These 17 Mediterranean recipes are proof that following a heart-healthy diet is anything but a chore.

Vegetable Antipasti Plate
: Mowie Kay
1/17
A centuries-old trick for preserving (and, we dare say, vastly improving) a glut of fresh ingredients that would otherwise go to waste.
Recipe
Whole Grain Sourdough Pita
: Stephanie Lynn Warga
2/17
The familiar pita bread but made with whole grain flour and sourdough starter. Still puffs. Still amazes. In looks as well as taste.
Recipe
Old-Fashioned Minestrone Soup
: Tara Fisher
3/17
An updated Italian classic made with all the usual suspects along with an unexpected drizzle of pesto that turns a frugal veggie-bin catch-all into something truly astounding.
Recipe
Horta ~ Boiled Greens with Garlic
: Mowie Kay
4/17
A classic and nutritious way to get your daily mix of greens—kale, anyone?—that's based on Greek tradition...complete with a little added oomph.
Recipe
Za’atar Cacio e Pepe
: Jonathan Lovekin
5/17
It's Ottolenghi. Enough said. (Well, okay, we have to say more. Like how everyone who’s tried this swears it’ll forevermore be their simple supper standby.)
Recipe
Roasted Potatoes with Dill
: Mowie Kay
6/17
A handful of cheap ingredients. The exact perfect temperature and timing. And a little patience, please, while spuds are elevated from simple to stellar.
Recipe
Whole Roasted Branzino with Lemon and Shaved Fennel Salad
: Eva Kolenko
7/17
Simple works. That's the lesson behind this subtle, delicate classic encountered on menus throughout Manhattan. And so easy to make at home.
Recipe
Sautéed Spinach with Bread Crumbs
: Stacey Tyzzer
8/17
That frugal Italian trick of adding buttery bread crumbs to just about anything to make it more enticing works its considerable charms here. Swoon.
Recipe
Couscous Salad with Fennel and Almonds
: Skye McAlpine
9/17
You could, of course, serve couscous plain. But why?! Makes little sense when you can quickly and easily toss in almonds and lemon and tuna and shaved fennel and literally be astounded.
Recipe
Roast Chicken Thighs with Lemon
: Kristin Teig Photography
10/17
Shatteringly crisp skin. Tender, juicy meat. And pan juices you're gonna wanna sop up or soak up rather than let a drop go to waste.
Recipe
Giardiniera ~ Italian Pickled Vegetables
: Ed Anderson
11/17
The finest Italian picked vegetables are whatever veggies you love left to soak in vinegar, spices, and herbs. So easy. So addictive.
Recipe
Eggplant Shakshuka
: Mowie Kay
12/17
The sultry, smoky flavor of ras el hanout permeates this simple supper of eggs in tomato sauce, which takes on more sustenance than usual thanks to late-summer eggplant.
Recipe
Italian Frittata
: Simon Griffiths
13/17
Eggs, potatoes, and not much else. That's our weeknight salvation come suppertime on a super crazy day.
Recipe
Lentil and Escarole Soup
: America’s Test Kitchen
14/17
Truly the epitome of classic rustic Italian cooking. Here's to the simple things in life that taste anything but simple.
Recipe
Spaghetti with Olives, Broccoli, and Feta
: Kris Kirkham
15/17
Eating healthy never tasted so satisfying as this jumble of salty, savory, and spicy that's done in just 30 minutes. Rumor has it cold leftovers are just as magnificent as dinner the night before.
Recipe
Greek-Style Sheet Pan Chicken
: Maya Visnyei
16/17
An entire meal on a sheet pan. That pretty sums up this weeknight meal that's short on fuss and long on Greek-inspired flavor and is actually healthy yet doesn't taste like it.
Recipe
Muhammara ~ Red Pepper-Walnut Spread
: Simone Van Den Berg
17/17
Though not as well known stateside as hummus or baba ghanoush, this Mediterranean classic is equally enticing. Let us introduce you to its subtly smoky and sweetly tangy awesomeness.
Recipe
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