Mediterranean
Spanish Tortilla: Potato and Onion Omelet
A thick Spanish omelet of potatoes and onion slowly cooked in olive oil, bound with eggs and flipped on a plate. About 1 hour.
1 hr
Mediterranean recipes
Everyday dishes from the coasts of Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and North Africa, built on olive oil, vegetables, legumes and fish.
The Mediterranean table is built on a short list of ingredients used well: olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, legumes, grains, fresh herbs, fish and seasonal vegetables. The coastline touches many countries, so the same pantry turns into very different food in Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and North Africa. What the regions share is a habit of simple cooking that lets the main ingredient show.
The recipes in this section are written for people who cook on a weeknight. We explain how long to soften an onion, when a sauce has reduced enough, and how to tell when fish or vegetables are done. Where an ingredient is hard to find, we suggest a practical swap and say what will change.
Start here if you like food that is bright, savory and not heavy. Most dishes use one pan or one pot, and many taste as good the next day as they do on the first.
Recipes in this section
Mediterranean
Gambas al Ajillo: Spanish Garlic Shrimp in Olive Oil
Shrimp sizzled in olive oil with sliced garlic, dried chili and a splash of sherry, ready in about 30 minutes and served in the pan with bread.
28 min
Mediterranean
Chicken Paella with Saffron and Green Beans
A home-style chicken paella in a wide skillet: saffron rice, tomato sofrito, green beans and a crisp toasted bottom, ready in about 75 minutes.
1 hr 15 min
Mediterranean
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio: Garlic, Olive Oil and Chile
Spaghetti tossed in olive oil with pale gold garlic, chile flakes and parsley, with starchy pasta water for a light sauce. About 25 minutes.
25 min
Mediterranean
Greek Lemon Chicken and Roasted Potatoes
Bone-in chicken and potato wedges roasted together in one pan with lemon, garlic, oregano and olive oil, ready in about 1 hour 25 minutes.
1 hr 25 min
Mediterranean
Spanakopita: Greek Spinach and Feta Pie in Crisp Phyllo
A Greek pie of spinach, feta, dill and eggs between crisp, buttered phyllo layers, baked in one pan and cut into squares.
1 hr 35 min
Mediterranean
Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
Smooth red lentil soup with onion, carrot, cumin and paprika, finished with lemon and a sizzling pul biber butter, ready in about 50 minutes.
50 min
Mediterranean
Panzanella: Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad
A Tuscan salad of oven-dried bread, salted ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and basil, tossed in a tomato-juice dressing and rested 20 to 30 minutes.
50 min
Mediterranean
Gigantes Plaki: Greek Baked Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce
Giant white beans boiled until tender, then baked in a dill and tomato sauce until the top browns. Soak overnight, bake about an hour.
3 hr