15+ Low-Calorie Lunch Recipes for the Mediterranean Diet

Satisfy your midday hunger with these delicious lunch recipes. These dishes are lower in calories to help you meet your nutritional goals while staying nourished. Centered around produce, legumes, lean proteins and whole grains, these meals fit seamlessly into the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns around. Recipes like our Veggie Wraps and our Broccoli Melts are nutritious options you’ll want to add to your menu.

Cauliflower Spanakopita Melt

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

Here we blend the flavors of the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita, into the hand-held comfort and convenience of a grilled cheese sandwich. Chopped roasted cauliflower brings a healthy, veggie-packed twist.

Chicken & Cabbage Soup with Pesto

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

This one-pot chicken and cabbage soup is topped with flavor-boosting store-bought pesto. Big, fiber-rich butter beans add a creamy bite, but you can easily swap them out for cannellini beans or navy beans if you prefer.

Veggie Wraps

Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek

These wraps are packed with veggies, including zucchini, bell pepper and spinach. The vegetables cook quickly in a skillet, so you can pull together this easy lunch in no time. Hummus adds plant-based protein and keeps the wrap from getting dry.

Broccoli Melts

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

These broccoli-cheese melts combine crisp-tender broccoli with a layer of melted cheese inside two crispy pieces of bread for a sandwich that’s rich and creamy. These 20-minute cheese melts are the ultimate comfort food—satisfying and packed with that cheesy goodness everyone loves.

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell

Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

Cucumber & Tomato Sandwich

Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf

This herby cucumber and tomato sandwich is crisp and refreshing. Chives add a delicate onion flavor to the cream cheese, but dill or basil can be used in their place.

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

Greg DuPree

A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas’ creamy squash filling.

High-Protein Tuna & Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

This zesty tuna sandwich gets an extra boost of protein from chickpeas. Smashing some of the chickpeas into the tuna enhances the texture and helps hold the filling together. The combo of garlic and Sriracha adds a delightful kick, but feel free to opt for an alternative hot sauce of your preference or skip it altogether for a milder flavor.

Tarkari (Afghan Vegetable & Chickpea Soup)

Try topping this simple but satisfying vegetable soup with a spoonful of Red Chutney. Recipe adapted from New Arrivals Supper Club chef Naseema Kashefi.

Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens

Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe.

Piled-High Vegetable Pitas

Fresh, bright flavors come alive in these easy vegetarian pitas. Give yourself enough time to make the roasted vegetables called for in the recipe—or make them a day or two in advance for a healthy meal that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.

Ground Beef & Potatoes Skillet

Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Styling / Ruth Blackburn

In this healthy one-pan meal, ground beef and potatoes are paired with colorful veggies, including kale, tomato and peppers. Everything is cooked in one skillet, which builds layers of flavor while also cutting back on the number of dishes.

Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad

This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can’t find it, you can use romaine instead.

Avocado Toast with Burrata

Burrata (cream-filled fresh mozzarella cheese) takes this avocado toast recipe to the next level for a weekday-friendly breakfast.

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.

Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice

These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthy and flavorful. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time.

Salmon Caesar Salad

This easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too.

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer’s best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.

Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Brie Passano

This healthy vegetarian salad features chickpeas and quinoa for a boost of protein. Cilantro adds color and flavor when blended to make a creamy dressing. Serve this cold salad for lunch or dinner.