- These quick Mediterranean diet dinners blend late-summer veggies with fall favorites, making weeknight meals both seasonal and simple.
- Each recipe includes nourishing ingredients like whole grains, beans, lean proteins and fiber-rich vegetables for balanced eating.
- With everything ready in 30 minutes or less, this plan makes healthy fall cooking easy and stress-free.
We’re in that in-between time when summer isn’t really over, but it feels like it is, and fall hasn’t officially begun, but all the fall things, like back-to-school and shorter, cooler days, already have. It can be hard to know what to cook, but I like to hold onto elements from summer, like corn, cucumbers and tomatoes, and start introducing heartier fall foods like kale, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. These easy dinners can help you ease into fall while offering benefits of the Mediterranean diet, as they all include some combination of whole grains, beans, veggies and lean protein to meet our Mediterranean Diet parameter.
Your Weekly Plan
Sunday: 20-Minute Black Bean Soup
Monday: Baked Brie, Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach Pasta
Tuesday: Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes & Broccolini
Wednesday: Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing
Thursday: Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach
Friday: Creamy Chicken Pasta with Brussels Sprouts & Artichokes
Our column, ThePrep, has everything you’ll need to make dinner planning and grocery shopping as easy as can be. Nutritional needs differ from one individual to another, and we invite you to use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit. Sign up to get a dinner plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday!
Sunday: 20-Minute Black Bean Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless.
This soup perfectly straddles the final days of summer, with pops of sweet corn, and the arrival of fall, with heartier sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes contribute both fiber and antioxidants, and the black beans add even more fiber plus plant-based protein. Cream cheese stirred in at the end adds body and richness. Serve with whole-grain baguette.
Monday: Baked Brie, Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach Pasta
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
A creamy pasta dish studded with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach is the comfort food that cooler fall weather calls for. The “sauce” comes together easily in the oven by roasting the tomatoes and garlic with the Brie until it is melty. Then you just stir the hot pasta and spinach right in. The fiber in whole-wheat pasta helps support healthy digestion.
Tuesday: Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes & Broccolini
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
Cooler weather means it’s time to get the roasting pans out. Here we toss chicken thighs and sweet potatoes with harissa paste and cumin before roasting. A sweet and spicy yogurt sauce completes the meal.
Wednesday: Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing
A combination of kale and quinoa gives this salad lots of texture and also ensures that it’s satisfying. Cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes bring some lingering summer vibes to the bowl. Some almonds add crunch, and feta adds creaminess. Between the kale and the chickpeas, you’re getting plenty of plant-based fiber too.
Thursday: Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach
Gochujang introduces a bit of heat to this simple salmon dinner, while garlic, ginger, toasted sesame oil and honey help round out the flavor and add complexity. Some quickly sautéed spinach contributes additional vitamins and nutrients. Serve it with brown rice.
Friday: Creamy Chicken Pasta with Brussels Sprouts & Artichokes
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Lots of Brussels sprouts and artichoke hearts plus chicken and a creamy sauce make for a hearty pasta dinner. Brussels sprouts are packed with fiber to support your digestive system and vitamin C to support your immune system, a must as cold season is on the horizon.
I wish you all a great week, and I hope you enjoy this dinner plan. If you try a recipe, remember to add a review.
