How to Build a Mediterranean Mezze Platter

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

This Mediterranean Mezze Platter includes a selection of assorted traditional Greek appetizers, including Kalamata olives, feta cheese, eggplant dip, stuffed grape leaves, vegan fig salami, graviera cheese spread, hummus, and much more. An authentic small-bite feast to surprise your guests during the holidays or any time of the year. Let’s learn how to put together your mezze platter recipe using high-quality store-bought ingredients, and fresh fruits and vegetables! We’re also checking out some premium Greek products you can order online today!

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Hello my friends. Have you ever heard about mezze? If you haven’t, let me tell you, mezze it’s one of the most exciting food experiences you can offer to your guests (even if your "guest" is your spouse and kids).

Mezze is a selection of small dishes, often served before a meal, to get the conversation started and break the ice. While Spaniards call their small appetizer plates tapas, people in Middle Eastern countries love their mezze, and this first course is also popular in Greece. That being said, we often create our mezze "as dinner" for just the two of us.

How to put together a stress-free Mediterranean Mezze Platter

So, how to put together a stress-free Mediterranean mezze platter? There are many ways to approach this; you can literally add anything you want, but to keep with the mezze theme, better to keep the components Mediterranean. A fantastic mezze platter may seem a bit hard to put together, but the secret here is quality. The single most effective way of putting together a mezze board with a WOW factor is selecting the different elements with quality in mind.

There are no Mediterranean appetizers without olives, for example. Still, supermarket olives just do not have the same impact as a varied selection of Greek olives, the finest on the planet. So this is why we are using my favorite gourmet Greek black Kalamata olives.

Mezze platter ideas can comprise of a few Mediterranean appetizers like tabbouleh, tzatziki dip, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves (dolma). These need some prep work if you make them at home, but today we will be using store-bought ingredients to have stress-free prep-work. The best part is that you can put together this platter in less than 10 minutes.

Then there’s color: some fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and perhaps some pomegranate seeds, feta cheese, and of course some crunchy pita chips. Do you see where we’re going? A mezze board achieves its goal when no one wants to leave the table. Just one good appetizer after another. Your guests won’t even know where to start!

Mezes are traditionally all served together, creating the experience of a small buffet of flavors and textures. Add to your mezze extravaganza a round of fun drinks, like fig vodka martinis or a solerno cocktail, and you can guarantee everyone will have a great time. What other drinks would you serve with a mezze board?

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Tips how to build a stress-free Mediterranean Mezze Platter

There are no specific rules on how you can create your mezze platter. But there is some guidance that you need to follow to create a memorable culinary experience. Serve what you love to eat, and as I mentioned before, it’s all about texture, flavors, shapes, and colors. And most of all for your sanity, all your mezze platter ideas must be easy to put together with no cooking necessary. Make the main platter ahead of time and cover with plastic wrap in the refrigerator, and before serving add the garnishes and the rest of the ingredients.

The most important tip for this mezze platter is to have something for everyone; the vegan, meat lover, and the healthy eater. Add an empty bowl for everyone to put the olive pits, cherry pits or pistachio shells, a small glass with toothpicks, and small plates if your guests want to create their own little meze plate.

Steps Putting Your Mediterranean Mezze Platter Together

Mezze Platter & Plate Selection

First, select a large plate and a combination of small bowls. You could use a round or oval plate, or a wooden serving board. If you don't have a large plate, just serve the ingredients in small bowls. You know the presentation is everything to draw your guest's eyes to the food. If you need additional serving ideas, we got you covered with our Best Boards for Charcuterie blog post. Remember, mezze is meant to be shared. Here are a few charcuterie board utensil options if you want to be a little fancy:

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Choose your dips, spreads, and appetizers

Pick your dips, spreads, and appetizers. They will be your anchor ingredients on the platter that will set up your presentation. Get all your ingredients pre-made and buy gourmet spreads. We have some in our shop waiting to be on your table. Our selections today are Mediterranean traditional dishes like hummus, tzatziki, tabbouleh, and stuffed grape leaves (Dolma). But also, you can find at the supermarket chickpea salad or other dips.

Add Garnishes and Condiments

Garnish the hummus with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and smoked chili flakes. You can add a couple of chickpeas or chopped parsley. If you notice in the photo above, I place the ingredients on the opposite side of the plate. Then I put in the center, a small bowl with the kalamata olives. Remember to add sweet flavors, and I choose honey with honeycomb, Olive Spoon Sweet (read below for info), and fig salami. From there, I start to place the vegetables creating a contrast of color.

Place the cubed feta cheese and pita chips near the hummus and with the empty spaces on the plate, start adding the halves of cherry tomatoes and figs. This platter will be your centerpiece on the table and surrounding the plate. Place your other ingredients in small bowls, and leave the gourmet spreads in their jar so your guests know what each spread is.

Here are a few items you might want to get from our online shop; a few products carefully selected to amp-up your mezze game.

Meet Our Partner and Special Mezze Platter Ingredients

Hellenic Farms is an elite importer of Greek products, and we’ve been working with them almost since the beginning. Interestingly, it is a 100% woman-owned business, and their passion for fine Greek products is a given.

Make sure you add to your mezze some Vegan Fig Salami with Pistachio & Pepper. Your guests will thank you. This beauty is made with Greek figs, aleppo pepper, and crunchy pistachios. There are no artificial additives or flavorings here, and there are lots of different fig salami varieties!

Roasted Aubergine and Red Pepper Spread is a delight as well. Think of a meaty, well-seasoned spread that simply tastes like the Mediterranean. This spread tastes like Baba Ghanouj (baba ghanoush), but is better than your traditional roasted eggplant dip. I have tried many jarred products, and I never was satisfied until I tried this spread. It’s flavorful, fresh, and you can taste the clean, real, quality ingredients.

Navarino Icons Olive Spoon Sweet Topping is a traditional welcome treat in Greece made with Kalamata olives stuffed with almonds. These delicious olives are cooked in a syrup made of Greek honey, fresh orange juice, wine, herbs, and spices. This delightful treat is all-natural and gluten-free. You will be surprised how delicious this sweet olive treat is. In Greece, spoon sweets are offered as a gesture of hospitality accompanied by a glass of water. We have this Greek treat available to you in our online shop

What are Spoon Sweets?

Spoon sweets are sweet preserves made from almost any fruit (and some made without fruit), usually offered to guests served on a teaspoon in a small porcelain or glass dish, in Greece, parts of Eastern Europe, parts of the Middle East, and Russia. Olives, grapes, berries, apricots, pears, cherries, oranges, lemons, and figs are just a few of the fruits that are used.

Pure Greek Honey with Honeycomb is naturally thick and golden. This honey is unheated and unfiltered to preserve its nutritional benefits and highlight its delicate taste and aroma. Cold packed by hand, this honey is without the addition of artificial additives or flavorings. A piece of fresh honeycomb straight from the hive is added to the jar.

Last but not least, make sure you check out the Sweet Red Pepper and Graviera Cheese Spread. This spread is a blend of PDO Cretan Graviera cheese and roasted red peppers, capers, olive oil, and spices. This one is just creamy and immensely satisfying. Spread on bread; this is one good bite.

Putting the Finishing Touches on your Mezze Platter

The other ingredients to complement the platter are fresh fruits and vegetables like grapes, cherries, pomegranate, cucumbers, and small-sized apples. Also, pick your nut of choice; I’m using pistachios. This Mediterranean board is vegetarian, but if you want to add an animal protein, you can add store-bought mini lamb meatballs. Also, if you are vegan, then check out our Vegan Appetizer Board write-up, and if you're not afraid of meat, check out our Charcuterie Board Ideas, and/or all our appetizer recipes.

If you are inspired to cook, I have three Mediterranean recipes that double as mezze platter ideas called:

• Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Piquillo Pepper Pesto,
• Saganaki Fried Feta with Sesame Crust, Honey & Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and
• Greek Green Olive Crostini.

What other ingredients can you add to this mezze platter board?

• Olive Bruschetta,
• Marinated artichokes,
• Roasted Red Peppers,
• Kalamata Olive & Oregano Spread,
• Crushed Roasted Eggplant, and
• pickled vegetables like Greek Green Peppers.

It’s time to put together our mezze platter. Remember that even though we’re showing you what we did, feel free to put together your very own! Once you do, you’ll never offer a dinner party without a mezze course ever again!

I hope you make this Mediterranean Mezze Platter, and when you do tag @Spoonabilities on Instagram or make a comment on Pinterest, so we can find you!

Carlos Leo
Your Recipe Concierge!

How to Build a Mediterranean Mezze Platter

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★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Carlos Leo
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 8

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Description

This Mediterranean Mezze Platter includes a wide selection of traditional Greek appetizers. Learn how to build your own stress-free mezze platter and impress your guests with a fantastic spread of tasty appetizers that they won’t forget.

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Ingredients

• Kalamata Olives available in our online shop
• Vegan Fig Salami with Pistachio & Pepper available in our online shop
• Fresh cucumbers
• Feta cheese
• Pita chips
• Navarino Icons Olive Spoon Sweet Topping available in our online shop
• Tabouleh
• Tzatziki
• Fresh pomegranate
• Stuffed grape leaves
• Pure Greek Honey with Honeycomb available in our online shop
• Roasted Aubergine and Red Pepper Spread available in our online shop
• Sweet Red Pepper and Graviera Cheese Spread available in our online shop
• Hummus
• Grapes
• Cherries
• Apples
• Pistachios
• Carrots
• Fresh figs

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Instructions

1. Spread the hummus and tzatziki on a large platter. Spoon the tabbouleh into a pile on the platter. Add the olives in a small bowl in the center of the platter and the feta in cubes next to it.
2. Arrange the cucumbers and carrots next to the tabbouleh. On the other side of the plate, place the stuffed grape leaves, and pita chips. Near the hummus add some halves of cherry tomatoes and fresh figs.
3. Place the fig salami, honey with honeycomb, cherries, and pistachios in small bowls; and in a larger bowl, more pita chips. Open the jars of spreads and stick a spoon in each jar.
4. Before serving, drizzle the hummus with olive oil and top with smoked chili flakes.

Notes

You can make the platter 3 hours before serving and cover with plastic wrap. Remove the platter from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Meze, Side
• Method: arranging
• Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Keywords: Greek meze, Greek tapas, meze ideas, olives, platter, appetizer, mezze platter, middle eastern food, Greek food, grazing platter, food platter, grazing tables, grazing board, vegetarian recipe, Mediterranean Food, mazza

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