Appetizers Easy Bottarga Crostini Three Ways
Three Sardinian bottarga crostini with celery, warm mozzarella, and buttered tomato versions for an aperitivo spread.
Diet
Pescatarian
Browse 34 pescatarian recipes from Mediterranean Joy.
34 recipes
Appetizers Easy 
Main Dishes Advanced Gallurese Chiusoni with Red Shrimp and Wild Asparagus
Gallurese chiusoni made from semolina dough, finished with red shrimp, wild asparagus, and a light shrimp bisque.
Appetizers Medium Mussel Fritters (Frittelle di Cozze)
Sardinian mussel fritters in a simple egg batter, fried until golden. A coastal antipasto from the island's seafood tradition.
Main Dishes Medium Burrida Sarda
Traditional Sardinian marinated dogfish with walnut, pine nut, and vinegar sauce. A cold coastal antipasto that needs 24 hours to rest.
Appetizers Easy Marinated Anchovies
Fresh anchovies marinated in lemon or vinegar, then dressed with garlic, mint, chili, and olive oil. A cold Sardinian coastal antipasto.
Main Dishes Medium Stuffed Calamari (Totani Ripieni)
Sardinian baked stuffed calamari filled with anchovy, parsley, garlic, and fresh bread crumbs. A coastal second course from the island's seafood tradition.
Appetizers Advanced Aragosta alla Catalana
Boiled lobster served warm over a bed of raw vegetables with a sharp lemon-mustard vinaigrette. A Sardinian classic from Alghero.
Appetizers Medium Stuffed Anchovies with Pecorino
Fresh anchovies butterflied and stuffed with a pecorino, garlic, and parsley filling, then floured, egged, breadcrumb-coated, and fried.
Appetizers Medium Polpo alla Catalana
Tender boiled octopus tossed with cherry tomatoes, celery, olives, and an orange-balsamic dressing. A Sardinian salad from Alghero.
Main Dishes Easy Merca - Preserved Mullet (Merca)
Whole mullets briefly boiled in brine and wrapped in marsh grass. A traditional Sardinian preservation method from the Cabras lagoon.
Salads Easy Fregola Shrimp Salad (Sardinian Cold Pasta)
A cold Sardinian fregola salad with cherry tomatoes, shrimp, fresh basil, and chives. Ready in fifteen minutes with almost no cooking.
Main Dishes Advanced Culurgiones di Mare
Sardinian-inspired seafood culurgiones with a potato and tuna filling, sealed with the wheat-ear closure, served with cherry tomato and bottarga sauce.
Main Dishes Medium Fish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Polpette di Pesce)
Flaked sea bass mixed with egg and breadcrumbs, shaped into small meatballs, fried golden, and simmered in tomato sauce. A Sardinian way to use cooked fish.
Main Dishes Easy Spaghetti with Lobster (Spaghetti all'Aragosta)
Spaghetti tossed with lobster meat simmered in a simple tomato sauce. A Sardinian pasta dish that turns a small amount of lobster into a full meal.
Main Dishes Easy Grilled Octopus Skewers (Polpo allo Spiedo)
Whole octopus threaded onto skewers and grilled slowly over charcoal, basted with olive oil, garlic, and parsley. A Sardinian coastal classic.
Main Dishes Medium Fregola with Clams, Peas and Saffron
Sardinian fregola with clams, peas, fresh tomato, and saffron. A lighter seafood pasta that still tastes firmly of the coast.
Main Dishes Medium Sea Bream with Salted Anchovies (Orata alle Acciughe Salate)
Whole sea bream baked with salted anchovies tucked into slashes in the back, deglazed with Vernaccia wine. A Sardinian roasting technique.
Main Dishes Medium Sardinian Fregola with Seafood and Samphire
Sardinian fregola with clams, mussels, razor clams, cockles, and samphire, finished with a bright green samphire emulsion.
Main Dishes Easy Whole Wheat Pasta with Sardines, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs
A simplified pasta con le sarde—whole wheat spaghetti with sardines, lemon, and golden breadcrumbs. Nutritious, affordable, and deeply satisfying.
Appetizers Medium Calamari Salad with Lemon, Olive Oil & Fresh Herbs
Tender poached calamari tossed with celery, olives, and a bright lemon-herb dressing. A classic Mediterranean seafood salad that's light yet satisfying.
Soups & Stews Medium Mediterranean Fish Soup with Fennel and Tomato
Mediterranean fish soup with fennel, tomatoes, and saffron. A light, flavorful one-pot meal ready in under an hour.
Main Dishes Medium Sardinian Fregola with Seafood
Sardinian fregola with mussels, clams, shrimp, and calamari, cooked risotto-style in shellfish broth with tomato paste and onion.
Main Dishes Easy Garlic Shrimp with Paprika & Lemon (Gambas al Ajillo)
Sizzling shrimp cooked in olive oil with garlic, smoked paprika, and a squeeze of lemon. A classic Spanish tapa that's ready in 10 minutes.
Main Dishes Easy Grilled Sardines with Lemon, Parsley & Garlic
Fresh sardines charred on the grill with a bright lemon-garlic dressing. A classic Mediterranean fish dish that's high in omega-3s and impossibly simple.
Main Dishes Easy Mediterranean Salmon with Olive Oil, Lemon & Herbs
Baked salmon fillets topped with a vibrant herb mixture of parsley, dill, and lemon zest. Simple, elegant, and ready in 20 minutes.
Main Dishes Easy Mussels in Tomato & Herb Broth (Cozze al Pomodoro)
Plump mussels steamed in a garlicky tomato sauce with white wine and fresh herbs. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every drop of the broth.
Salads Easy Sardine and Arugula Salad
Peppery arugula, quality sardines, and a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. A 10-minute high-protein lunch celebrating simplicity.
Main Dishes Easy Seafood & Vegetable Tray Bake with Fennel & Citrus
White fish, shrimp, and seasonal vegetables roasted together on one sheet pan. Fennel, orange, and olives create a distinctly Mediterranean flavor.
Main Dishes Easy Shrimp Orzo with Tomatoes & Parsley
Plump shrimp and orzo pasta cooked together in a garlicky tomato sauce with white wine. A one-pot Mediterranean meal that's ready in 25 minutes.
Main Dishes Easy Spaghetti with Anchovies, Garlic & Toasted Breadcrumbs
A classic Southern Italian pasta where anchovies melt into the sauce, creating deep umami flavor. Topped with crispy garlic breadcrumbs for texture.
Main Dishes Easy Sardinian Spaghetti with Bottarga and Lemon
A fast Sardinian pasta of spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and grated bottarga. Minimal ingredients, strong sea flavor.
Salads Easy White Bean, Tuna, and Caper Salad
An Italian-style tuna and white bean salad with olives, capers, parsley, shallot, and a lemon-Dijon dressing. Briny, bright, rich, and ready fast.
Main Dishes Easy Mediterranean Baked Cod with Lemon & Herbs
A simple, protein-rich dinner that comes together in one pan. Fresh white fish, potatoes, and olives roasted to perfection.
Salads Easy Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon & Herbs
The ultimate pantry lunch: canned white beans, quality tuna, lemon, and fresh herbs. High protein, no cooking, ready in 5 minutes.