Low-Calorie Mediterranean Recipes

Find healthy, delicious low-calorie Mediterranean recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chicken & White Bean Soup

Rating: 4.5 stars 21
Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
Eating Well Bio Page
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Rating: 4.5 stars 17
Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and pack them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long.
By Carolyn Casner

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

Rating: 5 stars 20
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.
A portrait of Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Diet Stew

Rating: 4.5 stars 12
With a focus on vegetables, fiber-rich legumes and healthy fats, this slow-cooker stew fits the bill for those following the Mediterranean diet. Swap out the chickpeas for white beans for a different twist, or try collards or spinach in place of the kale. A drizzle of olive oil to finish pulls together the flavors of this easy vegan crock pot stew.
By Sarah Epperson

Slow-Cooker Chicken & Chickpea Soup

Rating: 4 stars 30
This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon & Vegetables

Rating: 5 stars 13
This dish is packed with flavor and fits perfectly into a Mediterranean diet.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa

Rating: 4.5 stars 8
With a variety of flavors and textures (and a whopping 30 grams of protein!), these meal-prep bowls will keep you fueled all afternoon. The spinach and feta turkey meatballs are adapted from Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki by Hilary Meyer. Look for premade tzatziki near the specialty cheeses and dips at your grocery store or make your own.
By Carolyn A Hodges, RD

EatingWell's Eggplant Parmesan

Rating: 4.5 stars 35
Here we bake breaded eggplant for crispy results with fewer calories to boot. This makeover of the classic eggplant Parmesan recipe was originally developed by our Test Kitchen in 1995 and got an update in 2020 for our 30th anniversary issue.
Eating Well Bio Page
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tuna & Olive Spinach Salad

Rating: 4 stars 16
This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad.
Sara Haas Headshot
By Sara Haas, RDN

Hearty Minestrone

Rating: 4 stars 16
This version of the Italian classic soup Minestrone is packed with leeks, potatoes, beans, zucchini, spinach and orzo, making it perfect for a hearty lunch or supper on a cold winter's night. To make a vegetarian version use vegetable rather than chicken broth. Top each bowl with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a zesty burst of flavor.
By Kathleen Desmond Stang

Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries

Rating: 4.5 stars 2
This quick egg scramble with hearty bread is one of the best breakfasts for weight loss. It combines protein-packed eggs and superfood raspberries with filling whole-grain toast and nutrient-rich spinach. The protein and fiber help fill you up and keep you going through the morning.
By Robin Bashinsky

Egg Sandwiches with Rosemary, Tomato & Feta

Rating: 4.5 stars 7
These hearty breakfast sandwiches are packed with ingredients popular in the Mediterranean diet, including feta, tomato and spinach.
By Diabetic Living Magazine
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Inspiration and Ideas

15 Low-Calorie Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less
From grain bowls and salads to pasta and shrimp, these delicious and easy dinners are packed with staple ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, like fresh produce, whole grains and healthy fats. All containing 400 calories or less, these dinners will help you reach your nutritional goals and only take 30 minutes or less to make. Recipes like our Quinoa Salad with Feta, Olives & Tomatoes and Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl will have you enjoying one of the healthiest eating patterns around.
15 Low-Calorie Lunch Recipes for the Mediterranean Diet
With only 400 calories or less, these light yet filling lunches can help you meet your nutritional goals. They include ingredients like whole grains, leafy greens and fish, which are staples of the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns around.
Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast
Rating: 5 stars 4

Feta cheese, roasted peppers, spinach and more flavors common to regions around the Mediterranean, inspired this quick and easy stuffed chicken breast recipe. Browning the chicken in a skillet before baking gives it a beautiful golden color, and finishing it in the oven ensures that this healthy baked chicken recipe cooks evenly throughout.