Mediterranean cuisine is made up of a vast array of dishes from various countries and cultures. From Italian to Spanish, Egyptian to Greek, there are many different influences and flavors you can use to create delicious Mediterranean food.
And it’s really easy to make vegan Mediterranean meals! A lot of Mediterranean recipes focus on fresh vegetables.
We have put together this list of 15 amazing Mediterranean recipes that are vegan friendly and really easy for you to make at home. Keep reading for some cooking inspiration.
Spaghetti bolognese is a traditional Italian dish made with beef mince in a rich tomato sauce. This recipe substitutes the beef with tofu and uses an egg-free pasta to create a vegan alternative.
It is ready in 30 minutes and still has the great flavors of a bolognese – tomato, onion, garlic, basil and oregano.
The tofu has a nice firm texture and takes on the flavors of the dish. Maple syrup may seem like a strange ingredient to include but it helps to sweeten the sauce.
You can also add a dash of red wine if you want to.
This recipe for shawarma bowls is super healthy and so tasty that you will want to make it again and again. The cauliflower is tender, the chickpeas are soft but slightly chewy, and the cucumber is refreshing.
The crunchy bell pepper adds a lovely texture and the zingy lemon juice really lifts all of the flavors. The cumin, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric and coriander seasonings create an authentic Turkish taste.
Greek food is well known for well cooked meat and fresh seafood, but there are also some amazing vegetable based dishes in Greek cuisine.
Eggplant is a very versatile vegetable – you can stuff it, fry it, roast it, bake it – or braise it like in this recipe.
The eggplant is flavored with oregano, paprika, turmeric, coriander and cinnamon and cooked with onions, tomatoes, garlic, carrots, bell peppers and chickpeas.
Silverbeet, also known as swiss chard, is a leafy green vegetable.
The leaves and the stalks are edible, and in this recipe they are fried up with plenty of garlic, fresh tomatoes, chickpeas and breadcrumbs. The result is a flavorsome, textured mixture that can be enjoyed warm or cold.
If you want a recipe that will really bring out the flavors of fresh silverbeet then this is ideal. You can enjoy it as a side dish or as part of a vegan tapas meal.
Farro is a type of wheat that was very popular in ancient Rome. It has an earthy flavor and a chewy texture and is still enjoyed in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries today.
This recipe combined farro with bell peppers, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, and olives in a vibrant salad.
The salad is flavored with crushed red pepper, oregano, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Farro is high in fiber and micronutrients. Including farro in your diet is very good for you, and this salad is the perfect way to do it.
Falafel is a very popular vegan food that originates from Egypt. It can be used in salads, sandwiches, wraps, or eaten as a snack.
It is made with chickpeas that are ground up and combined with herbs and spices then rolled into balls and cooked.
It is not actually very difficult to make your own falafel. It is best to start with dry chickpeas rather than canned, as this will create the best flavor and texture possible.
You can prepare your falafel ahead of time and freeze it for another day.
A traditional Alfredo sauce is very fattening as it has large amounts of butter and cheese to create the creamy flavor and texture.
This recipe is much healthier as the creamy sauce is made using white beans which are low in fat, high in fiber and high in protein.
The bacon is replaced with sun dried tomatoes which are flavorsome and nutritious. The sugar snap peas add a lovely crunchy texture which contrasts with the soft pasta.
The addition of almond butter gives the sauce a silky consistency.
Greek Briam is a very simple vegetable dish. It is often served alongside pita and feta cheese – you can use vegan feta to serve it with or just serve it without cheese.
The potatoes, onions and zucchini are thinly sliced and baked in a tomato based sauce with seasonings of rosemary, oregano, fresh parsley and plenty of garlic.
You can also add other vegetables like eggplant or bell peppers if you want to. It is similar to a French Ratatouille, and looks very appetizing with the vegetables arranged neatly in the dish.
Miso adds a savory salty taste and liquid smoke adds the smokiness – both of these ingredients replace the flavor profile of the smoky bacon that would usually be in the pasta dish.
In addition to this, both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes are used for extra flavor.
When you think of an asparagus salad you probably picture spears of asparagus.
This recipe uses shaved ribbons of asparagus for a more delicate texture that blends with the salad leaves. Try to find nice chunky asparagus spears as these will be easier to shave with a vegetable peeler.
Along with the asparagus, this salad also has arugula, cannellini beans, oranges and olives. The salad is flavored with tahini, mustard and black pepper.
Stuffed cabbage rolls are a traditional Mediterranean food and it is really easy to make them without using any animal products.
The tomato and onion filling is flavored with fresh herbs and warm spices for an enticing taste. You can make these ahead of time which is ideal if you have guests coming over.
You can serve them as a side dish or an appetizer, or alongside soup. You can also get creative with the stuffing and experiment with different flavors and ingredients.
Spanish Omelet is usually made with lots of eggs, so how do you make a vegan version?
The ‘egg’ is replaced with a mixture of silken tofu, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, water and black pepper.
These ingredients are blended together to form a smooth mixture that has a golden yellow color just like eggs. This is poured over boiled potato slices and fried onions and then cooked for about 8 minutes.
This recipe tells you how to make your own gnocchi with a soft pillowy texture. The mushrooms are earthy, the fresh greens are vibrant, and the tahini parsley sauce is very flavorsome.
All of these ingredients come together to make the perfect gnocchi dish that the whole family will enjoy. You can also make double gnocchi dumplings and freeze some for another day.
Bamya is a traditional recipe for Egyptian style Okra. It has a tangy, spicy flavor with a savory base of onions and garlic.
The tomato sauce is flavored with warm spices and plenty of jalapenos, and the addition of lime juice makes this dish very vibrant and zingy.
The lime juice also helps to prevent the okra from developing a slimy texture during cooking. Okra is high in fiber and tomatoes are high in vitamin C so this is a very healthy and nutritious meal.
Summary
There is something for everyone on this list – from pasta to salad, from vegetable bakes to vegan tortillas – you are sure to find something that you will enjoy.
Some of these recipes are vegan versions of traditionally non-vegan meals – like carbonara and bolognese. Others are meals that are traditionally vegan such as Greek Briam or Falafel.
A lot of these recipes focus on bringing out the natural flavors of fresh vegetables to create healthy, nutritious and satisfying meals with a taste of the Mediterranean.
Hi, I’m Eve Mason and I’ve been a vegan since almost five years now.I can honestly say that veganism has changed my life for the better.The past few years I’ve been on a quest to find affordable vegan friendly food.Fortunately, meat-free alternatives have now become available in most supermarkets, which has made my life a lot easier.
I love cooking at home, but for those who don’t like cooking at all, there are more and more restaurants that offer vegan options as well nowadays.
I hope you enjoy my website and have fun preparing your own homemade vegan meals.
