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Spaghetti aglio e olio -

A traditional Italian pasta dish from Naples, spaghetti aglio e olio is a deliciously simple standby. Garnished with red chili flakes, parsley, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, enjoy with a wedge of toasted garlic bread and a cold drink.

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Shrimp scampi -

Prepared in garlic butter with a hint of lemon and white wine, this classic seafood dish is listed on menus in restaurants along the entire Mediterranean coast.

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Creamy garlic mushroom pasta -

Usually prepared using cremini mushrooms, also known as baby bella mushrooms, for their robust savory flavor, this yummy pasta dish has its origins in Italy's bucolic Tuscany region. The dish is served with garlic, shallots, and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

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Baked seabass with Greek salad -

How's this for an inspired combination? Baked seabass set over a bed of tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, green bell pepper slices, feta cheese, and olives, dressed with salt, Greek oregano, and olive oil.

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Paella -

Traditionally from Valencia or Catalonia, paella epitomizes a sunny Spanish vacation by the sea. This is one of the country's signature dishes, a beautifully presented platter of saffron-flavored rice cooked with meats, seafood, and vegetables. It's normally eaten from the pan with plenty of wine at hand.

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Turkish cilbir -

A flavorsome way to start the day in Turkey is to breakfast on cilbir⁠—poached eggs served over a bed of thick, garlicy yogurt topped with a warm, spicy butter and red pepper flakes. Order with a couple of slices of toasted bread.

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Bouillabaisse -

This authentic seafood-centric creation comes from the port-city of Marseilles. They make it with at least three kinds of fish and heaps of delicious seasonings. Bouillabaisse should always be served with a spicy sauce known as rouille.

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Italian pasta salad -

Another dish out of Italy, this one can be enjoyed as a vegetarian option, or served with thin cuts of spicy salami. Other ingredients usually include tomato, olives, red onion, bell pepper, and artichoke seasoned with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

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Ratatouille -

A French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables originating in Nice, this is one of the country's most iconic dishes, and certainly one of the Med's most colorful. Composed of tomatoes, eggplants, onion, zucchini, and bell peppers, ratatouille is slow-cooked with garlic and herbes de Provence to mouthwatering perfection.

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Grilled halloumi salad -

This simple ensemble of lightly grilled halloumi cheese with eggplant and zucchini is especially popular in Greece and Cyprus, eaten either as a starter or as a side dish.

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Grilled sardines -

Okay, so more Atlantic than Med. But spending summertime in Portugal without sampling a plate of freshly grilled sardines garnished with a crisp green salad is to miss out on one of the country's tastiest seasonal treats.

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Baked lemon garlic salmon -

Salmon is not native to the Mediterranean Sea, so it isn't immediately available on regional menus. But look out for it, especially this dish, which is often plated up with roasted asparagus.

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Adana kebabı -

This Turkish delicacy is named for Adana, a city located 35 km (22 mi) inland from the Mediterranean Sea. It's a long, hand-minced lamb meat kebab served with charred peppers and tomatoes with an onion-sumac-parsley salad arranged over lavash, a thin flatbread.

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Macaroni pasta salad -

Full of goodness, macaroni pasta salad is plated up with all sorts of ingredients. If you're not vegetarian, ask for the salad with fried chicken breast, topped with steamed broccoli, thin slices of cheese, and a sprig of basil.

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Spanakopita -

If your travels take you to Greece, seek out this traditional dish, an inspired creation of perfectly flaky phyllo dough with a warm spinach and feta cheese filling.

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Greek salad -

Mind you, it really doesn't get much better than a full-on in your face Greek salad plated up next to the sea under a Mediterranean sun.

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Soupe au pistou -

This Gallic treat owes a nod towards Italian cuisine in that it serves as the Provençal adaption of Italian minestrone. Pistou is the sauce that goes with this vegetable soup, flavored with local herbs and often topped with a brushing of Parmesan or gruyere cheese.

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Orzo pasta -

Orzo is a type of pasta that looks like rice but is actually pasta made from a whole grain, semolina, or white flour. This simple base ingredient is used to create a wonderful dish composed of little more than sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, chopped walnut, and feta cheese. Italians love it, as do the Greeks, and so can you!

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Salade niçoise -

Originating from France's far southeast corner, salade niçoise is a spectacular combination of fresh tuna, potatoes, egg, beans, lettuce, onion, anchovy, and black olives. It's one of the most famous salads in the world.

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Tabouleh -

A centuries-old Eastern Mediterranean staple, tabouleh, or tabouli, is a classic salad of bulgur wheat, heaps of parsley, chopped tomato, onion, and assorted herbs drizzled with lime juice and olive oil.

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Gazpacho -

It can get hot in Andalusia. Very hot. So what better way to cool down than with a bowl of gazpacho, Spain's wonderfully chilled soup made of raw blended vegetables. It's healthy and thirst-quenching.

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Baked feta pasta -

Feta cheese often finds its way onto your plate as an accompaniment. But it can also be plated up as a main dish bursting with juicy cherry or grape tomatoes. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes, black pepper, and a dash of extra virgin oil makes the whole deal irresistible.

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Cataplana -

A signature dish from Portugal originating in the country's southern Algarve province, cataplana refers not only to the shell-shaped copper kitchen utensil but also to the delicious dishes that are made in it. Such is the esteem with which cataplana is held, there are festivals held in the Algarve during the summer dedicated to this unique seafood surprise.

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Fried calamari -

Calamari, or squid, is eaten in many cuisines. But just imagine being served a portion of this mouthwatering seafood delicacy on the terrace of a local eatery, beer in hand, while watching the sun set over a sparkling Mediterranean Sea.

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Socca -

French cuisine is renowned worldwide for its complex flavors and inventive presentation. But simplicity also counts. In Provence, for example, they prepare socca, a chickpea-based flatbread seasoned with fresh herbs and plenty of cracked black pepper. This French Riviera specialty is best eaten hot straight from the oven.

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Culurgiones -

Exploring the Med is also about visiting its islands. On Sardinia, insist on sampling culurgiones, a traditional appetizer filled with a combination of potato, pecorino cheese, garlic, olive oil, and mint leaves.

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Mediterranean fish soup -

A standard entrée on most Mediterranean restaurant menus, fish soup is a must-try. The further east you go, the more likely the soup will be flavored with regional spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric.

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Falafel -

A Middle East staple, falafel is made from chickpeas, broad beans, or both. It's a popular street food option, served in a pocket of pita bread with fresh salad. The salt-laced avenues skirting the Mediterranean coasts of Lebanon and Egypt are where to indulge in this tasty and healthful snack.

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Civet de sanglier -

Civet de sanglier, a hearty wild boar stew from Corsica, is best savored in the winter months. The meat is served in a rich complex sauce made from—wait for it—chocolate. The recipe dates back to the Renaissance.

Sources: (What's Cooking America) (The New Yorker) (The Nest)

See also: Hearty and healthy soups for all seasons

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