Healthy Recipes Healthy Regional Recipes Healthy Mediterranean Recipes Quick & Easy Mediterranean Recipes 20 30-Minute Mediterranean Diet Dinners for Spring By Sadie Schulte Sadie Schulte Sadie Schulte is EatingWell's editorial apprentice. She attends Iowa State University, where she is a senior studying advertising and fashion communications. During her time at college, she has worked as a reporter at the campus newspaper, the Iowa State Daily, where she writes about culture and lifestyle. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 22, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Greg DuPree Featuring seasonal produce like asparagus, beets and mushrooms, enjoy the flavors of spring in just 30 minutes or less. Plus, they all align with the Mediterranean diet—one of the healthiest eating patterns around. Unlike many popular diets, this way of eating focuses on what foods you can add instead of what to avoid. And the best part is that it is flexible enough to embrace all flavors and types of cuisines. Simply focus on incorporating more healthy fats, legumes, spices, vegetables and whole grains into your daily meals to reap the benefits. From quick salads like our Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing to creamy skillets like our Marry Me Chickpeas, these tasty spring dinners are sure to become staples in your weekly rotation. 01 of 20 Skillet Salmon with Orzo & Green Pea Pesto Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco This delightful one-pan dinner combines salmon fillets with fresh green pea pesto and orzo pasta. Green pea pesto adds a unique twist to the traditional pesto, bringing a hint of sweetness, body and a vibrant green color to your plate. If you like a more traditional pesto flavor, swap out the dill for chopped fresh basil, or use store-bought basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto in its place. View Recipe 02 of 20 Marry Me Chickpeas Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle, Food Stylist: Renu Dhar We put a vegetarian spin on Marry Me Chicken, a dish typically consisting of chicken coated in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce, by swapping in fiber-packed chickpeas as the main ingredient. From the creamy chickpeas to the umami-laden sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll want to sop up every last bit of sauce. To riff on this recipe, you could swap the chickpeas for white beans, like cannellini or navy. View Recipe 03 of 20 Pickled Beet, Arugula & Herbed Goat Cheese Sandwich Jacob Fox This pickled beet, arugula and goat cheese sandwich is peppery with creamy notes from the goat cheese and sweet and tangy undertones from the pickled beets. Chopped walnuts add nuttiness and crunch to this easy sandwich. View Recipe 04 of 20 Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing Curly kale forms the base of this salad, but you could use chard or spinach. To the greens, add a multitude of chopped veggies, such as broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Finish with rich salmon for protein and a drizzle of creamy yogurt dressing to bring it all together. View Recipe 05 of 20 Cheesy Asparagus Chicken Cutlets Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall A creamy cheese sauce spiked with tender-crisp asparagus blankets chicken cutlets in this early-spring-inspired weeknight dinner. The asparagus can be swapped with other tender, snappy steamed veggies, like snap peas or green beans. Serve with fingerling or new potatoes for a starchy side to complement the sauce. View Recipe 06 of 20 Tajín Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw Greg DuPree Tajín, a Mexican chile-lime seasoning, adds a spicy and acidic punch to sweet and mild shrimp. Opt for a low-sodium chile-lime seasoning, or improvise by combining chili powder, a little lime zest and a healthy squeeze of lime juice. Look for pineapple that’s already been peeled and cored for speedier prep. View Recipe 07 of 20 Creamy Pesto Shrimp with Gnocchi & Peas Photographer: Greg DuPree, Prop stylist: Shell Royster, Food stylist: Emily Hall This speedy dinner recipe combines shrimp with pillowy gnocchi, pesto and peas in a creamy sauce. Feel free to substitute the peas with other veggies such as broccoli or asparagus. For a bit of heat, sprinkle in some crushed red pepper, or garnish with grated Parmesan cheese to enhance the savory flavor. View Recipe 08 of 20 Mushroom-Miso Pasta Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek This miso pasta features mushrooms, another umami-forward ingredient that takes this quick vegetarian recipe to the next level. We use white miso, which is light and slightly sweet. Whisking the miso into the reserved cooking water makes it easier to incorporate into the pasta. View Recipe 09 of 20 Chicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle This juicy chicken and broccoli stir-fry features tender-crisp broccoli coated in a velvety sauce flavored with hoisin—a flavorful sauce made from fermented soybean paste that strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy. Try this easy stir-fry with chicken tenders, boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or even pork tenderloin for a different twist. View Recipe 10 of 20 One-Pot Lemon-Broccoli Pasta with Parmesan This hearty pasta dish with bright, fresh flavor is ideal for busy weeknights. The Parmesan adds welcome saltiness and notes of umami and you get added texture from the slight crunch of broccoli and whole-wheat noodles. Add some shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or crispy chickpeas to punch up the protein. View Recipe 11 of 20 Teriyaki Chicken Skillet Casserole with Broccoli Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco Whip up this quick and easy teriyaki chicken casserole in just one skillet—it’s the perfect go-to recipe for hectic weeknights that’s sure to satisfy a crowd. It’s ideal for making use of any leftover chicken and rice you have on hand. If you’re short on leftovers, a rotisserie chicken paired with a package of microwaveable brown rice is a good substitute. View Recipe 12 of 20 Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata 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. View Recipe 13 of 20 Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken Greg DuPree Add this super-bright and citrusy lemon-herb roasted chicken to your weeknight routine, and you won’t be disappointed. The lemon slices in the bottom of the pan release their juice, shaping the base for the buttery, tangy sauce that’s drizzled on top. The light anise flavor of tarragon pairs well with chicken, but feel free to swap it out for another fresh herb like chives or parsley. View Recipe 14 of 20 Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes & Broccolini Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell Chicken thighs and sweet potato get crispy in the oven while broccolini roasts alongside in a foil packet for even cooking and easy cleanup. Pro tip: Place the chicken thighs in the corners of the baking sheet, where there is more air circulation, for crispy skin. View Recipe 15 of 20 Chicken Nachos Jennifer Causey These chicken nachos have crunchy chips topped with hot spiced shredded chicken, beans and melted cheese with cooling chunks of avocado, red onion and cilantro. If you like the heat, add jalapeño slices at the end. These quick nachos work well with shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken if you have leftovers around. View Recipe 16 of 20 Chef Michelle Bernstein's Lemongrass-&-Coconut Poached Salmon Photographer: Rachel Marek, Prop stylist: Holly Dreesman, Food stylist: Gabriel Greco Chef Michelle Bernstein suffers from psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune condition that often presents as joint pain. She created this recipe for Lemongrass-&-Coconut Poached Salmon exclusively for EatingWell. It features a trifecta of inflammation-fighting ingredients: turmeric, ginger and salmon. For a more filling meal, serve with a whole grain like brown rice, or over rice noodles. View Recipe 17 of 20 Quinoa Salad with Feta, Olives & Tomatoes Greg DuPree This quinoa salad, which takes loose inspiration from a Greek salad, is flavorful and filling. Broiling the olives along with the other vegetables softens their flavor and adds a smoky background note. A garnish of basil brightens the dish. View Recipe 18 of 20 Salmon & Asparagus with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce 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. View Recipe 19 of 20 Creamy Chicken Pasta with Brussels Sprouts & Artichokes Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley The creamy white wine-garlic sauce helps blend artichokes and shaved Brussels sprouts together with nutty whole-wheat pasta in this quick dinner. Use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to shave the Brussels sprouts. If you opt for pre-packaged shaved sprouts, note that they might be on the thicker side, requiring a few extra minutes of cooking time. You can swap in canned artichokes, but they tend to have more sodium than frozen, so give them a good rinse before adding. View Recipe 20 of 20 Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream. View Recipe EatingWell.com, April 2024 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit