A shopping basket filled with Mediterranean pantry staples from an Australian supermarket, including olive oil, canned tomatoes, and legumes.
Ingredients + Sourcing

Best Mediterranean Foods at Coles

Best Mediterranean Foods at Coles

Part of: Mediterranean Diet at Coles and Woolworths

This guide walks you through the Mediterranean staples worth buying at Coles, aisle by aisle, with specific product recommendations.

It is not a generic shopping list. It is a “pick this off the shelf” guide for anyone who does their weekly shop at Coles and wants to eat more Mediterranean without overcomplicating it.

For the general Australia context, see the Mediterranean Diet in Australia hub. For the Woolworths version, see Best Mediterranean Foods at Woolworths.

Olive Oil and Vinegar

Aisle: Cooking oils, usually near the baking section.

What to buy

  • Coles Extra Virgin Olive Oil (750ml, around $8-10) — the default choice. Genuine extra virgin, decent flavour, affordable enough to use generously on salads, vegetables, and cooking. This is the workhorse oil.
  • Coles Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (when available) — sometimes stocked as a seasonal or regional option. Australian-grown, usually a bit more peppery.
  • La Espanola Extra Virgin Olive Oil — a step up in flavour if you want to spend a bit more. Spanish origin, widely available at Coles.
  • Red wine vinegar — any brand. Coles brand is fine. You need this for dressings and braises.
  • Balsamic vinegar — Coles brand for everyday use. Do not overspend here.

What to skip

  • “Light” or “pure” olive oil — these are refined and miss the point
  • Infused olive oils — build the flavour yourself with garlic, chilli, or herbs
  • Expensive imported bottles unless you know what you are buying (see olive oil budget guide)

Canned Tomatoes

Aisle: Canned goods, usually near pasta and rice.

What to buy

  • Coles Italian Crushed Tomatoes (400g can, around $1.50) — the budget workhorse. Good enough for pasta sauces, bean dishes, and soups.
  • Coles Italian Whole Tomatoes (400g can) — better when you want to break them down yourself or prefer chunkier texture.
  • Mutti Passata (700ml bottle, around $4-5) — smoother than crushed tomatoes, excellent for quick sauces. Worth the upgrade if you cook pasta often.
  • Coles Tomato Paste (200g tube) — concentrated tomato flavour for building depth in sauces and braises.

What to skip

  • Flavoured diced tomatoes (“Italian herb,” “garlic and onion”) — add herbs yourself
  • Tomato sauce in jars with long ingredient lists — passata plus your own seasoning is better and cheaper

Legumes: Chickpeas, Lentils, and Beans

Aisle: Canned goods, near tomatoes and other canned vegetables.

What to buy

  • Coles Chickpeas (400g can, around $1.20) — reliable, well-drained, good texture. Buy several cans.
  • Coles Brown Lentils (400g can, around $1.20) — hold their shape well in soups and salads.
  • Coles Red Kidney Beans (400g can) — for bean salads, chilli-style dishes, and grain bowls.
  • Coles Cannellini Beans (400g can) — essential for Italian-style bean dishes and white bean salads.
  • Coles Dried Red Lentils (500g bag, around $2) — for soups and dal. Much cheaper than canned and cook quickly.

Dried vs canned

Dried lentils and chickpeas are cheaper per serve and often taste better, but they require planning. If you are building the habit, start with canned and add dried cooking as you get comfortable. The Shopping List System can help you track what you actually use.

Tinned Fish

Aisle: Canned goods, usually near canned meats and other proteins.

What to buy

  • Sirena Tuna in Olive Oil (95g can, around $2.50-3) — the best widely-available tinned tuna at Coles. Good flavour, firm texture, works in salads, pasta, and on toast.
  • Sirena Tuna in Springwater — if you prefer lower fat, though olive oil version tastes better for Mediterranean dishes.
  • John West Tuna — a reliable alternative, widely stocked. The olive oil version is preferable.
  • King Oscar Sardines in Olive Oil (when available) — excellent for salads and toast. Rich, meaty, and genuinely good.
  • Coles Pink Salmon (canned) — for a change from tuna. Works in patties, salads, and pasta.

What to skip

  • Tuna in brine for Mediterranean dishes (olive oil is better for flavour)
  • Flavoured tuna pouches with sauces — you are paying for sugar and additives
  • Any tinned fish where the first ingredient is not the fish itself

Greek Yogurt and Dairy

Aisle: Dairy, refrigerated section.

What to buy

  • Coles Greek Style Yogurt (1kg tub, plain, around $6-7) — thick, tangy, no added sugar. This is the breakfast, snack, and sauce workhorse. Do not buy the flavoured versions.
  • Coles Natural Yogurt — thinner than the Greek style but still usable for breakfast and smoothies.
  • Coles Feta (200g block, around $4-5) — Danish-style, crumbly, fine for salads and cooking. Not real Greek feta, but perfectly adequate.
  • Coles Haloumi (when available) — good for grilling as a protein in salads and wraps.
  • Eggs — any free-range option. Coles brand free-range is fine.

What to skip

  • “Greek style” yogurts with honey, vanilla, or fruit already mixed in — buy plain and add your own
  • Low-fat or “lite” yogurts with thickeners and stabilisers — plain full-fat Greek yogurt is the Mediterranean choice

Pasta, Rice, and Grains

Aisle: Pasta and rice aisle, usually near canned tomatoes.

What to buy

  • Coles Spaghetti (500g, around $1.50) — basic and reliable.
  • Coles Penne (500g) — the most versatile shape for baked dishes and pasta salads.
  • Coles Fusilli (500g) — good for pasta salads and holding sauce.
  • Barilla Pasta — a reliable branded option if you prefer it. Available in multiple shapes.
  • Coles Arborio Rice (500g) — for risotto and creamy rice dishes.
  • Coles Basmati Rice (1kg) — for grain bowls and as a base for Mediterranean stews.
  • Coles Rolled Oats (1kg, around $2) — for overnight oats, porridge, and baking.

What to skip

  • “Healthy” pasta alternatives (lentil pasta, chickpea pasta) unless you have a specific dietary reason — regular pasta is part of the traditional Mediterranean pattern
  • Instant rice or flavoured rice packets

Fresh Produce

Aisle: Fresh fruit and vegetables.

What to buy every week

  • Onions (brown and red) — the base for almost every Mediterranean dish
  • Garlic — Australian garlic when available; imported is fine but less flavourful
  • Lemons — for dressings, finishing, and brightness
  • Tomatoes — in summer, buy loose; in winter, canned is often better
  • Cucumbers — for salads, tzatziki, and snacking
  • Spinach or silverbeet — for adding to eggs, pasta, and beans
  • Broccoli — roasting, steaming, or adding to grain bowls

Seasonal priorities

  • Summer: tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, capsicum, basil, stone fruit, eggplant
  • Autumn: pumpkin, eggplant, figs, pears
  • Winter: citrus, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, silverbeet, fennel
  • Spring: peas, asparagus, broad beans, fresh herbs

Herbs

  • Fresh parsley — the most useful Mediterranean herb. Buy a bunch weekly.
  • Fresh dill — for fish dishes, yogurt sauces, and salads.
  • Fresh mint — for tabbouleh, yogurt, and lamb dishes.
  • Dried oregano — keep a jar permanently. Coles brand is fine.

Olives, Capers, and Antipasti

Aisle: Deli section or international aisle.

What to buy

  • Coles Kalamata Olives (jar, deli section) — decent for snacking and salads.
  • Coles Green Olives — milder, good for cooking.
  • Capers (jar, near olives or in the Italian section) — essential for puttanesca, salads, and fish dishes.
  • Coles Hummus — acceptable for a quick dip or sandwich spread.

What to skip

  • Pre-made antipasto platters — assemble your own from olives, feta, and good bread
  • Olives stuffed with cheese or jalapenos — keep it simple

Quick Coles Mediterranean Shop List

If you want one list to walk into Coles with:

Pantry (buy once, top up):

  • Coles Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Coles Italian Crushed Tomatoes (3-4 cans)
  • Coles Chickpeas (3 cans)
  • Coles Brown Lentils (2 cans)
  • Sirena Tuna in Olive Oil (3 cans)
  • Coles Spaghetti or Penne
  • Coles Rolled Oats
  • Dried oregano
  • Red wine vinegar

Fridge (weekly):

  • Coles Greek Style Yogurt (1kg tub)
  • Eggs (dozen)
  • Feta
  • Lemons (3-4)
  • Garlic (2-3 bulbs)

Produce (weekly):

  • Onions, brown (3)
  • Tomatoes (4-6, or use canned in winter)
  • Cucumbers (2)
  • Spinach or silverbeet (1 bunch)
  • 1-2 seasonal vegetables
  • Parsley (1 bunch)

That is enough for a full week of Mediterranean meals without leaving Coles.

Recipes That Work With Coles Ingredients

RecipeWhat You Need From Coles
Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon and HerbsSirena tuna, Coles chickpeas, lemon, parsley
Chickpeas with Tomatoes and SpinachColes chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, spinach
Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl with Honey and WalnutsColes Greek yogurt, fruit, walnuts
Pasta PomodoroColes spaghetti, crushed tomatoes, garlic
Tomato-Braised White BeansColes cannellini beans, crushed tomatoes, olive oil
Lentil Soup with AromaticsColes brown lentils, onions, garlic, carrots
Sardine and Arugula SaladKing Oscar sardines, rocket, lemon
Mediterranean Overnight OatsColes oats, Greek yogurt, fruit

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