cook the kimchi in Step 2 until almost no liquid remains—a watery filling can mean soggy wrappers and broken dumplings. Read more about this recipe.

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Tempeh & Mushroom Tacos

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Tempeh is a vegetarian protein that crumbles easily; here it stands in for ground meat in this tempeh taco recipe.

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Potato, Leek & Asparagus Soup

Potato, Leek & Asparagus Soup
Charlotte & Johnny Autry

Rather than tossing your potato peels, asparagus stalks and leek tops, cook them down into this soup instead. Once tender, they'll blend right in. Plus, they contain prebiotic fiber to help feed the good bugs in your gut. We reserve the asparagus tips to pan-fry with peas for a bright green garnish.

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Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup with Gruyère Toasts

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Fans of French onion soup who love it for its caramelized onions, beefy broth and cheesy toast topping won't be disappointed with this recipe, which offers all those elements plus a hands-on time of only 20 minutes.

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Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Vegan Black Bean Burgers

These easy vegan black bean burgers have a healthy dose of fiber thanks to the combination of black beans and quinoa. Cumin and chipotle chile powder give these vegan burgers a Southwestern spin. Using your hands to combine the mixture creates a soft, uniform texture.

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Shrimp & Pepper Kebabs with Grilled Red Onion Slaw

Shrimp & Pepper Kebabs with Grilled Red Onion Slaw

These healthy grilled shrimp and mini bell pepper kebabs come together in just 30 minutes, so they're great for weeknight dinners. A bag of coleslaw mix is a time-saving meal starter. Here, we make it our own by mixing in grilled red onion and crushed pita chips. A homemade herb-feta dressing both coats the slaw and sauces the kebabs.

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Bacon, Leek & Pear Skillet Pizza

Bacon, Leek & Pear Skillet Pizza
Greg DuPree

If you are questioning whether pears belong on this skillet pizza, trust us. The sugars in the fruit caramelize in the heat, and the sweetness complements the rich, salty bacon and savory leeks.

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Yasai-To-Tofu-no-Misoshiru (Hearty Miso Soup with Vegetables & Tofu)

Yasai-To-Tofu-no-Misoshiru (Hearty Miso Soup with Vegetables & Tofu)
Rick Poon

Miso soup can be enjoyed any time of the day, but it is traditionally a Japanese breakfast soup. Many restaurants serve it with just a few morsels of seaweed and tofu, but at home, miso soup can be hearty, packed with just about any vegetable. You can skip the process of making the dashi and use low-sodium broth instead.

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One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake
photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall

In this chicken and asparagus bake recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal.

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No-Cook Black Bean Salad

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

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Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

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Though traditional stuffed cabbage recipes are made with meat, here Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with a combination of rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs for a healthy vegetarian stuffed cabbage recipe. The stuffed cabbage leaves gently bake in a simple tomato sauce. This easy stuffed cabbage recipe can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.

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Tempeh "Chicken" Salad

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Eating probiotics--live bacteria in raw fermented food, such as tempeh and miso--can rev up the good bacteria in your body, which may help you with weight loss. Look for tempeh near the tofu in the produce section. Try vegan mayo for a completely plant-based lunch.

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Miso Soup Cup of Noodles with Shrimp & Green Tea Soba

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Green tea soba noodles, or cha soba, are buckwheat noodles made with powdered green tea, which imparts a subtle grassy note and pretty color. You can find them in Japanese markets or online. Regular buckwheat soba noodles work just as well in this cup-of-noodles-style mason jar noodle soup.

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Quinoa-Black Bean Salad

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Enjoy this quinoa and black bean salad as a delicious and quick vegetarian main dish or as a side for grilled chicken or steak. And don't forget the leftovers! They make an easy lunch on the go.

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Skillet Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus

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The gnocchi cooks right in the skillet, along with shrimp, shallots, asparagus and Parmesan cheese, in this gnocchi recipe. Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta. Serve with baby arugula salad with vinaigrette and a glass of pinot grigio.

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Red Beans and Rice with Chicken

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Fiber-rich red beans, whole-grain brown rice and skillet-cooked chicken breast are ready in just 20 minutes.

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Turkey Burgers with Gochujang & Kimchi

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Korean chile paste (also known as gochujang) blended into the ground turkey makes this turkey burger recipe incredibly moist and flavorful. Top these healthy turkey burgers with kimchi--a fermented mixture of cabbage and other vegetables--which can be found near other refrigerated Asian ingredients or near sauerkraut or pickles in well-stocked supermarkets or natural-foods stores.

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Tuna Pasta with Olives & Artichokes

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Here we toss grilled tuna with pasta, artichoke hearts, green olives and tomatoes. Grilling the tuna gives this ultra-fresh pasta dish a subtle smokiness. But if you're pressed for time, try canned tuna in place of the grilled fish.

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Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & Onions

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These 15-minute quesadillas are a notch above basic with the addition of sautéed peppers and onions. Let the kiddos load them up with the toppings at the table.

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