When it comes to living the Mediterranean way, a well-stocked pantry is essential. Maybe you’re seeking a healthier life through the Mediterranean Diet or just love the bold, vibrant, and robust flavors of the more than 20 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Whatever your reason, here’s my ultimate guide to building a well-equipped Mediterranean pantry, including my must-have olive oils, legumes, grains, spices, spreads, and more. 

Pin image 3 for the Mediterranean pantry guide.
From left to right: French green lentils, baharat spice blend, Greek honey, extra virgin olive oil

The key to quick, satisfying, and easy Mediterranean meals starts with a full pantry.

We’re all about simple, wholesome meals that don’t require hours in the kitchen or specialty equipment. We follow our nafas (meaning “breath”), cooking with our heart, pinching and drizzling with wild abandon. And we can do that because we always have a well-stocked pantry!

A full Mediterranean pantry allows us to build big flavor in everything from light snacks to full meals. We stock mismatched jars of honey, jams, and spices, boxes of grains and pastas, and bags of beans and lentils, which means a chickpea salad, filling soup, or a simple plate of feta and tomatoes, dressed in olive oil and Aleppo pepper is just a dash or drizzle away.

Table of Contents
  1. Our North Star: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  2. Legumes, Grains, & Pasta
  3. Herbs and Spices 
  4. Briny, Bright, and Sun-Kissed, and Extra Bold
  5. Rich, Sweet, and Indulgent (in Moderation!)
Olive oil being poured from a bottle into a bowl of olive oil seasoned with spices and herbs. Next to this is a small bowl of red pepper flakes.
Photo of Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Ali Redmond

Our North Star: Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The most used pantry essential in the Mediterranean is olive oil. It’s our holy grail, our blank canvas—one of the few things we’re not relaxed about in the kitchen. When it comes to EVOO, we just can’t wrap our minds around compromising the good stuff! 

With its high antioxidant properties, EVOO is often what’s credited for the Mediterranean diet’s health benefits. Olive oils range from bold and peppery to smooth and buttery. We stock a variety, and reach for different bottles depending on our mood and if we are cooking or baking with it. 

4 piles of lentils including red lentils, green lentils, black lentils and brown lentils.
Photo of lentils by Ali Redmond

Legumes, Grains, & Pasta

Keeping “heft on hand” when you’re hungry is the difference between cooking a nourishing, feel-good meal and ordering takeout. Here are the protein-rich ancient grains, heart-healthy legumes, and satisfying pastas I always keep at the ready. 

  • Legumes: Lentils (black, green, brown, and red), chickpeas (both canned and dried), canned fava and kidney beans
  • Whole grains: Farro, barley, bulgur, freekeh
  • Rice: My go-tos are aromatic basmati and silky Arborio rice, but you may also like brown rice, or other long-grain white rice
  • Pasta: Orzo, couscous, vermicelli, and Italian pastas like spaghetti and penne
A close up of ras el hanout in a bowl with a spoon.
Photo of Ras el Hanout by Mark Beahm

Herbs and Spices 

Spices have long been an integral part of Mediterranean cooking. They’re the workhorses of the kitchen, making simple recipes sing with zero effort. Beyond just salt and pepper, here are vibrant Mediterranean spices I can’t live without:

Red pepper paste being lifted out of a jar of the paste on a spoon. Surrounding this is a bowl of olive oil, two red chilies and a kitchen towel.
Image of homemade red pepper paste by Katherine Irwin

Briny, Bright, and Sun-Kissed, and Extra Bold

I’m convinced this is the crux of what makes Mediterranean food so “addictive.” It’s all about the zing! We layer briny, citrusy, and bright flavors to bring a perfect balance. 

  • Briny: Olives, capers, canned artichoke hearts, grape leaves
  • Sour: Pickles–I always stock a jar of homemade quick-pickled red onions and preserved lemons
  • Vinegars: White vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar
  • Sunny tomatoes year-round! Sun-dried and canned tomatoes—I keep canned diced tomatoes and whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • Wine: Dry red and white wine for cooking that’s tasty enough to drink
  • Tinned fish: Canned tuna, anchovies, sardines
  • Rich pastes to add umami and depth: Tomato paste and/or red pepper paste, which you can order online or make yourself
  • Extra bold pastes to bring the flavor party: Harissa paste adds layers of bright, tart, and smoky flavor in just a spoonful. Chermoula adds an herby, bright zing. You can make homemade harissa and green chermoula from scratch, or stock up on both at our shop. 
a jar of pomegranate molasses next to a spoon with some pomegranate molasses.
Image of homemade pomegranate molasses by Elena Lepkowski

Rich, Sweet, and Indulgent (in Moderation!)

The second thing I tell people who are new to the Mediterranean diet? We don’t believe in the word “diet!” We indulge in the occasional baklava or glass of wine. What’s more, a lot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking not only balances savory and tart but also adds a layer of sweetness, like dried fruits or a touch of honey, even in savory recipes. These pantry staples add decadence without weighing down the meal: 

  • Floral essence: Rose water and orange blossom water add an indulgent touch to all sorts of Mediterranean treats, from Turkish delight to Mahalabia (Rose Water Milk Pudding).
  • Tahini: A rich paste made from sesame seeds that adds dairy-free creaminess in both sweet and savory recipes. (It comes in original and chocolate.)
  • Nuts and seeds: Pine nuts, slivered almonds, shelled pistachios, shelled walnuts, sesame seeds, nigella seeds add crunch and richness, plus healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
  • Honey for everything from healthy salad dressings to your morning Greek yogurt
  • Dried fruit: Dates, currants, raisins, figs, apricots
  • Pomegranate molasses: Sweet, tangy, and rich, we mostly use this for savory recipes like Persian Fesenjan. You can make it yourself using fresh pomegranate juice or find it at our shop. 
  • Jam and Tea: For a wholesome breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up with seeded bread.

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