Mediterranean Recipes: The Best Mediterranean Food Recipes
Are you looking for the perfect Mediterranean food recipes but can't seem to get a hold of any? Rest assured, as we have very generously compiled a list of some of the most lip-smacking Mediterranean recipes that will leave you and your family begging for more.
Whether you are looking for a hearty soup or want to make a traditional Mediterranean supper, bring out your cooking tools and put your apron on.
So without spending any further time, let's look at some of the top Mediterranean recipes:
Bean And Barley Soup:
This warm and filling soup tastes as if it has been on the stove for hours; however, it is relatively quick to cook. The best part is that you can also freeze your soup for a rainy day. It is one of the best Mediterranean diet breakfast recipes.
So let's look at the required ingredients and how you can make this hot treat:
Ingredients:
Garlic - 5 cloves, minced.
Large onion - 1 chopped.
Dried basil - 1 teaspoon.
Extra virgin olive oil - 4 teaspoons.
Low sodium vegetable broth - 6 cups
Medium fennel bulb - 1, chopped and cored.
Can of white beans - 1, rinsed.
Quick-cooking barley - ¾ cup.
Ground pepper - ¼ teaspoon.
14.1 ounce can of fire-roasted tomatoes (diced) - 1.
14 ounce can of fire-roasted tomatoes (diced) - 1.
Parmesan cheese (grated) - ¼ cup.
Baby spinach - 6 cups.
Method:
Once your ingredients are ready, start by heating the oil in your Dutch oven while keeping the heat on a medium. Then toss in the garlic, basil, fennel, and onion while stirring frequently.
Cook everything until they are tender and start turning brown. This will take around 6-8 minutes.
Then take ½ cup beans and mash them.
Now, add the whole beans, mashed beans, barley, broth, and tomatoes into the pot and stir. Then by increasing the flame to a high, bring everything to a boil.
Now, turn the heat down to a medium and let everything simmer. Remember to keep stirring till the barley becomes tender. The whole process should take you around 15 minutes.
Then add in the spinach and let it cook for 1 minute. Next, remove your soup from the stove and add in the pepper and cheese. Viola! Your hearty Mediterranean soup is ready.
Mediterranean Chicken Stew
This is one of the best Mediterranean chicken recipes and is relatively easy and takes almost 20 minutes to make. Filled with flavor, this recipe includes a secret time-saving ingredient. You guessed it, rotisserie chicken.
Buying a roasted chicken beforehand saves time and tastes like it has been cooking all day. So let's get into how you can make this lip-smacking chicken stew at home.
Ingredients:
Fresh lemon juice - 1 tablespoon.
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons.
Bay leaves - 2.
Medium onion - 1 chopped.
Kalamata olives - ½ cup coarsely chopped and pitted.
Garlic clove - 1 minced.
Pepper - to taste.
Rotisserie chicken - 1 cut into pieces without skin.
Dried oregano - 2 teaspoons.
Chicken broth (low sodium) - 1 cup.
Crushed tomatoes puree - 1 can (28 ounces).
Chickpeas - 1 can (15-ounce).
Method:
Start by placing a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add olive oil; once it's hot, add the onion and cook it till it gets soft.
Next, add oregano and garlic and while stirring, cook for a minute.
Then add the chickpeas, bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and pepper.
Let everything come to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Now, add the chicken pieces, lower the heat, and let everything simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Then remove the pot from the heat, add lemon juice and olives. You can serve this hot and tasty stew with rice or couscous.
Eggplant Parmesan - Gluten-Free
This version is very easy to make as it does not include any breading. There is no frying as the eggplant is roasted to perfection. This is simply one of the best vegetarian Mediterranean food recipes. With no breading, this yummylicious casserole is gluten-free.
Ingredients:
Salt - ¾ teaspoon, divided.
Onion - chopped, 1 cup.
Ground pepper - ½ teaspoon, divided.
Garlic - 2 cloves minced.
Eggplants - 2 pounds trimmed and cut into the thickness of ½ inch, round shape.
Virgin olive oil.
Oregano - dried, one teaspoon.
Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons.
Basil - dried, one teaspoon.
Salt-free crushed tomatoes - 1 can.
Fresh basil - ¼ cup.
Dry red wine - ¼ cup.
Mozzarella cheese - part-skim, shredded, 1 ½ cups.
Parmesan cheese - ½ cup grated.
Method:
Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. Then coat cooking spray to two large baking trays.
Now, place the eggplant slices on the trays. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoons of pepper and salt and roast for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, place a large skillet on medium heat and heat the oil. Then add the onions, cook and stir them till they are soft. Now, add garlic and cook for one more minute. Next, toss in the wine, oregano, tomatoes, basil, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of pepper and salt. Bring everything to a simmer and turn the heat to medium-low. Keep cooking while occasionally stirring till it thickens.
Now comes the layering, spread 1 cup of the sauce in a baking dish. Then place half of the eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Place another cup of sauce on top and sprinkle half parmesan and half mozzarella on top. Repeat the layering process with the remaining ingredients and make another layer.
Place your dish in the oven and keep baking till the sauce starts to bubble along the edges, and there are brown spots in the cheese; this will take around 25 minutes. Finally, take the dish out and let it cool. Remember to sprinkle it with fresh basil when serving.
Mediterranean Sunrise
This Mediterranean drink is full of summery flavors and will awaken all your senses with the first sip. It is a part of Mediterranean breakfast recipes. Let's see how you can make it at home:
Ingredients:
Sugar syrup - 10 ml
Orange juice - 75 ml.
Limoncello - 15 ml.
Gin Mare - 40 ml.
Tonic water - 20ml
Aperol and grenadine - 15ml (premix 50:50).
Method:
Take a Collins glass and fill it with ice cubes. Then shake the top 4 ingredients and pour them into the Collins glass while double straining.
Allow everything to settle and then add the premix Aperol and Grenadine. Top this drink up with tonic water. Decorate your glass with a slice of lemon, orange, and fresh thyme.
Mediterranean Food Recipes And Cooking Ideas: Final Words:
Who says you can't enjoy a yummy Mediterranean meal at home? Ensure you follow these authentic Mediterranean recipes and tranquilize your taste buds with the bursting flavors and freshness that these recipes have to offer.