10 Years of Joy and Flavor with The Mediterranean Dish!

2014 | Cilantro Lime Shrimp 

This was the first recipe that truly took off! I think it’s the magic of the garlic-lime sauce, brightened with a bold kick of spicy, citrusy harissa—both comforting and unexpected. Serve as an appetizer or turn into a full meal with Greek Lemon Rice. 

2015 | Easy Authentic Falafel: Step-By-Step

As an Egyptian and daughter of the Mediterranean, I did not take sharing an authentic falafel recipe lightly. It needed to be perfectly crispy on the outside and soft, herby, and fluffy on the inside‚ unlike the rock-hard orbs you find at the grocery store! I must have tested this recipe a hundred times. Considering it’s still the number one recipe on our site I’d say it was worth it! I love to turn mine into a wrap, Loaded Falafel Bowl, or add to my Ultimate Mediterranean Breakfast.

2016 | Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)

This is another must-have on the Mediterranean mezze table for good reason! Fine bulgur wheat adds a good heft and nutrition boost without any rinsing, cooking, or fuss. You simply soak it in hot water! Enjoy as part of a mezze spread, or for a healthy lunch with Grilled Chicken Breast.  

2017 | Easy Homemade Chicken Shawarma

The shawarma spice mixture in this recipe is one I think about often–it perfectly shows how bold Mediterranean spices can make humble ingredients like chicken thighs truly transformative! And I have a shawarma for just about every diet, from Spicy Cauliflower Shawarma and Mushroom Shawarma for my vegan friends, to Beef Shawarma for my carnivores and Shawarma Salad Bowls if you avoid gluten! 

2018 | Baked Cod

When I started The Mediterranean Dish I was often struck by how many readers are intimidated to cook fish at home. Fish, though, is such a huge part of the Mediterranean Diet—getting more people excited to cook it at home was very important for me. I wanted a no-nonsense recipe that even the kids could pull off, with economical ingredients that don’t compromise flavor. Baked cod, loaded with Mediterranean spices for the win! I still love this recipe for weeknight dinners with Mustard Potato Salad or an easy quick-cooking grain like farro. 

2019 | Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon

One of my greatest fears is overcooked, dry salmon! I admit I almost never order salmon at a restaurant, and I’ve made it my personal mission to teach the Mediterranean Dish family how to cook salmon so it’s flaky and tender every time. This simple recipe shows you the easy technique I use about 99 percent of the time, which just involves a very large piece of foil. With an assertive amount of lemony, garlicky flavor, it’s a sure hit! I like to balance the richness of the fish with a crisp salad, like this Traditional Greek Salad.

2020 | Grilled Harissa Chicken

Spicy, citrusy, smoky harissa paste is such a handy trick for adding a bold amount of flavor by just opening a jar. I turn up the volume too, adding a few pantry essentials for a sauce that’s so vibrant you don’t even need to marinate the chicken. This was a difficult year for just about everyone in the world, but I’d like to think this grilled harissa chicken could bring a brief moment of joy around the table. 

2021 | Shrimp Scampi

I get a thrill from showing a fancy restaurant dinner can take just 10 or so minutes and be even more delicious when you make it at home! Mixing butter and olive oil still feels rather luxurious but has a lot more going for it in terms of flavor. I love this simple recipe both for weeknight dinners and date night in, with good crusty bread or pasta. 

2022 | A TIE! | Greek Kleftiko and Sautéed Cabbage

I couldn’t pick just one recipe from this year. On one side, we have Kleftiko, a Greek lamb dish that takes a little extra TLC but is well worth the time. Even without the fall-off-the-bone meat, you get the pleasure of opening the parchment in front of your friends and watching the look of shock and excitement on their faces.

On the other side, we have cabbage, which I became rather obsessed with in 2022. A humble ingredient that becomes meltingly tender or crispy depending on how you cook it, and, dare I say, sexy?! It’s a toss up!

2023 | Greek Sheet Pan Chicken

This was the year my first cookbook was released into the world! It’s all a bit of a blur, but this easy sheet pan dinner has held strong in my mind as a new-ish go-to recipe I make often. The garlicky, lemony Ladolemono Sauce is such a great all-purpose sauce to keep in your arsenal for this sheet pan chicken, baked Greek Meatballs and Potatoes, dressing salads, and beyond. 

2024 | Spaghetti all’Assassina

I first learned about this rebellious pasta recipe on a TMD community trip to Italy. I was instantly hooked, partly because you get to break the rules. To make it, you let the pasta burn in a spicy tomato sauce until it’s gloriously caramelized, crispy, and charred. Fun to make and fun to eat! A Big Easy Italian Salad and this cheater’s Homemade Garlic Bread go well alongside.

Domenica Marchetti | Italian Wedding Soup

I have been so impressed with Domenica’s commitment to passing on her family’s Italian traditions, from handmade Potato Gnocchi to a simple summer Caprese Salad. This comforting soup is the real-deal! It requires a little more time to make than your average TMD weeknight dinner recipe but it’s well-worth the effort. And you can save time with a batch of Chicken Stock at the ready. 

Ozlem Warren | Pide (Turkish Flatbread) with Feta, Spinach and Mushrooms 

You can really feel Ozlem’s passion for her home country’s cuisine shine through in both her writing and her recipes. These classic Turkish flatbreads–sometimes referred to as “Turkish pizza”–are as much fun to make as they are to eat, and you can vary the toppings according to what speaks to you. I know once you get a taste of the wonderful world of Turkish flatbread, you’ll be trying your hand at Gözleme and Lahmacun next!

Summer Miller | Easy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

While Summer may not be Mediterranean she has a Mediterranean spirit. I brought her on in 2022 with the express purpose of finding Mediterranean voices and food experts in health and nutrition. She is an accomplished recipe developer in her own right and frequently contributes recipes to the site. This Whole Roasted Chicken recipe has been fan-favorite since we published it. Save the bones to make chicken stock.

Ruth Bardis | Stuffed Onions with Fragrant Rice and Pine Nuts

I absolutely love Greek food, but leave it to a Greek to show me a dish I have never heard of before–one that quickly became a favorite. These stuffed onions from Ruth have a warming spice mixture reminiscent of my childhood Egyptian food, but with a decidedly Greek yia-yia vibe. Does it get much better? Serve as a show-stopping vegan main, or a side to roast meats—Ruth’s Roast Spatchcock Chicken with Citrus & Honey would be a lovely pairing.

Mark Beahm | Pignoli Cookies (Italian Pine Nut Cookie)

I love how Mark, our Barcelona-based baker and writer, reimagines classic recipes with a wholesome approach. His whole wheat Strawberry Shortcakes with sumac, whipped labneh, and mint are such a fun twist on the summer staple, and his Vegan Chocolate Pudding with nutty tahini and spicy baharat is your favorite childhood chocolate pudding all grown up. But Mark also has a talent for making even the most traditional recipes easy enough for the home cook, as is the case with these Pignoli Cookies. Make them for the holidays, perhaps to serve with Mulled Wine (Italian Vin Brulé).