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

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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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

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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.
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Diet Stew

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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

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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

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This dish is packed with flavor and fits perfectly into a Mediterranean diet.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa

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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

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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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tuna & Olive Spinach Salad

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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.
By Sara Haas, RDN

Hearty Minestrone

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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

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

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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.
18 Mediterranean Dinners with 400 Calories or Less
Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives
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Slow-Cooker Chicken & Orzo with Tomatoes & Olives
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Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
4
Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast
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. 

All Low-Calorie Mediterranean Recipes

Lemon & Dill Chicken

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Fresh lemon and dill create a quick Greek-inspired pan sauce for simple sautéed chicken breasts. Make it a meal: Serve with roasted broccoli and whole-wheat orzo.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

7
This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender.
By Katie Webster

Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad

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This zesty quinoa salad is delicious all on its own, with inspiration from the Mediterranean. Make a double batch for lunches later in the week.
By Adam Dolge

Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Chicken

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

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Chicken

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This healthy summer dinner subs zoodles for pasta to help use up your zucchini bounty--as well as slash calories and carbs. Once the spiralized zucchini has time to soak up the herby pesto sauce, this chicken and pesto pasta makes particularly good leftovers.
By Carolyn Casner

Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

45
The florets are roasted with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic and Parmesan in this easy cauliflower recipe, which makes a delicious addition to any weeknight meal.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Greek-Inspired Burgers with Herb-Feta Sauce

6
These healthy burgers get a Mediterranean twist with a yogurt sauce seasoned with oregano, lemon and feta cheese. If you can't find ground lamb, ask the butcher to grind some for you.
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Avocado Hummus

12
This vibrant green hummus recipe couldn't be easier--just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) and avocado make this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.
By Devon O'Brien

Baked Penne Florentine

5
This comforting and flavorful vegetarian dish is packed with protein.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup Freezer Pack

2
Your favorite restaurant soup just got easier and healthier with this freezer-to-crock-pot recipe. If you keep a special bottle of olive oil on hand for stand-out dishes, this is the recipe to pull it out for. The headiness of the fruity olive oil truly elevates the flavors in this Italian meal-prep slow-cooker soup.
By Katie Webster

Chicken with Spinach & Tomato Orzo Salad

10
Baked chicken breasts cook in the oven while you mix together a Mediterranean-inspired salad--packed with veggies, whole-wheat orzo and an easy homemade vinaigrette--for a weekend-worthy dinner on the table in under an hour. The leftovers from this healthy 400-calorie meal make a delicious packable lunch for the next day.
By Carolyn Casner

Chicken Tetrazzini

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This retro dish will please kids and adults alike.
By Ruth Cousineau

Provençal Baked Fish with Roasted Potatoes & Mushrooms

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This easy healthy meal—which requires just 15 minutes of active time—is typical of southern France. You can use halibut, grouper or cod for this simple Mediterranean baked fish recipe, so just choose what looks best at your market. Look for herbes de Provence, an aromatic spice blend, at most grocery stores.
By Amy Riolo

Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower "Rice" Tabbouleh

3
Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that's enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

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.
By Katie Webster

Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

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Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tuna & White Bean Salad

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The time-honored Italian pairing of canned tuna and cannellini beans makes a super-simple, satisfying lunch. Serve over salad greens, on grilled whole-wheat country bread or tucked in a whole-wheat pita pocket.
By Ruth Cousineau

Cucumber Salad, Hummus & Pita Bento Box Lunch

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Enjoy this refreshing bento box idea on your lunch break. It combines cucumber salad, hummus, pita and more for a satisfying work lunch.
By Holley Grainger, M.S., RD

Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber

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Olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers and spices come together magically in this healthy chicken quinoa bowl recipe. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a glass of cold Italian white wine.
By Carolyn Casner

Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens

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For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

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A sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil transform tomatoes into the perfect side dish. Or try sandwiching them between slices of your favorite whole-wheat country bread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Salmon & Asparagus with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce

3
Looking for a recipe to help you eat more heart-healthy fish and veggies? Add this salmon and asparagus dinner to your rotation. Not only is it healthy and delicious, this sheet-pan dinner is also easy to make and a breeze to clean up.
By Carolyn Casner

Cauliflower & Kale Frittata

4
Inspired by traditional Spanish tortillas made with potatoes, this healthy frittata recipe swaps potatoes for low-carb cauliflower. Serve it along with kale (or your favorite greens) for brunch or an easy breakfast-for-dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon-Garlic Marinated Shrimp

5
Marinating precooked shrimp in garlic- and lemon-infused oil is a simple yet elegant appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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