Mediterranean Recipes & Food Ideas

It comes together in five minutes.

It's easy to make this gorgeous, make-ahead dish at home.

This past weekend I was led astray from my usual, predictable purchases at the farmers market. The culprit? Beautiful Borlotti Beans (or Cranberry Beans) and the promise of a great early fall salad.Cranberry beans have beige and red pods that house darker, speckled beans. While the shell is inedible, the beans inside are incredibly nutty in flavor with an almost creamy texture.I had leftover mint and basil at home, and I picked up some mild goat’s milk feta.

Welcome to Next Week’s Meal Plan! I want to help you find inspiration and ease some of the pain points that come with getting dinner on the table night after night, whether you’re cooking for one or a family of eight. That’s why, as promised, this series is shifting — every week I’ll be answering reader requests and sharing meal plans that you want to see.It’s not too late! What type of meal plans would you like to see?

Summertime is all about easy entertaining and easier food: bountiful produce allows us to spend less time fussing in the kitchen and more time al fresco with friends. I’m all about quick recipes that produce big flavor, and these marinated mozzarella balls do just that. The best part? They get better the longer they sit, so make a triple batch and you’ll always be ready for unannounced guests that come your way.

Creamy, seasoned feta cheese tossed with Kalamata olives and green onions, wrapped in crispy layers of paper-thin phyllo? Oh, yes! These Mediterranean-inspired cigars are a really great appetizer to have in your back pocket as the holidays approach. You might even have all of the ingredients stashed away in your fridge and freezer. Get rolling! Although working with phyllo might sound intimidating, I truly believe that with patience and the right tools, these can be made effortlessly.

Kelli and Ariel recently hosted a dinner party inspired by The Kitchn Cookbook, and this week they’ve been sharing all the recipes and tips! Every party deserves a good cocktail, and for this one, we decided to make something new, inspired by the Mediterranean appetizer and dessert — both of which included pomegranate. This complex and vibrant cocktail is perfect for one and easily adaptable for a gathering.

One of the ancient axioms of dinner parties is this: Do not make a recipe for the first time when you have guests coming over. But some recipes are an exception, like this one, which I tested for the first time on a full table of guests. They loved its layers of shatteringly crisp phyllo, the light swirls of yogurt, and the filling of chopped raisins, honey, and pistachios — rather like a lighter, deconstructed baklava.

Need to let out a little tension after a long day at the office? Smash your cucumbers. Bring out the cast iron skillet or even just a heavy pot and give them a healthy smack or two. No, really — it helps. It also helps break down the vegetables just enough that they’re extra ready to soak up a dressing, which in this case is a Greek-leaning one made of creamy yogurt, tangy lemon juice, and plenty of chopped fresh dill and parsley.

You probably feel like you need a vacation right now — don’t we all? Well, how about Greece? Yes, sure, it’s a Tuesday and you have work tomorrow, but let’s go anyway. A flight tonight is probably out of the question, so escape to Greece via your kitchen instead, for an inspired dinner that will have everyone around the table cheering. Just keep a close eye on the plates. If you think you need a whole pantry of new ingredients to make your escape, you’re mistaken.

If you’re inviting friends over who may be on the fence about feta, make them this dip. It’s guaranteed to make a feta believer out of anyone. Instead of the cheese being in its usual crumbled state, it’s whipped in a food processor with Greek yogurt into a gloriously creamy, tangy dip. A heaping spoonful of basil pesto drizzled over top seals the deal, making this a flavorful appetizer you can make for around five bucks.

Take a Mediterranean vacation without leaving home, thanks to feta salsa, orzo soup, and the best Greek salad you've ever had.

At Kitchn, our editors develop and debut brand-new recipes on the site every single week. But at home, we also have our own tried-and-true dishes that we make over and over again — because quite simply? We love them. And we decided to start sharing some of our absolute favorites with you. Here’s a peek into what we’re cooking and eating in our own kitchens.

If the one-pan cooking craze has taught us anything, it’s that there’s something so satisfying about making your meal in one vessel. And these Mediterranean chicken packets — layered with red peppers, olives, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes and wrapped in foil — are no exception.