Knowra Mediterranean cuisine Mediterranean cuisine Mediterranean cuisine encompasses the diverse food traditions of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, shaped by local ingredients, trade, religion, and shared histories.
Olive oil : A fat extracted from olives, used as food and cooking oil, especially in Mediterranean regions. Its cultivation and use link many regional cuisines, though varieties and practices differ.
Paella : A Spanish rice dish traditionally cooked in a shallow pan, with regional variations in ingredients. Valencian paella connects rice cultivation with local meats, vegetables, and saffron.
Neolithic Revolution : The transition in human societies from foraging toward farming and settled life, beginning around 10,000 BCE. Early farming established crops and food practices that later shaped Mediterranean diets.
Maghrebi cuisine : The food traditions of northwest Africa, especially Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania. Its North African traditions are sometimes folded into Mediterranean cuisine despite distinctive histories and practices.
Wheat : A cereal grain used to make flour, bread, pasta, and other staple foods. Bread, bulgur, couscous, and pasta reflect wheat’s varied roles around the sea.
Ratatouille : A Provençal vegetable stew featuring ingredients such as eggplant, zucchini, tomato, and peppers. It demonstrates how southern French cooking builds flavor from seasonal vegetables and olive oil.
Phoenicians : An ancient Semitic-speaking people of the eastern Mediterranean known for maritime trade and settlements. Their trading networks helped move foods and culinary practices around the sea.
Levantine cuisine : The food traditions of the eastern Mediterranean Levant, including areas of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. It highlights eastern Mediterranean foodways that cannot be reduced to a single regional style.
Legume : A plant in the pea family whose seeds or pods are eaten, including beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Legumes provide inexpensive protein in dishes from lentil soups to chickpea stews.
Hummus : A Levantine dip made chiefly from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Its regional variations reveal the shared and contested foodways of the eastern Mediterranean.
Show all 22