15 Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 15 Minutes

skillet lemon pepper salmon
Photo: Ali Redmond

We have ample recipes to help you find a healthy, tasty dinner that you can make in 15 minutes or less. From glazed salmon with roasted veggie and quinoa salad to whole-grain pasta mixed with chicken and lemon, these quick and easy meals incorporate several food groups that are staples of the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns around. Recipes like our Skillet Lemon-Pepper Salmon and Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli are full of whole grains, produce, healthy fats and lean proteins so you're sure to have a nutritious meal that's simply delicious.

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Skillet Lemon-Pepper Salmon

skillet lemon pepper salmon
Ali Redmond

Simple ingredients like lemon, cracked black pepper and paprika completely awaken this fall-apart-tender salmon with a crispy exterior. Use this salmon to add protein to a grain bowl or salad, or enjoy alongside roasted veggies.

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Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli

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Everyone loves teriyaki chicken--and this one is better for you with much less added sugar. It's also gluten-free so long as you use tamari (aka gluten-free soy sauce). Feel free to swap out the broccoli for any veggie--carrots, snow peas, green beans--that you have on hand.

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Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl

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The ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work. The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies.

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Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushroom Salad

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Shaving the vegetables for this easy salad recipe makes them deliciously tender-crisp without having to cook anything and helps them stand up to the bright homemade vinaigrette and salty Parmesan cheese.

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Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad

salmon with quinoa salad on a white plate

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.

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Spring Roll Salad

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All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work! This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad.

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10-Minute Tuna Melt

10-Minute Tuna Melt
Joy Howard

This variation of a classic sandwich uses mayonnaise, but not where you think! Mayo is brushed on the outside of the sandwich in place of butter to make the sandwich golden and crispy as it heats in a skillet. Plain Greek yogurt takes mayo's place in the salad—along with crunchy celery, roasted red bell peppers and scallions—for a satisfying lunch with less saturated fat.

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Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

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Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water--its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.

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Chopped Cobb Salad with Chicken

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This healthy chopped salad is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. You can reserve the remaining hard-boiled egg half for a snack.

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White Bean & Veggie Salad

White Bean & Veggie Salad

This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.

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Lemon Chicken Pasta

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In this easy lemon chicken pasta recipe, we love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken, quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby zucchini, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes.

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Falafel Tabbouleh Bowls with Tzatziki

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Meal-prepping a week's worth of lunches doesn't need to take hours in the kitchen. These Greek-inspired meal-prep bowls can be prepared in just 10 minutes and only require 4 ingredients--greens, falafel, tabbouleh and tzatziki. We love going to our local specialty grocery store for fast shortcut ingredients like these. The high-fiber falafel and tabbouleh will help to keep you feeling satisfied all afternoon.

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Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Greek Kale Salad with Quinoa & Chicken

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Toss the cooked chicken into this healthy 5-ingredient salad recipe while it's still warm to lightly wilt the kale, making it softer and easier to eat. Using store-bought salad dressing saves time, but you could also make your own Mediterranean vinaigrette.

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