A fresh and flavorful Mediterranean tomato salad serves as a salsa when it tops juicy grilled pork chops for a 30-minute, quick and easy dinner or BBQ meal.
It’s finally summer, so who wants to spend all day cooking? Not it. Who’s ready for fast and easy? #raisinghand
One of my favorite secrets to easy, flavorful cooking is to take a basic cooking method and dress it up with a fresh and easy recipe topper. Have you tried my Mediterranean grilled balsamic chicken with olive tapenade? Or marinated flank steak with Asian chimichurri sauce? They’re prime examples of easy to create flavor, just like this fast pork chop recipe you’ll soon be making all summer long.
Does this recipe look somewhat familiar? I hope so! Last week I shared my husband’s mastered and always juicy grilled pork chops plus this recipe for a super simple Mediterranean tomato salad. Today I’m sharing how to make two small tweaks and marry the two.
Together they create one healthy and delicious summer dinner that can be prepped ahead or made on the fly, for a dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes.
This summer is shaping up to be the best flavored yet. Let’s go!
Always Juicy Pork Chops
My husband has a soft spot in the heart of his belly for pork chops, so it’s natural he’s become a master at perfected cooking them on the grill. I shared all of his tips and tricks in my recipe for the best grilled juicy pork chops you can reference here, so I’m sharing just a a few highlights and the tweak I made to make this recipe.
Season it simply. This recipe doesn’t call for a long brine time or marinating for flavor. Instead, pat the ribs dry with paper towels then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Next, season the ribs with your favorite pork rub seasoning (I use my super easy homemade pork dry rub) and the addition of dried oregano to add a simple Mediterranean flavoring.
Let the ribs rest while the grill heats and you make the tomato salad. More on that in a minute.
The Best Pork Chops for Grilling
Fat, thin, bone-in or boneless, all cuts of pork chops are great for grilling.
Cook the pork chops to 140°F and still barely pink inside, then rest for about 5 minutes for the residual heat will continue to cook and raise the internal temperature.
Use this rule of thumb when grilling: The thinner the pork chop, the hotter the grill and less time on it. Thin pork chops will dry out quicker, and you do want that sear on the outside, so a hotter grill is key.
For thin cut, bone-in pork chops about ¼ inch thick, cook over direct medium-high heat for a total of 3-5 minutes, with the lid closed, turning once.
For 1-inch thick boneless pork chops, cook for 8-12 minutes over direct heat, turning every 3-4 minutes or until well grill marked with the lid closed. Add another 5 minutes resting time for the juices to set in the meat.
A bone-in pork chop will take longer to cook than boneless pork chops, so allow for more time.
Internal Temperature for Juicy Pork Chops
For years cooks have been told to cook pork until well done, resulting in a dried out piece of meat nobody wants to eat. No more!
According to recent changes in the USDA guidelines, it is safe to eat pork cooked medium rare.
Cook the pork chops to an internal temperature of 140°F and still barely pink inside, then rest for about 5 minutes for the residual heat will continue to cook and raise the internal temperature.
If cooked properly, the pork chops will release a bit of juice as they rest, a sign they’re still nice and juicy on the inside.
Mediterranean Tomato Salad Topper
Adding a bite of fresh tomato salad with each forkful is my favorite way to eat, well, anything.
I shared how to make this Mediterranean tomato salad in this recipe post. Today, I’ve halved the recipe ingredients to make a smaller batch to use as a salsa rather than a whole side salad. Feel free to make the full batch and salad it up for a potluck, BBQ, or as a simple meal prep salad through the week.
I kept this recipe simple with tomatoes, capers, red onion, and lots of parsley are simply dressed with lemon juice and the best fruity olive oil.
Other ingredients you may want to add are kalamata or green olives, avocado, red bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes, or a dash of red wine vinegar instead of the lemon juice. And of course chunks of feta cheese are always welcome at my house.
Side Dish Ideas to Make a Mediterranean Meal
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Outrageous Herbaceous Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Creamy Yogurt Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Greek Salad With Avocado
- Greek Pasta Salad With Cucumbers And Artichoke Hearts
- How To Make A Healthy Tzatziki Sauce And Dip
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.
Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad
Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce boneless pork chops
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1-2 tablespoons dry rub pork seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
For the Tomato Salad
- 1 pound medium size tomatoes cut in half and then quartered (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup fresh Italian flat leaf parsley leaves roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup sliced red onion
- ¼ cup capers
- 1 clove garlic pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the grill and clean grill grates for cooking over medium-high heat or about 350°F to 450°F.
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and brush both sides evenly with olive oil. Generously season the pork chops with the dry rub and sprinkle the oregano evenly on each chop, patting into the meat on both sides. Rest for 5-10 minutes as the grill heats.
- Meanwhile, prepare the tomato salad so the flavors can meld while the pork chops cook. Get the tomato salad recipe instructions here.
- Grill the pork chops over direct heat, with the lid closed, until the pork chops are well-marked, for 8-12 minutes total, turning once. For juicy pork chops, the chops should still be barely pink in the middle and 140°F. Rest the chops for 5 minutes for the juices to set into the meat before cutting.
- Serve the pork chops topped with the tomato salad and add chunks of feta cheese if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Pork Chop Recipes to Make Now
- Grilled Pork Chops With Spicy Balsamic Grilled Peaches
- Stuffed Pork Chops With Roasted Grapes
- Grandma’s Easy German Schnitzel
- Garlic And Herb Rub Pork Tenderloin
- Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches With Crunchy Slaw
- Pork Souvlaki With Lemon Rice
Craving more? Here’s 50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes or check out my Mediterranean recipe archives here.
Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.
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Darina
What a great dinner! Quick, easy and incredibly delicious!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thank you!
Luna Regina
Thanks for sharing, Heidi. Your instructions are very easy to follow. I’m going to give this recipe a try, along with your homemade pork dry rub recipe tonight, woo hoo! :D
Sabrina
nice pork chop recipe, thank you, salad too