This Ultimate Mediterranean Mezze Platter shows the way with Lebanese small plate eating. Here are great ideas to build your own board or platter with hummus, labneh, fresh veggies, olives, pita chips, and more!

I’m a huge fan of a raucous charcuterie board. So much so that I’ve had to institute a hold-me-back policy . . . I go all-in, eating the cheeses, the salami, then more of each one again and again so that I’m pretty sure my doctor can feel the earth shifting over where she is, with all of her unheeded advice to take it easy on the cheesy.

Enter the Mediterranean Mezze Platter, the ultimate board-style delight that is delicious and healthy (no cured meats in sight!). The Lebanese have such a magnificent way with mezze, which is small plate-eating either for appetizers or the whole fun meal. The big board or platter with these same dishes artfully arranged is a natural. SO delicious. SO much healthier! This is the Mediterranean Diet all wrapped up in a platter!

What is Mezze?

Mezze, also maza or meze, is similar to Spanish tapas. The main idea is a wide variety of finger foods (think stuffed grape leaves and little fatayer spinach pies), Mediterranean dips, and plenty of fresh vegetables like persian cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, seasonal fruits, and crunchy pita chips. The Lebanese serve mezze both as the start to a meal, as a light meal, or as the entire meal, depending on the circumstance. In Lebanon I was stunned at the variety of the mezze served with small plates overlapping to fill the table to overflowing…then an entire meal again of grilled meats and vegetables. You can make your mezze as elaborate or simple as you like, and jump in with other favorites like a wheel of cheese (try my baked brie recipe for that!).

How to build a Mezze Platter.

Your mezze platter will be whatever size you may need for the group you are serving. If you have lots of people and want the mezze party platter to be the main attraction, use more than one large serving platter to distribute the weight more evenly and also to allow the food to be placed in two spots. Use platters or lightweight boards (teak works great).

Use several small bowls and plates, a variety of small dishes, and fit them on the serving board/platter to see what works. Envisioning the layout of your platter in advance is helpful so you don’t have to move the food around too much as you build it.

Mezze Platter Components

Think of all of the Lebanese and Middle Eastern foods you love to eat, and go for it. Consider as much colorful food as possible! Add color and flavor with drizzles of olive oil and dustings of spices. The best part here is that you can make it incredibly simple: a great way to build your ultimate mezze platter is by purchasing as many of the meze platter elements with store-bought items to create a variety of appetizers for your own mezze platter ideas.

Many favorites:

Hummus, in any flavor or a combo of two different flavors (herb and beet, for example)

Labneh. Try Labneh Green Goddess here. Just be sure your yogurt is thick, not thin (labneh, not laban).

Baba Gannouj (baba ghanoush, smokey eggplant dip)

Muhummara

Olives, a variety of black and green, spiced, and different sizes (find great options at the grocery store olive bar)

Fresh veggies: Cucumber spears, baby carrots, fresh tomatoes (multi-colored cherry tomatoes are nice, whole or halved)

Pickles: Lifft, pickled turnips; pickled carrots; pickled cukes; asparagus pickles; dilly green beans; you get the idea. Cut them into smaller pieces if needed.

Grape leaves (stuffed rolls)

Little Gem or small romaine lettuce leaves

Lebanese Spinach Pies (Fatayer)

Fresh fruits (pomegranate seeds make a great garnish)

Feta cheese

Nuts, especially pistachios!, or any roasted salted nut or nut mix

Dried fruit, such as dried apricots, dried cherries, dates

Good pita chips or warm pita bread cut in small triangles

Za’atar Crackers

Fresh herbs (mint, parsley, rosemary), spices (za’atar, red pepper flakes, dried mint, etc.), and other garnishes such as lemon zest

​Tabbouleh Salad

How to arrange the Mezze.

A guiding principal for any board or platter: the look of abundance! I try to make sure the base of the platter can’t be seen; just all of the delights on top, touching one another and making an appetizing show of it.

1. My anchors: the dips. Get two or three similar-sized bowls for the hummus, labneh, baba gannouj, etc. Swirl your dip with the back of a spoon, then drizzle with olive oil and dust with spice (za’atar, dried mint, 7 Spice, sumac, black pepper).
   
2. Around the dips, use small bowls or plates to hold your olives, pickles, small pieces of anything.
   
3. Arrange piles of the vegetables around the dips, cutting them in different shapes (cucumbers in thin spears; small tomatoes whole; carrots in oblong coins; etc.).
   
4. Fill in spaces with a line-up of grape leaves, lots of pita chips, more olives, dried fruit and nuts.
   
5. Running out of room? Add small nut bowls and other items on the side.

Mezze Board Tips

Garnishes. Everything is more appetizing if it’s glistening or dusted. A thin drizzle of olive oil over everything is my go-to, then a pinch of spice wherever it might look great (everywhere!). 

If your olive oil glugs out of its bottle too heavily and swiftly, try my little trick of pouring some olive oil into the bowl of a large spoon, then drizzle from there. Or use a squeeze bottle. Much more control. The last touch is to pinch colorful herbs such as za’atar, sumac, toasted sesame seeds and dust those over dips, veggies, breads and crackers.

Tuck in some fresh herbs as a finishing touch, and to take up any spaces that need filling.

Use crackers and pita chips on the board, or if the platter is already filled, use a basket or bowl on the side filled with pita chips, bread, or crackers.

Look at how others do it: an excellent way to get a great look is to study an antipasto platter or other cheese boards and mimic the look of those.

​Have fun adding your own favorites, such as roasted red peppers or other pickles and favorites of any kind.

FAQs

More Small Plate Recipes

Try the most delicious date bite with a simple recipe for Warm Almond-stuffed Dates with Sea Salt and Lime Zest

Roasted Red Pepper Walnut dip, Muhammara, is another excellent addition to a mezze platter.

Take feta to the next level with Garlicky Whipped Feta Dip