Mediterranean Dinner Recipes of Summer
By Bill Bradley, R.D.
Updated October 21, 2021
Summer is here and it is the best time to be eating Mediterranean. Why? In the summer time, fruits and vegetables are tastier than ever, people (even in the States) are slowing down, and families are reconnecting and sharing meals together. These are all staples of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. We have put together a collection of dinner recipes that you and your loved ones can enjoy for hours, not minding the clock but enriching yourselves in the present with healthy food that tastes amazing. We’ve include both main and side dishes, dinner recipes for both the grill or oven, vegetarian options – a whole assortment for you to choose from. We hope you enjoy!
Main Dishes (11 Dinner Recipes)
1. Pesto Genovese (Traditional Italian Pesto)
This recipe is made with just a handful of ingredients, the golden rule to achieve a great result is to use top quality raw materials: young and bright green Genovese basil (sweet basil) is an absolute must, as well as great extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy it for dinner on your favorite kind of pasta!
2. Salad Nicoise (France)
There must be as many Niçoise salads as there are Niçois! You can find a lot of variations. Some have anchovies, others don’t, sometimes, in restaurants, you can have rice or not. The original recipe is therefore difficult to find! However, this version is my favorite, it’s simple but tasty.
3. Moroccan Fish Stew with Fresh Herbs
Nothing feels more authentically Mediterranean then sitting in a restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean Sea while enjoying a fish stew from fish that was caught that morning right next to the restaurant. The warm stew is often served with wine, salad and other vegetables cooked in extra virgin olive oil. This Moroccan fish stew with fresh herbs is one of my favorite recipes from Mahjouba Ezzamoury, one of our Moroccan recipe contributors.
4. Tian Provencal (French Baked Summer Vegetables)
This beautiful lunch or dinner recipe for Tian Provencal (French Baked Summer Vegetables) was created by our French recipe developer and food photographer Mary Devinat. If you are looking for a new vegetarian centerpiece for lunch or dinner, Tian Provencal is both gorgeous and delicious.
5. Cherry Tomato Sauce and Bela Mushrooms on Pasta
This dinner recipe is loaded with vegetables (cherry tomatoes and baby bela mushrooms), has lots of extra virgin olive oil and also is loaded with anti-inflammatory, pro-digestive herbs (dill and rosemary).
6. Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Peppers and Onions
Think of sausage with peppers and onions, but with chicken thighs instead of sausage, and all of it baked together on a sheet pan for pure ease. Sheet pan meals are becoming more and more popular because you can have a well-rounded meal without dirtying a bunch of pots and pans.
7. Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing
Thick Greek yogurt whisked together with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs combine into a creamy dressing that makes this grilled chicken salad recipe superb!
8. Grilled Shrimp with Fresh Dill Dressing
Grilled Shrimp Salad with Fresh Dill Dressing is a big hit at our picnics and barbecues. It is super easy to make.
9. Grilled Turmeric Chicken
This easy grilled chicken recipe involves marinating boneless skinless chicken thighs in a simple marinade with turmeric that creates a bright beautiful color and wonderful taste!
10. Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana (Italy)
When you travel to Naples, in southern Italy, one of the dishes that you absolutely have to try is eggplant Parmigiana. This traditional preparation is essentially a rich vegetable lasagna that uses eggplant slices in place of pasta and combines them with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and basil leaves.
11. Grilled Pork Kabobs with Vegetables (Italy)
Who doesn’t love some delicious grilled meat and vegetable kabobs? If you like grilling outside and enjoy tasty and healthy food made with high quality ingredients, this is the perfect recipe for you!
Side Dishes (7 Dinner Recipes)
1. Greek Chop Chop Salad
Everything is chopped to a smaller size including the lettuce. This creates an opportunity to get all the ingredients of the salad in each forkful which means you actually get more flavor in every bite. I find that it is worth the few extra steps in making the salad for the extra flavor it gives you.
2. Traditional Grilled Italian Vegetables
Here in Italy, whenever you grill meat or fish you also grill some vegetables to go with it. In fact, in my experience, most of the time you start by grilling the vegetables while the embers are getting hot and end up eating them all while the meat is still cooking!
3. Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)
Muhammara is a slightly spicy dip made from red peppers and walnuts that originates from Syria.
4. Tuna Deviled Eggs (Spanish Tapa)
Stuffed (or deviled) eggs are an international dish with Mediterranean roots, presumably stretching back to the Roman Empire. Back in the fourth and fifth century AD, a cookbook called De re coomachia collected popular recipes for stuffed eggs, such as a version with pepper, lovage, soaked nuts, honey, vinegar, and fish sauce.
5. Greek Briam (Summer Vegetables Baked in Olive Oil)
Briam is an amazing vegetable and olive oil based dish in the ladera family. Ladera (lathera) is a Greek word meaning “in oil”. These foods are usually vegetable or bean-based dishes that are cooked in copious amounts of extra virgin olive oil. Briam is basically all of the summer vegetables from your garden like peppers, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, and some potatoes all cooked in a lot of fresh and dried herbs, onion, garlic, and a ridiculous amount of extra virgin olive oil.
6. Caprese Salad (Italy)
A Caprese salad is an extremely simple and fresh salad from Italy. Because there are very few ingredients it’s all about the freshness of your ingredients with any Caprese salad recipe.
7. Warm Red Bliss Potato Salad with Artichokes, Capers and Lemony Dill Vinaigrette
Are you tired of the typical potato salads loaded with mayo that are fattening and non-nutritious? This version is flavor packed with capers, onions, lemon, and dill. Why use mayo, when you can use extra virgin olive oil?
These look great – super healthy and delicious! I’ll have to make the Moroccan fish stew with fresh herbs next. Thanks for sharing!
Enjoy! – Bill