Maria Santos

Mediterranean Cuisine Editor

3 recipes Mediterranean & Italian

Editorial persona: Maria Santos is a byline the Dr. Appetite team uses for our mediterranean & italian recipe coverage — not an individual person. All recipes are developed, tested, and edited in-house. Read our editorial standards for details.

Maria Santos is the editorial persona for our Mediterranean and Italian recipe coverage. Recipes published under this byline focus on the sun-soaked flavors of southern Europe — olive oil, fresh herbs, slow-cooked tomato sauces, and simple ingredient-first cooking. Every recipe is developed, tested, and edited by the Dr. Appetite team.

Coverage Area

Covers Mediterranean, Italian, and Spanish techniques
Focus on home-scale cooking with pantry-friendly ingredients

Recipes by Maria

Pasta Easy

Air Fryer Pasta Chips

Crispy, golden air fryer pasta chips tossed in parmesan and Italian herbs with smoked paprika — the addictive viral snack with warm marinara for dipping.

15 min prep 15 min cook

Seafood Easy

Chili-Lime Mango Shrimp Tacos

Spicy chili-lime seared shrimp in charred corn tortillas topped with fresh mango-avocado salsa, tangy purple cabbage slaw, and crumbled cotija cheese.

20 min prep 8 min cook

Pasta Easy

Creamy Cabbage Alfredo Pasta

Silky ribbons of slow-cooked cabbage tossed with fettuccine in a rich garlic-Parmesan cream sauce with crispy pancetta — the viral comfort dish of 2026.

10 min prep 30 min cook

Pasta Medium

Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Pasta

Succulent shrimp in a rich garlic cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan over penne pasta — a 30-minute Tuscan-inspired dinner.

10 min prep 20 min cook

Vegetarian Medium

Crispy Eggplant Parmesan

Golden, shatteringly crispy eggplant layered with rich marinara sauce and bubbly fresh mozzarella — this classic Italian vegetarian comfort food is done right.

30 min prep 45 min cook

Soups & Stews Easy

Greek Avgolemono Soup

Silky, creamy Greek egg-lemon chicken soup with tender rice, made without dairy. Master the art of tempering eggs for a velvety avgolemono.

15 min prep 40 min cook

Chicken Easy

One-Pan Lemon Herb Chicken

Juicy chicken thighs with roasted vegetables, bright lemon, and fresh herbs - all made in one pan for easy cleanup.

15 min prep 35 min cook

Breakfast Easy

Pesto Eggs on Crispy Sourdough

Viral TikTok pesto eggs with perfectly runny yolks fried in fragrant basil pesto, served on thick golden sourdough toast with creamy feta and red pepper flakes.

5 min prep 10 min cook

Vegetarian Easy

Roasted Cauliflower Shawarma Bowl

Spiced roasted cauliflower shawarma over pearl couscous with tahini drizzle, pickled onions, and pomegranate. A vibrant vegan Mediterranean bowl.

20 min prep 30 min cook