25 Mediterranean Diet Skillet Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less

By

Danielle DeAngelis

Published on November 26, 2022

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

One-Pan Spicy Okra & Shrimp

Thanks to these recipes, all you need is 30 minutes (or less!) to make a delicious dinner. Tasty and healthy, these dishes are balanced with produce, whole grains and lean protein to fit right into the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns around. Plus, these meals only use one skillet, making both cooking and cleanup a breeze. Recipes like our One-Pan Spicy Okra & Shrimp and Ancho-Spiced Chicken Skillet with Grapefruit Salsa are easy and nutritious choices for dinner tonight.

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One-Pan Spicy Okra & Shrimp

Serve spicy blackened shrimp and tender vegetables over aromatic basmati rice for an easy skillet supper. Use precooked microwave rice so you don't have to mess up another pan. This one-pan dinner is perfect for company, but easy enough to make on a weeknight.

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20-Minute Balsamic Mushroom & Spinach Pasta

20-Minute Balsamic Mushroom & Spinach Pasta — Antonis Achilleos

This 20-minute veggie pasta dish is super savory, thanks to meaty mushrooms, while the natural sweetness from the balsamic vinegar, basil and pistachios brighten up this quick, healthy vegetarian dinner.

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Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale

You can make these three-ingredient tomato-simmered eggs with things you probably already have on hand in your freezer and pantry. To make these baked eggs more like eggs in purgatory, look for a spicy tomato sauce and don't forget some whole-wheat bread for dipping.

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20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet

20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet — Jamie Vespa

Salmon fillets cook quickly and are coated with a delicious creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This easy salmon dinner is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. The best news: you can get this meal on the table in 20 minutes flat.

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Spicy Chicken and Snow Pea Skillet

Chock-full of nutrients, snow peas shine in this 20-minute, harissa-sauced, one-pot meal that feeds the whole family. Harissa is a North African hot chile paste--use just a teaspoon if you prefer a mild flavor.

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White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

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Ancho-Spiced Chicken Skillet with Grapefruit Salsa

Ancho-Spiced Chicken Skillet with Grapefruit Salsa

This easy chicken skillet recipe comes together in just 30 minutes to help you put a healthy meal on the table fast. Sweet red grapefruit is our favorite for this dish, but any variety will do. Serve this juicy recipe with rice to soak up the sauce.

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Jackfruit Sloppy Joes

Meaty jackfruit makes these vegan sloppy Joes rich and filling. Jackfruit, a starchy tropical fruit, is mildly nutty and sweet, a blank canvas for a warm and spicy sauce like the one for this quick meat-free sandwich.

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Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.

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One & Yum Squid

One & Yum Squid — Jacob Fox

When cooking squid, the golden rule is to cook it fast (like this method, shared by Irish chef Clodagh McKenna from her new book, In Minutes) or cook it slow. Otherwise, it can turn out too chewy. Paired with spicy chorizo, earthy chickpeas, peppery kale and crunchy almonds, this dish feels like an instant taste-escape to Spain.

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One-Skillet Chicken Paprikash with Mushrooms & Onions

One-Skillet Chicken Paprikash with Mushrooms & Onions

Try this quick and easy one-skillet version of the Hungarian classic chicken paprikash. Serve the chicken cutlets, mushrooms and creamy sauce over egg noodles with a green salad on the side.

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Tofu & Snow Pea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

Tofu & Snow Pea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

A fast dinner recipe perfect for busy weeknights, this easy stir-fry recipe will quickly become a favorite. To save time, use precooked rice or cook rice a day ahead.

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Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce

Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce

These pan-seared scallops come together in just 20 minutes for a delicious, easy dinner. You'll want some whole-wheat angel hair pasta or polenta to sop up all the rich, briny sauce.

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

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Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice

This vegetarian faux fried rice uses riced cauliflower in place of white or brown rice to pack in extra veggies and cut down on carbs. Chile-garlic sauce pumps up the heat, and fresh ginger adds a bright, warm bite. If you don't like the heat of the chile-garlic sauce, leave it out and add a bit more tamari or soy sauce for a rich, fermented tang.

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Green Shakshuka with Spinach, Chard & Feta

The inspiration for this green shakshuka recipe comes from HaBasta, a popular restaurant on the edge of Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, where the shakshuka is packed with green chard and spinach and a little hot pepper provides just a touch of spice. Serve with pita or crusty bread to sop up the sauce for a quick dinner or for brunch.

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Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas

Put out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.

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Lemon-Thyme Roasted Chicken with Fingerlings

Fingerling potatoes are small, long, knobby spuds that are shaped like fingers. Look for them in the produce department or at farmers' markets.

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Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry

This tofu veggie stir-fry is quick and easy, making it a great go-to weeknight meal. Baked tofu has a firm, toothsome texture that crisps well in a hot pan. You can find it in flavors like teriyaki and sesame, both of which are delicious here. Or opt for a smoked version, which has the same texture with a more robust flavor. Serve over brown rice.

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Creamy Skillet Ranch Chicken & Broccoli

Creamy Skillet Ranch Chicken & Broccoli — Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis

This crowd-pleasing dinner feeds four and can be on the table in just 30 minutes. To top it off, the creamy ranch sauce, chicken and broccoli all come together in one skillet, making cleanup just as easy as cooking.

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Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.

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Red Beans and Rice with Chicken

Fiber-rich red beans, whole-grain brown rice and skillet-cooked chicken breast are ready in just 20 minutes.

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Chipotle-Orange Broccoli & Tofu

Chipotle peppers add kick to this tofu and broccoli stir-fry recipe. If you're shy about spice, cut back on the amount or leave them out completely. Serve over brown basmati rice.

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Chicken Florentine

Classic chicken Florentine--creamy spinach served atop sautéed chicken cutlets--is a fast and easy meal. To keep calories lower, this recipe uses cornstarch to thicken the cream instead of cheese. This chicken recipe is simple enough for weekdays but also elegant enough for a dinner party.

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Shrimp Scampi Zoodles

Classic garlicky shrimp scampi gets a low-carb makeover in this easy dinner recipe. Zucchini noodles, also known as "zoodles," are a healthier alternative to traditional pasta--they mimic the texture of pasta while taking on the flavor of whatever sauce you serve them with. Make sure you salt and drain the zoodles, otherwise your final dish will be soupy and the flavor will be diluted.

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