15 Mediterranean Lunch Recipes That Are Ready in Just 20 Minutes
Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD
The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest, most sustainable diets around. Loaded with whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, legumes, nuts, seeds and fermented dairy (including cheese), it's an eating pattern most people can enjoy.
Try one of these healthy lunch recipes that are appropriate for the Mediterranean diet. These lunches are packed with key ingredients of the diet including vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and proteins. Whether it's Shrimp, Avocado & Feta Wrap or Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad, these beginner lunch recipes are ready in just 20 minutes.
Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these Mediterranean meals and pack in containers with lids to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab & go lunches all week long.
Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing
A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly.
Cucumber Salad, Hummus & Pita Bento Box Lunch
Travel to the Mediterranean over your lunch break with this healthy bento box idea that combines Greek salad, hummus, pita and more for a satisfying work lunch.
Tuna & Olive Spinach Salad
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.
Meal-Prep Falafel Bowls with Tahini Sauce
These quick Mediterranean-inspired couscous bowls come together in 20 minutes thanks to healthy convenience items like frozen falafel and steam-in-bag fresh green beans. Whisk together the simple tahini sauce while the other ingredients cook.
Shrimp, Avocado & Feta Wrap
This easy wrap makes a great healthy lunch to pack for work. Buy cooked shrimp in the seafood department at most supermarkets and grocery stores, or check the freezer section for tailed and deveined shrimp that are easy to thaw and steam. Salty feta and chopped fresh vegetables keep this easy lunchtime wrap flavorful and satisfying.
Salmon Pita Sandwich
This quick lunch recipe is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s thanks to the canned sockeye salmon. If you're bringing this sandwich for lunch, keep the salmon salad separate and stuff the pita just before eating.
Tomato-&-Avocado Cheese Sandwich
Parmesan cheese is a bold flavor, so you only need 1/4 cup to add a big punch to this vegetarian toaster-oven sandwich. Get a serving of fruit too, when you enjoy the sandwich with a fresh pear.
White Bean & Veggie Salad
This meatless main dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.
Veggie Wrap with Cilantro Hummus
These healthy multi-grain wraps are filled with mixed greens, chopped cucumber, tomato and red onion, as well as feta cheese and homemade cilantro hummus. As a time saver, the hummus can be prepared up to three days ahead, and chilled until you're ready to make the wraps.
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.
Charcuterie Bistro Lunch Box
Inspired by Starbucks' bistro boxes, this packable lunch is just like a personal-size cheese plate to take on the go. The healthy and easy snack-style meal is perfect to bring to work for lunch or a light picnic date night.
Tuna & White Bean Salad
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.
Pesto Pasta Salad
A creamy pesto sauce turns this simple pasta salad into a delightful dinner. Adding broccoli to the pasta cooking water just before the pasta is done is a convenient way to briefly cook it so that it turns a vivid shade of green and softens slightly. Eat this pasta salad hot or cold.
Cucumber Caprese Sandwich
We added cucumber and greens to the tomato to make this refreshing cucumber caprese sandwich flavored with pesto, fresh mozzarella and a sweet balsamic glaze.
Read the original article on Eating Well.