15+ Low-Calorie Lunch Recipes for the Mediterranean Diet
Midday hunger will be a thing of the past, thanks to these tasty lunch recipes! Each delicious meal is made lower in calories for something light yet satisfying. Plus, they are packed with ingredients like legumes, whole grains, vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins, which are staples of the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns you can follow. You’ll love options like our Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tostadas or our No-Cook White Bean & Spinach Caprese Salad for a nourishing lunch that will help you feel your best.
Veggie Wraps
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.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tostadas
These sweet potato tostadas pack in plenty of plant-based protein, combining hearty black beans and nutrient-packed sweet potatoes for a satisfying and flavorful meal. Along with the protein, you’ll also get a boost of gut-healthy fiber and plenty of anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals from the sweet potatoes.
No-Cook White Bean & Spinach Caprese Salad
This easy caprese 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.
Chicken & Cabbage Soup with Pesto
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. This soup works well with leftover chicken—simply shred or chop cooked chicken and add it to the soup to reheat once the cabbage is tender.
Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing
Prep four days’ worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can’t find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.
Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
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.
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.
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.
Fish Taco Wraps
These quick-and-easy fish tacos are full of chili-crusted halibut, crunchy cabbage and fruity salsa. Using prepared salsa and coleslaw mix means this recipe is on the table in just 20 minutes.
Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich
Avocado gets mashed into a creamy, silky spread that is schmeared onto toasty nutty multigrain bread. Protein-rich chicken is layered with juicy antioxidant-rich tomato to make one satisfying sandwich.
Tuna & White Bean Salad
The time-honored Italian pairing of canned tuna and cannellini beans makes a super-simple, satisfying lunch. Serve over salad greens, on grilled whole-wheat country bread or tucked in a whole-wheat pita pocket.
Pistachio & Peach Toast
This easy and flavorful toast is great when you have leftover ricotta cheese–plus it comes together in just 5 minutes.
Chicken Avocado BLT Wrap
Who doesn’t love a BLT? In this Mexican-inspired version, we’ve added chicken and avocado and wrapped it in a tortilla, making it easy to eat.
Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos
These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.
Green Goddess Salad
This gorgeous green goddess salad combines fresh shrimp, cucumber, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes with homemade dressing.
Chicken & Apple Kale Wraps
Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy chicken lunch recipe low-calorie (and lower in carbs!). If you can’t find lacinato (aka Tuscan) kale, try cabbage for your wrap.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Freezer Pack
Prep all of the ingredients for this hearty soup and freeze until you’re ready to cook it for a fast meal. All you have to do is pop the frozen ingredients into your multicooker and turn it on. Using a pressure cooker to make this warming pot of chili results in extra-tender chicken that’s easy to shred. The addition of chopped zucchini and corn gives each bowl a nutritional boost.
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