13 Low-Calorie Lunch Recipes for the Mediterranean Diet By Lily Menk Lily Menk Lily Menk is EatingWell’s editorial fellow. As a native Vermonter, Lily combines her hands-on experience with local and sustainable food systems with her background in journalism. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 2, 2025 SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: See More Photographer: Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong. 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 Marry Me White Bean Salad or our High-Protein Cucumber Sandwich for a nourishing lunch that will help you feel your best. Love any of these recipes? Join MyRecipes to save, search and organize your EatingWell recipes all in one place. It’s free! 01 of 13 Marry Me White Bean Salad Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood. This Marry Me White Bean Salad is a bright, flavor-packed dish that’s hard not to fall for and pulls inspiration from Marry Me Chicken. Tender white beans are tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil and a creamy dressing that soaks into every bite. It’s quick to throw together and perfect for meal prep, picnics or pairing with grilled meats. View Recipe Save 02 of 13 High-Protein Cucumber Sandwich Photographer: Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong. This high-protein cucumber sandwich features a creamy spread made by whipping cottage cheese with white miso, soy sauce and rice vinegar. This mixture delivers a creamy boost of protein that pairs perfectly with sliced cucumbers, which add a crisp, fresh bite. View Recipe Save 03 of 13 Lemony Orzo & Tuna Salad with Broccoli Leigh Beisch This pasta-salad and tuna-salad mashup gets a boost of color and texture from broccoli. Plenty of Kalamata olives add a briny bite. Be sure to monitor the pasta-cooking carefully, as orzo can go from al dente to mush in a minute. If in doubt, drain it a little early—it’ll soften further in the lemon dressing. View Recipe Save 04 of 13 Black Bean–Quinoa Bowl Photography: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We’ve loaded it with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado, plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. View Recipe Save 05 of 13 No-Cook White Bean & Spinach Caprese Salad This easy white bean and spinach 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. If you can’t find mozzarella pearls, cut or tear a fresh ball of mozzarella into bite-size pieces instead. If you like your salad with a little kick, try swapping out the spinach for arugula. View Recipe Save 06 of 13 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell 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. View Recipe Save 07 of 13 High-Protein White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen This white bean salad with feta and lemon-garlic vinaigrette is quick and requires no stove time. White beans bring plant-based protein and fiber to help keep you full. Creamy feta cheese provides a tangy, salty contrast to the bright vinaigrette. Tossed with fresh herbs and toasted walnuts, this salad is perfect for a light lunch. View Recipe Save 08 of 13 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. View Recipe Save 09 of 13 Sweet Potato–Black Bean Tostadas Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley 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. View Recipe Save 10 of 13 Veggie Wraps Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek 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. View Recipe Save 11 of 13 White Bean & Veggie Salad Ali Redmond This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables. View Recipe Save 12 of 13 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. View Recipe Save 13 of 13 Chicken & Cabbage Soup with Pesto Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely 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. View Recipe Save Explore more: Healthy Recipes Low-Calorie Low-Calorie Lunch Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit