The Mediterranean Basin’s diverse climates and ecosystems have shaped a rich botanical heritage through centuries of selective cultivation, resulting in a wide array of horticultural plants with valuable therapeutic properties. The use of horticultural food plants as herbal remedies has become an integral part of traditional medicine in this geographical context. The present review aims to highlight the use of horticultural food plants (HFPs) in the context of traditional herbal medicine in the countries of the Mediterranean Basin and explore their traditional uses and therapeutic properties. A comprehensive ethnobotanical literature search was conducted on the food plants used as herbal medicine in the Mediterranean region using existing online scientific databases. Based on the literature review, 64 taxa used as medicinal plants by traditional users in the Mediterranean Basin were documented. Overall, horticultural plants are used in Mediterranean countries to treat a total of 573 ailments. Italy has the highest number of use reports (998), followed by Morocco (281) and Spain (193). Apiaceae (11 taxa), Cucurbitaceae (9 taxa), and Brassicaceae (8 taxa) are the most frequently cited families. The genus Allium is the most abundant in species (5).

Local gastronomy could be considered a relevant part of the more general concept of Traditional Knowledge, that recently has attracted increasing attention by researchers, especially if associated with conservation and sustainable use of biological resources. The present research was conducted using a semi-structured interview, 62 informants (39 women, 23 men) whose average age was 55 years (range 27–86 years) were interviewed. 109 traditional dishes are documented as still being prepared by people living along the Cilento coastal areas, 57 of which were reported by at least 5 people interviewed. The study reveals that despite the influence of globalization and modernization, traditional foodways and culinary practices continue to play an important role in the daily lives of the people in this region. Specifically, the study highlights the persistence of certain dishes, which are deeply rooted in the local culinary traditions and are still prepared and consumed by the people in this region.