As a Spanish living in the UK for 10 years, I cannot tell how much I miss Mediterranean food.
I was immediately interested in this book, as the idea of simpler 7-ingredient recipes (which makes it more accessible for a couple or single person), draw me in.

The book is well laid out and although it has not too many pictures, the ones showecased are beautiful.

Most recipes where simple enough, but some recipes were split into two recipes which was a bit misleading. I was also hoping to find more Spanish recipes given the size and number of recipes of the book. Regardless I tried a few new recipes that were tasty but probably not the first book that would come to mind if I had to recommend to someone in Mediterranean cuisine.

I grew up eating Mediterranean style food. Even with that upbringing, there were a lot of recipes that were new to me in the book. I love the simplicity of the recipes but simple is no where near the flavors you get. I do wish there were more photos and that all the photos had descriptions. Ex. The entree recipe is served on something not in the recipe. It would be nice to know what all was pictured.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.75/5 stars)
As someone who adores the Mediterranean way of eating and already has a solid collection of cookbooks on the subject, I was instantly intrigued by the concept of the 7-Ingredient Mediterranean. The idea of flavorful, nourishing recipes that are both inspired by one of the world's healthiest diets and only require seven ingredients? Count me in.

The book is beautifully laid out, making it easy to navigate, and the photography is simply stunning; each image felt like an invitation to step into a sun-drenched kitchen somewhere along the coast. The visuals alone had my stomach rumbling and my kitchen calling.

While I enjoyed the overall aesthetic and simplicity, some recipes were combinations of two dishes rather than standalone meals. While this isn't a dealbreaker for me, it did feel slightly misleading, given the book's title and premise. That said, the majority of the recipes do stay true to the promise of seven ingredients or fewer, and there are certainly several I'm eager to try out.

Ultimately, I gave this book a 3.75-star rating. It's a solid and accessible addition for anyone looking for quick, fresh meal ideas using easily accessible ingredients. I'd recommend it, especially to those new to Mediterranean cooking or anyone who wants a handy, no-fuss reference for everyday meals.
Thank you to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for gifting me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a lover of anything Mediterranean, especially the food I enjoyed not only reading this book but trying the recipes as well. Filled with plenty of easy to make recipes for some tasty meals and great photos, this book had me licking my lips and heading for the kitchen to whet my appetite.

The recipes are fairly basic and easy to follow, the ingredients are fresh and easy to access and the meals produces will be enjoyed by all the family. A great cookbook and one I will enjoy using until I have tried all the recipes.

Thank you NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Great basic mediterranean cookbook. I made some of the easier pasta recipes as being in the midwest with limited grocery stores it was hard to source some of the fish/ seafood used in a lot of the recipes. What I did make was very good. The photos were beautiful and appetizing, but over half of the recipes did not include photos. I would have liked a photo for every recipe. The recipes also did not include any nutritional information which would have been nice to have.

This cookbook has very good simple recipes for the Mediterranean diet! The recipes are easy to follow, delicious, and easy to follow. My husband and I have been following the Mediterranean diet and we look for effortless dinner recipes as during the summer we enjoy being outside. The recipes are flavorful, and the ingredients are easy to find.

This is a cookbook of simple, Mediterranean-style dishes that are easy to make. The photography is excellent and very colorful. The dishes include basics you’ve heard of like baba ghanouj, shawarma, and tzatziki and others that are either regional recipes or the author’s own creations. As this is a Mediterranean cookbook with less ingredients, I hoped the recipes would be more veggie-forward and healthy. Nearly all of the main dishes involved meat, including several soups and appetizers. Others were heavy on dairy or carbs, when most Mediterranean cultures eat these in moderation, while eating more fruit and veggies. A lot of the veggie sides were very basic, just roasting them with some oil and seasoning. I would have liked to see something more creative than that, but it is fine for beginners.

On the whole, this book is fine for Americans looking to expand into Mediterranean style foods. I would not classify this as a book for those on the “Mediterranean diet,” but it might be a transition book. I may copy a couple of recipes(like the spice mixes) form the book, but the cookbook as a whole would not have a permanent place on my bookshelf.

4 Stars – Simple, Delicious, and Inspiring

7-Ingredient Mediterranean by Cider Mill Press is a beautiful and accessible cookbook that makes healthy cooking feel completely doable. With just seven ingredients per recipe, this book strips away the intimidation factor and focuses on fresh, flavorful Mediterranean dishes that are easy to prepare.

The photography is vibrant and really brings the recipes to life—I just wish there were more photos throughout! That said, the layout is clean, the instructions are straightforward, and the ingredients are easy to find.

There are several recipes I’m excited to try, and I appreciate how the book emphasizes whole foods without sacrificing taste. It’s a great addition for anyone looking to simplify their cooking while still enjoying rich, satisfying meals.

Highly recommended for home cooks who want approachable, delicious Mediterranean recipes with minimal fuss. I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Very good cookbook for intermediate chefs. Would be great for people with a desire to cook Mediterranean cuisine. Too advised for a beginning cookers but packed full of great recipes. Includes bonus section at the end of short recipes and a conversions table.
Cool font, colors, and pictures used.

As someone, who loves cooking and Mediterranean, this book is a dream! You get everything: from the simplest appetisers, to more complex main dishes and sweet desserts! In the recipes, the ingredients are mostly simple and accessible. I really liked the simplicity of the recipes and the minimalistic style the recipes are written in, but I am missing descriptions of recipes, just so I know what I'm preparing. I like a little history behind the dish, or different variations and so on. On that note, I wish there were more pictures. Yes, they are really aesthetically pleasing, but once again - for many of those dishes I wasn't sure how they looked and if I was to prepare them, I wouldn't know, what they are supposed to look like.

I had super high hopes for this one. Some of the best dishes I've had are from the Mediterranean region. However, this entire cookbook was a mess. First, the ingredients were poorly listed, with the main list above and the "to taste" list at the bottom. This led to some confusion when reading thru the directions. Speaking of directions, these were written in the style of someone literally translating another language into English. "Distribute the herbs on the platter" made me chuckle. Another issue I had was the organization. I appreciate the simple headers: Appetizers, Entrees, etc.. However, the layout in each section had no direction. Maybe just me, but I would have grouped similar dishes together (meat, chicken, seafood) within the sections. Instead, it's all over the place. Something that irked me was the need to list a recipe like Chicken Thighs with Pistachio Raisin Sauce, but the recipe for the sauce isn't next to the main recipe, instead it's in the section called Appendix.

Finally, they list a recipe for "Panzarella." Um, what?! it's Panzanella, cmon on people

These recipes are quick with few ingredients. I was inspired to cook a few of the new and staples using less, but packed with flavor. I am always looking for efficient and healthy recipes to make for lunches.


Thank you NetGalley!

What a wonderful concept, but terribly executed. The pictures felt lazy, the recipes felt uninspired, and the level of detail was absent in both the description and the steps. A few recipes in, I had to ask if this was AI-generated - it lacked passion and excitement.

This cookbook has so many simple recipes that I think anyone at any skill level could enjoy. I love the flavor pairings and the fresh, unique ideas here. This cookbook is like the flavors of the season laid out in a simple, easy to prepare (and shop for) way.
My favorites are the grilled fruit salads and the easy to prepare snacks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

This is a fun Mediterranean inspired cookbook and I am always looking for quick recipes with fewer ingredients. The limited ingredient list does not mean the recipes are simple boring or flavorless. There is a very nice variety of options with sections covering appetizers, salads, sides, entrees, desserts, and sauces. Each recipe has a serving size, active and total cook time, full ingredient list and easy to follow instructions. The instructions are a tad wordy for my liking but that's a personal preference. My biggest gripe is the lack of photos. When they are included the art work is stunning but they are only added for about 1/3 of the recipes. I do think photos need to be included especially when dishes have original ethnic names that some of us are not familiar with. I don't want to google a recipe to see what it should look like. This definitely has some recipes I will be adding to my rotation.

The presentation is... A choice.

So the title and the introduction indicated that the authors thought they were making an introduction to Mediterranean cooking, but based on my experiences with the theoretical intended audience for this book, In the grand scheme of cookbooks there are barely any photos, and I guess they assume you'll google the recipe for photos, but then why not just get the recipe from google. Also, and I say this as a person whose pans are only cast iron, there are some interesting equipment choices made in this book. The cast iron sticks in my head simply because frequently people new to cooking do very interesting things to cast iron (like throwing them into the dishwasher. Please do not do that.) And who on earth puts a whole octopus in a cookbook for people new to that kind of cooking?

Lots of delicious achievable recipes. Nothing too difficult - can be made by even the most novice of cooks

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks, Cider Mill Press, for the opportunity to review this cookbook. I love Mediterranean cooking and was intrigued by the premise of a cookbook with 7-ingredient recipies. However, I felt they were a bit too simplistic to appeal to me.

Mediterranean Cuisine or Mediterranean Confusion?

When Ingredients Don’t Belong
The book is not Mediterranean-inspired; it aims to be Mediterranean cuisines, which means ingredients should reflect what’s native, traditionally used, or can be grown/harvested in the region. But this book tosses in acorn squash, snap peas, Brussels sprouts, mahi-mahi, halibut, passion fruit, and, worst of all, avocado oil everywhere, while the Mediterranean is famous for its olive oil.

Mediterranean… But Mostly Italy?
The book opens by reminding us that the Mediterranean spans 21 countries, but I can’t help noticing the recipe selection leans heavily — perhaps overwhelmingly — towards Italian cuisine. I was hoping for a more balanced map of flavours.

However,
I actually enjoyed the variety of new recipes I hadn’t seen before, especially those using very common ingredients found in almost every Middle Eastern household. For anyone wanting to enjoy and understand the Mediterranean diet, there’s a lot to like here. Most recipes are super easy to make, requiring little time making them perfect for whipping up late-night snacks or early-morning bites when you’re on the go.

On the bright side
I found some of my favourite foods here. Sometimes, you just need a reminder of those few-ingredient wonders that you can prepare quickly at home, yet easily plate up for a fancy dinner invitation. Versatility like that is always appreciated.

Toum Trauma
Making toum (garlic sauce) with avocado oil? That’s a crime against Mediterranean mamas everywhere. What butchery!

Recipe Red Flags: The Mahshi Laban
There’s one outright wrong recipe: “Mahshi Laban.” The recipe completely missed the main ingredient: Laban! Instead, it replaces it with labneh made from Greek yoghurt “as needed or to taste.” Greek yoghurt’s popularity is rising, sure, but laban (yoghurt) is distinct from Greek yoghurt and is the essential base for authentic labneh. Plus, the filling recipe isn’t even close to the classic. Creativity is welcome, but when you reinvent a dish so drastically, you owe it a new name, not hijack a beloved classic and call it something else.

Mansaf Debauchery
The same goes for mansaf. The Laban used in mansaf is very specific — it’s goat yoghurt called jameed, prepared in a particular traditional way. Substituting it with Greek yoghurt is a very bad choice. The dish ends up more like braised beef and rice than true mansaf, which is known for its fatty richness and generous ghee. If you’re going to tinker, fine, but call it what it is.

Shawarma Shenanigans
And don’t get me started on the shawarma “creativity.” Just because you use shawarma seasoning doesn’t make the final dish shawarma. Shawarma is an art — the meat texture, cooking style, and condiments all matter. Pork belly that shreds? Not the ideal shawarma cut. If you’re going to try, you need more than what the recipe in this book calls for.

The Bottom Line: Fun, But Not Always Faithful
If you want vibrant, easy-to-make dishes with a fun mix of familiar and new, this book delivers in parts. But if you’re looking for authenticity or respect for tradition, be ready to raise a few eyebrows and maybe a few Mediterranean mamas in protest.

Thank you Netgalley and Cider Mill Press for the ARC.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I liked this cookbook full of quick, easy recipes in the Mediterranean style. They sound wonderful and yummy but I could have used more pictures of the food and some explanations of certain food (what the were, what they are supposed to look like and how to pronounce them) but all in all a good cookbook for cooking Mediterranean foods.