Lupma - Simple Recipes with Mediterranean Flavors

Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup Without Heavy Cream

This Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup achieves a rich, comforting texture without a heavy pour of cream or rendered bacon fat. Instead, a portion of the cooked potatoes is blended back into the broth, which thickens the soup naturally. A small splash of Dijon mustard and fresh lemon juice brightens each bowl so it never feels heavy. The recipe cooks in one pot and takes about 55 minutes from start to finish.

Creamy chicken and potato soup in a bowl with a spoon lifting a bite showing shredded chicken and potatoes

This is not the usual clear chicken soup. The technique here trades heavy dairy for potato purée to create body: after simmering, you blend a portion of the potatoes and broth until smooth and return that purée to the pot. The result is thick and comforting, yet still light enough to enjoy any night of the week. Poaching the chicken breasts directly in the broth with the potatoes keeps the process truly one-pot and minimizes cleanup. From prep to bowl is under an hour and most of that time is hands-off.

Shredded — not mashed — sweet potatoes give these Sweet Potato Fritters delicate, lacy edges and a crisp bite. Crumbled feta and thinly sliced green onion keep them savory rather than sweet, and a bright lemon-herb yogurt sauce rounds them out. These fritters are simple enough for a Tuesday night but impressive enough for guests. … Read more

Crisp Apple and Fennel Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

This apple fennel salad brings together paper-thin fennel and apple with crunchy celery, peppery arugula, toasted pecans, and shaved Parmesan, all coated in a sweet-tart maple Dijon vinaigrette. Ready in about 20 minutes, it’s a bright, crunchy side that travels and stores well, making it ideal for weeknights, potlucks, or any time you need a … Read more

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Smoky grilled shrimp, sweet charred corn, and ripe mango are combined on crisp romaine in this Grilled Shrimp Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. It’s substantial enough to be a full meal—not a side—and comes together in under 40 minutes. The vibrant blended cilantro-lime dressing brightens every bite and works equally well as a marinade for … Read more

One-Pan Sausage and Veggie Skillet Recipe

This sausage and veggie skillet is the perfect answer to a counter piled high with summer produce. Sausage, bell pepper, zucchini, and corn all cook together in one pan and are finished with a handful of fresh basil, parsley, and green onion instead of a heavy seasoning mix. It takes about 30 minutes from start … Read more

Cherry Tomato and Basil Pasta Recipe

This Cherry Tomato Basil Pasta is an easy 30-minute weeknight dinner that showcases sweet, peak-season cherry tomatoes. Fresh basil, parsley, garlic, and Parmesan form a silky sauce made right in the pan—no canned tomatoes, no heavy cream—just simple ingredients at their best. It’s the kind of summer pasta you’ll return to again and again.

Bowl of cherry tomato basil pasta topped with fresh basil and shaved parmesan

A bowl of ripe cherry tomatoes on the counter in high summer has a way of making dinner plans uncomplicated. This recipe is intentionally simple so the tomatoes can shine—sweet, juicy, and full of flavor. In about 30 minutes and with a handful of pantry staples, the tomatoes do most of the work.

The sauce is what sets this dish apart. Instead of canned tomatoes or cream, fresh halved cherry tomatoes are cooked down with olive oil, onion, garlic, and a few herbs until they collapse into a glossy, rich base. A splash of starchy pasta water and a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan finish the sauce, producing a silky texture that clings to every strand of pasta. It tastes like something you’d order at a sunny neighborhood bistro, but it comes together quickly on a weeknight.

This Green Goddess Dip comes together in about 10 minutes in a food processor and is vibrant with four fresh herbs, creamy avocado, Greek yogurt, and tangy feta. The feta is the secret ingredient: it adds a salty, briny depth you don’t get from yogurt alone, elevating the herbs and creating a richer, more layered … Read more

Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

These Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant boats are filled with a Lebanese-spiced ground beef mixture, finished with a cool garlic yogurt sauce and toasted pine nuts. The recipe comes together in under an hour and delivers bright, layered Mediterranean flavors. Stuffed eggplant looks like a special-occasion dish but is surprisingly simple. Tender, spice-rubbed eggplant halves are filled … Read more

Creamy Mediterranean Bow Tie Pasta Salad with Feta & Olives

This Mediterranean Bow Tie Pasta Salad is my go-to for summer cookouts, potlucks, and backyard dinners. It’s loaded with chickpeas, roasted red peppers, crumbled feta, and a lively mix of mint, dill, and parsley, all dressed in a bright lemon and olive oil vinaigrette. Make it ahead — it improves after resting. This Mediterranean Bowtie … Read more

Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta Salad — Make-Ahead Recipe

This Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta Salad is a fresh, flavorful twist on a summer classic. Farfalle (bowtie) pasta is combined with seasoned, pan-seared shrimp, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, cubed feta, and toasted pine nuts, all tossed in a bright red wine herb vinaigrette. No mayo, ready in 30 minutes, and the flavors … Read more