Mezze Platter Ideas

I love to turn a cheese board into a meal and serving mezze platters is no different. Simply add enough variety and quantity to satisfy everyone. You can build one large charcuterie board if you want, but I love the look of using small decorative plates and bowls because it feels more authentic.

Whether you want to have it as appetizers or a meal, you’ll want to include several of the items I’ve listed below. These are traditional foods that are easy to serve and eat with your hands. It’s interactive and perfect for a Moroccan themed party or a precursor to curry chicken thighs.

Mezze (or Meze) is a selection of appetizer items served with cocktails before a larger Middle Eastern meal, and popular in Greece, Turkey, and Egypt, to name a few. Think of it like Spanish tapas or Italian antipasti.

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What Goes on a Mezze Platter

The quintessential mezze platter includes many foods you’re already familiar with, as well as items that are easy to purchase or make, similar to charcuterie boards. Choose from the classic ideas below for the perfect Mediterranean mezze board, and customize your platter according to your tastes and guests’ dietary needs.

It’s easy to assemble using purchased dips, prepared breads, packaged nuts, olives, cheese, and dried fruit. Fill in with a few homemade recipes for hummus or chicken shawarma.

PARTY TIP: Provide party picks for the cheese and olives, and a bowl for pits and used toothpicks. Start the party with a couple of pits in the bowl so guest know what it’s for.

Dips

Add an assortment so guests have options. Serve 2 or 3 of these classic options.

• Hummus. No doubt this classic blended chickpea dip is the first ingredient you think of when building a Mezze board. Buy it pre-made or make your own with my hummus recipe here.
• Cacik. This is a cool and creamy yogurt-based cucumber dip that is similar to tzatziki. In fact, you can use my tzatziki recipe and add chopped mint instead of dill!
• Baba ghanoush. An eggplant-based dip that has a smooth consistency like hummus, but a more smoky and savory flavor. I recommend purchasing this from a restaurant of other trusted source.
• Fattoush. This fresh garden salad has pieces of crunchy fried pita for a great contrast of textures and flavors.
• Tabbouleh. A bulgur-based salad filled with fresh parsley and mint, tomatoes, onion, and lots of tangy lemon juice.
• Mediterranean cheese terrine. Make this delicious layered cheese spread a day ahead. It’s a pretty presentation of green pesto, red sun dried tomatoes, and white cream cheese blend.
• Feta dip. Make this quick and easy tomato feta dip that’s only got 4 ingredients, but so much flavor! It’s perfect with soft pita bread or pita chips.

Traditional Finger Food

• Sarmas or Dolmas. More commonly known to us as stuffed or rolled grape leaves (filled with seasoned rice). They can be served warm or at room temperature, and are delicious dipped into the cacik dip. To save time I suggest purchasing these.
• Falafel. Ground chickpeas or fava beans are shaped in a ball and fried or baked. This is a great vegetarian and vegan option. They’re about the size of a meatball and taste great with a bit of tzatziki sauce or tahini.
• Veggies. Include an assortment of sliced fresh vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes for a pop of freshness. You can even include stuffed cherry tomatoes on the platter.
• Stuffed peppadews. Little red peppers that are stuffed with herb-seasoned soft cheese. Look for them in jars in the gourmet food section of the grocery store.
• Flatbread appetizer. A great way to serve Greek flavors is on pizza-style flatbread appetizers. This olive tapenade flatbread pizza or Mediterranean flatbread is an ideal choice.

Meats

• Chicken Shawarma. I think you always need to add in some protein for a well balanced meal and chicken shawarma is one of the tastiest dishes. Thread seasoned chicken strips onto skewers for a cute presentation and easy pick up.
• Souvlaki. Seasoned lamb skewers add a touch of refinement to any gathering.
• Lamb meatballs. This is another terrific item to make ahead.

PARTY TIP: To make this super easy, I suggest picking up authentic dishes from a restaurant or freshly prepared food section of the grocery store.

Bread

No mezze board would be complete without some bread for dipping and pairing with the rest of the items.

• Pita bread. You’ll need this for dipping into the dips and spreads. Cut rounds of pita into smaller triangles for easy-to-grab pieces.
• Naan. Similar to pita but softer and chewier. Lightly grilling it gives you the pretty grill markings and a slightly crusty texture on the outside.
• Lavash. Another flat, soft bread that’s wafer thin. You would typically roll it around cheeses or meats.
• Pita chips. Add the crunch factor with crispy pita chips you buy or make your self. Other less traditional choices are pretzel crisps or toasted baguette slices.

Other Accoutrements

These are pre-packaged items you just buy, open, and serve.

• Nuts. Whole raw or roasted almonds add a great crunch of texture. Pistachios and walnuts are also excellent choices.
• Olives. Offer a selection of green, black, and pitted kalamata olives. Serve marinated or seasoned blends too.
• Roasted Red Peppers. These are soft and sweet with a bit of char on the outside. Buy a jar of roasted red peppers and pat them dry. Cut into strips to serve.
• Artichoke Hearts. Marinated artichoke hearts are readily available. Simply drain them and cut into half or quarters if you want.
• Feta Cheese. Cubed for easy snacking, or skewered on toothpicks with cucumber and drizzled with olive oil.
• Goat cheese. Very popular in other parts of the world, this earthy soft cheese goes with everything.
• Fruit. Provide dried apricots, figs, dates, and fresh grapes. You can make bacon wrapped dates or bacon wrapped apricots for an irresistible twist!
• Honey. They don’t call it the nectar of the gods for nothing! Drizzle some on top of figs, goat cheese, or pita bread for a lightly sweetened bite.

SWEET NOTE: For a dessert component pick up a box of Turkish Delight, or make easy baklava cups.

Party Tips

Here are some tips to assemble a perfect Mediterranean party board.

• Build a beautiful board for sharing. For a pretty presentation, use dishes and boards that have the feel of the Middle East. That can include rustic wood pieces as well as gold-rimmed pieces, and colorful vintage-style dishes. Arrange the mezze plate to look plentiful and nearly overflowing!
• Change up ingredients. The lists above include a lot of options. Add what you like depending on the season, availability of ingredients, and dietary needs of your guests.
• Check serving sizes. On a snack board you can typically halve a serving size. For instance a bag of almonds with 2 servings can actually serve 4-6 when it’s on a grazing platter with many options.
• Prep ahead. Although you don’t want to plate everything too far in advance, many components can be prepared a day or so before serving. Chop up ingredients and store in individual containers in the fridge. Blend dips up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate.
• Go big! When entertaining large crowds of 10-12 guests I suggest having several dishes of the same items, like 2-3 small bowls of hummus, to place at opposite ends of a large platter or table. That way guests aren’t having to reach over. For over a dozen guests, simply double or triple the number of assembled platters you serve.
• Serve with small individual plates, napkins, toothpicks, and small spoons or forks for each item on the platter. 

Drinks to Pair

Serve Mediterranean-inspired snack boards with one of these drinks.

• For a Greek touch serve it with ouzo, an anise-flavored liquor. 
• Try it with grappa, an Italian brandy.
• Serve a robust red wine for a cozy fall or winter evening. 
• During spring and summer you might consider pairing it with chilled white or rosé wine. Check out my tips for serving wine at a party.

Consider adding mezze plates to your next themed supper, monthly ladies night, or birthday celebration. The delicious foods are filled with flavor and tradition, and it makes for a really fun interactive way to entertain at home!