20 Delicious Mediterranean Diet Breakfast Ideas

Shashuka is essentially eggs poached in a rich tomato sauce seasoned with spices and vegetables. Shakshuka is surprisingly easy to whip up! Once your ingredients are prepped, it's all about simmering the sauce, carefully adding the eggs and letting them cook to your desired level of doneness. Try a new way to cook this dish every day from our list of delicious Shakshuka recipes.

Remember, the eggs should still be slightly runny for the optimal dipping experience. The traditional way to enjoy shakshuka is with crusty bread, tearing off pieces to scoop up the delicious sauce and eggs. You can also serve it with rice, couscous, or quinoa for a more substantial meal. 

Asparagus quiche is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or even a light dinner. It's a classic savory tart made with a flaky pastry crust, a creamy egg custard and tender asparagus spears.

Quiche is typically baked in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 30-45 minutes, or until the custard is set and the crust is golden brown. You can test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the quiche.

Easy, fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes are a delightful breakfast treat. They're light and airy with a subtle tang of lemon that complements the creamy ricotta cheese. And the best part is the incredibly easy-to-make procedure!

Ricotta adds moisture and tenderness, resulting in a cloud-like, melt-in-your-mouth texture making pancakes lighter and easier to digest. On the other hand as in vegan pancakes, the addition of lemon zest and juice infuses a refreshing, subtly sweet and tangy taste that elevates the pancake experience.

Mediterranean Breakfast Pitas is a delightful way to start your day with fresh, flavorful ingredients and the satisfying comfort of warm pita bread. You can use different types of pita bread – whole wheat, spelt, or flavored varieties like rosemary or garlic.

Classic and easy fillings include hummus & veggies or scrambled eggs. For an additional twist, spread plain Greek yogurt inside your pita and top with a medley of fresh berries. Alternatively, you can stuff your pita with the halloumi, mashed avocado, crumbled feta and sliced red onion. 

Avocado toast with Caprese topping is a delicious and trendy breakfast or brunch option that combines the creaminess of avocado with the classic flavors of a Caprese salad. Both avocado and Caprese salad feature fresh, vibrant ingredients, offering a light and healthy feel to the consumer.

The combination of creamy avocado, sweet tomatoes, salty mozzarella, and peppery basil creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The vibrant colors of the tomatoes, green basil and white mozzarella contrasted with the earthy brown of the toast and creamy green avocado create a beautiful and appetizing presentation. 

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Toast is a breakfast food for a Mediterranean diet that comes together in minutes making it perfect for busy mornings. Yet, it still looks impressive with its vibrant berries and creamy yogurt swirl. The smooth and cool yogurt provides a delightful contrast to the juicy berries and crunchy toast.

Ripe blueberries burst with sweetness perfectly complemented by the tangy zip of lemon zest and yogurt. Play with different yogurt flavors, toppings like chia seeds or coconut flakes, drizzles of honey or maple syrup and herbs like mint or basil.

Caprese Avocado Toast with Balsamic Glaze is a symphony of flavors and textures, blending the creamy richness of avocado with the classic Caprese salad. The combination of juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fragrant basil is all drizzled with a touch of sweet and tangy balsamic glaze.

Both avocado and Caprese salad feature fresh, seasonal ingredients offering a light and healthy feel. This breakfast of the Mediterranean diet has endless variations such as swapping the sourdough bread for rye or whole wheat, using different types of tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, etc.) and experimenting with cheeses like burrata or ricotta.

A spinach and feta frittata is a delicious and versatile Mediterranean breakfast packed with protein and vegetables. The beautiful golden brown crust on top of the frittata is aesthetically pleasing and the creamy feta cheese gives a wonderful salty tang. 

The richness of eggs blends perfectly with the salty tang of feta creating a delightful contrast in each bite. The spinach adds a subtle earthiness and freshness rounding out the overall flavor profile. A sprinkle of fresh dill or parsley elevates the dish with a touch of herbal elegance, further enhancing the complexity of flavors.

Casseroles are a great way to start your day or to fuel up for a busy afternoon. Baked egg casseroles typically include eggs, a binding agent (milk, cream, or sour cream), cheese and other savory ingredients like sausage, bacon, vegetables, potatoes, or herbs.

You can find classic breakfast casseroles with sausage, peppers and cheddar, lighter options with spinach and feta, or even vegetarian versions with mushrooms and Swiss chard. The eggs, cheese and other ingredients provide plenty of protein and calories to keep you feeling full and energized.

Related: 18 Breakfast Casserole Recipes for a Fulfilling Morning

Lablabi is a Tunisian chickpea stew that is a warm and comforting culinary delight perfect for breakfast. This breakfast in the Mediterranean diet is a hearty stew made with chickpeas, simmered in a flavorful broth seasoned with garlic, cumin and other variety of ingredients.

Lablabi is traditionally served with crusty bread, often toasted or stale to soak up the delicious broth. Common garnishes include a raw or soft-cooked egg, harissa (a spicy chili paste), lemon juice, capers, parsley and olive oil.

Sweet potato hash is a delightful dish that offers a flavorful and healthy twist on the classic potato hash. The star ingredient used in this dish is sweet potato diced into bite-sized cubes and roasted or pan-fried until tender and slightly crispy.

The vibrant orange color and natural sweetness of the sweet potato are the core of the hash. This dish is typically prepared on the stovetop in a skillet or cast iron pan and even oven-roasted. For a hearty and flavorful start to your day, you can often pair it with eggs or avocado.

Fruit Salad with Citrus Honey Dressing is a refreshing and delicious dish featuring chunks of fresh fruit combined with a vibrant, sweet-and-tart dressing made with citrus juices and honey. It's a perfect balance of refreshing coolness and sweet indulgence, ideal for a light breakfast.

Along with a variety of fruits, the dressing can also be varied by the use of herbed honey, a touch of chili flakes for a spicy kick and yogurts or cheese for creaminess. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or seeds like almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds for extra texture and protein.

Berry Compote Pancakes are a delightful Mediterranean breakfast treat that celebrates the sweet and fruity goodness of fresh berries. The dish is made of fluffy pancakes topped with a vibrant, homemade compote, bursting with juicy berries and flavors of warming spices.

Honey adds sweetness, lemon juice or zest brightens the flavors, while a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom adds warmth and depth. The compote is typically simmered gently on the stovetop, allowing the berries to soften and release their juices, creating a syrupy consistency.

A Smoked Salmon Sandwich with Feta is a delightful combination of salty, creamy, and smoky flavors. Toasted sourdough, rye, pumpernickel, or even bagels offer hearty backdrops for the main ingredient of bread. A sprinkle of fresh dill, chives, or parsley at last enhances the overall flavor profile.

Thinly sliced and delicately smoked salmon is the star attraction, providing its characteristic salty and smoky flavor. Crumbled feta cheese adds a contrasting creamy texture and tangy saltiness that beautifully complements the salmon.

Menemen is a Turkish dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and spices. It is a popular breakfast dish in Turkey. The basic ingredients of menemen are eggs, tomatoes, peppers and olive oil. Some recipes also include onions, garlic and herbs.

The central element of the dish is eggs that provide protein and create a creamy, scrambled base. Ripe and juicy tomatoes infuse the dish with sweetness and acidity and green bell peppers offer a crisp texture and mild vegetal note. 

Mediterranean scrambled eggs are a delicious and flavorful take on the classic breakfast dish, infused with the vibrant and bold ingredients of the Mediterranean region. Typically, egg is the star of the dish accompanied by sauteed vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers, onions, or sun-dried tomatoes.

Feta cheese is a common choice of cheese adding a salty and tangy touch. Other options include goat cheese, halloumi, or ricotta. Mediterranean staples like oregano, basil, thyme, garlic and olive oil are commonly used herbs and spices to enhance the flavors.

Mediterranean quesadillas are a delicious fusion of Mexican and Mediterranean flavors. This dish is a combination of flour tortillas and fresh vegetables like spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, roasted peppers, Kalamata olives and artichoke hearts.

The filling is prepared first, usually by sauteing the vegetables. Then, the tortillas are filled with the mixture and cheese, folded in half, and cooked in a pan or on a grill until golden brown and crispy. Protein additions like grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas can also used as filling as per preference. 

Egg muffins also known as breakfast egg muffins or frittata muffins, are like handheld, bite-sized frittatas! These muffins are a delicious and convenient way to enjoy eggs. They are packed with protein, veggies and flavor, making them a healthy and satisfying choice for beginning your day.

The beauty of egg muffins lies in their flexibility. Mix and match various ingredients to create your own flavor combinations. Try adding different cheeses, herbs, spices and vegetables based on your preferences and dietary needs.

Cauliflower Fritters with Hummus is a delicious and versatile combination of two Mediterranean favorites! It involves crispy, savory fritters made with grated cauliflower, spices, and herbs, served alongside a dollop of creamy hummus for dipping.

Grated cauliflower is the main ingredient providing texture and a subtle sweetness. Classic hummus made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and spices provides a creamy, tangy and nutty counterpoint to the fritters. It's a great vegetarian or vegan option that's both healthy and satisfying.

Avocado Tomato Gouda Socca Pizza is a delicious and creative invention combining several culinary elements. Socca is the base of the pizza, made from chickpea flour and baked until golden brown and crispy. It is a naturally gluten-free alternative to traditional pizza dough, contributing a nutty and savory flavor.

This breakfast option in the Mediterranean diet has avocado in it which provides creamy richness and healthy fats. The tomato used offers classic pizza acidity and freshness, contrasting beautifully with the avocado's creaminess.