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15+ Easy Three-Step Mediterranean Diet Lunch Recipes
Lunch can be super convenient when it’s ready in three steps or less. These meals are simple and easy to throw together for a healthy and flavorful midday bite. Plus, each dish aligns with the Mediterranean diet, known as one of the healthiest and most flexible diets around. You’ll notice that these lunches are packed with lots of nutritious ingredients like leafy greens, seafood, legumes, whole grains and healthy oils to help you feel your best. Recipes like our Spinach, Broccoli & Mushroom Quiche and our No-Chicken Salad Sandwich are mouthwatering options for lunchtime this week.
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Cucumber-Spinach Sandwich
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This sandwich is light and refreshing, combining crisp cucumbers with tender spinach for a fresh, green bite. Layered on whole-grain bread with a creamy spread, it’s both simple and satisfying. Perfect for a quick lunch at work or at home, this sandwich is a no-fuss option.
High-Protein Pasta Salad
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Crunchy cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers and red onions are all mixed together in a heart-healthy vinaigrette for a dish that is as delicious as it is eye-catching. Chickpea pasta, whole chickpeas and fresh mozzarella pearls provide the dish’s protein.
Spinach, Broccoli & Mushroom Quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
This quiche is a high-protein dish that works for any meal of the day, not just breakfast. Enjoy it as a light lunch with a side salad or as a satisfying dinner alongside roasted vegetables. It’s the best way to get your veggies and protein all in one easy dish!
No-Chicken Salad Sandwich
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This no-chicken salad sandwich made with chickpeas is a delicious plant-based alternative to the classic chicken salad. Serve it on whole-grain bread, in a wrap, over a salad or with crackers for an easy lunch.
White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
This salad is a quick dish that requires no stove time. White beans provide plant-based protein while also adding fiber to help keep you full. Creamy feta cheese provides a tangy, salty contrast to the bright vinaigrette. Tossed with fresh herbs and toasted walnuts, it’s perfect for a light lunch.
Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This sandwich takes classic tuna salad and adds a creamy twist with ripe avocado for a fresh, buttery flavor and texture. It’s the ideal upgrade to your usual tuna salad, and it’s sure to become your new favorite lunchtime sandwich for work or home.
Loaded Chicken & Broccoli Salad
Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
With tender, juicy chicken and crisp, fresh broccoli as the base, this salad delivers a satisfying bite in every forkful. A creamy dressing ties everything together, while mix-ins like crispy bacon, shredded cheese and scallions add layers of flavor.
Marry Me Chicken Salad Sandwich
Photographer: Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This Marry Me Chicken Salad Sandwich takes the satisfying combination of creamy, savory and tangy flavors from the original dish and gives it the sandwich treatment. We add a handful of peppery arugula to give a vibrant bite to every mouthful, but you can use baby spinach in its place if you prefer.
High-Protein Lemon & Turmeric Chicken Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Turmeric, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, gives this soup its vibrant yellow hue. We love tender-crisp baby kale, but chopped kale or baby spinach can be used in its place.
Beet & White Bean Sandwiches
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
These sandwiches have a vibrant, creamy filling. Pickling the beets in rice vinegar and thyme leads to a tangy, herb-infused flavor. Combining the beets and beans with alfalfa sprouts, red onion and your favorite bread, these sandwiches are a satisfying plant-based lunch.
Turmeric Chicken & Avocado Wraps
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
Chickpeas add fiber and plant-based protein to these easy and vibrant turmeric chicken wraps. Mix up the chicken salad at the beginning of the week to enjoy in a wrap or serve it over greens if you prefer.
Cucumber-Avocado-Tomato Sandwich
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Creamy avocado and hummus provide plant-based protein and healthy fats, while juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers bring refreshing crunch and flavor. Layer it all on whole-grain bread for an extra boost of fiber, and you’ve got a quick and wholesome sandwich.
Cauliflower Spanakopita Melt
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
This tasty dish blends 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.
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, while hummus adds plant-based protein and keeps the wrap from getting dry.
No-Cook White Bean & Spinach Caprese Salad
This easy salad features the classic combination of juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fragrant basil and tangy balsamic vinegar, but adds tender white beans and fresh baby spinach to the mix.
Broccoli Melts
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Crisp-tender broccoli is combined 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.
Cucumber & Tomato Sandwich
Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
This herby cucumber and tomato sandwich is crisp and refreshing, making the most out of summer’s produce bounty. Chives add a delicate onion flavor to the cream cheese, but dill or basil can be used in their place.
Chicken & Cabbage Soup with Pesto
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This one-pot 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.
Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Chicken & Fresh Berries
This flavorful salad is packed with tender rotisserie chicken, juicy berries and hearty quinoa. An easy homemade dressing made with oil, vinegar, mustard and honey ties everything together for a filling and satisfying lunch.
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 plant-based 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.
