Middle Eastern Mezze Platter (Print Version)

A vibrant shareable assortment of classic Middle Eastern appetizers with hummus, olives, cheese, pita, and fresh vegetables.

# What You'll Need:

→ Hummus

01 - 1½ cups (400 g) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - ¼ cup tahini
03 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
05 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
06 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - 2-3 tablespoons cold water

→ Vegetables

09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
11 - 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
12 - 1 cup carrot sticks

→ Olives & Cheese

13 - 1 cup mixed olives (green and Kalamata), pitted if desired
14 - 5.3 ounces feta cheese, cut into cubes or slices

→ Bread

15 - 4 pita breads, cut into triangles

→ Garnishes

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - 1 teaspoon sumac or paprika
18 - Lemon wedges

# How To Make:

01 - In a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and salt. Blend until smooth, adding cold water a tablespoon at a time to reach desired creaminess. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
02 - Arrange the hummus in a shallow bowl or spread on a platter. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with sumac or paprika.
03 - Artfully arrange cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot sticks, olives, and feta cheese around the hummus.
04 - Warm the pita bread if desired, then cut into triangles and add to the platter.
05 - Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in under 30 minutes with no cooking required—perfect for when you want to look effortless.
  • The creamy hummus you make yourself tastes nothing like the store version and becomes the anchor everyone gravitates toward.
  • It's endlessly flexible, so you can build it around what you actually have on hand and still impress people.
02 -
  • The hummus will thicken as it sits; if you're making it more than an hour ahead, add water again and blend briefly before serving.
  • Tasting the hummus before you plate everything is how you catch seasoning problems—a little salt or lemon juice at the end makes all the difference.
  • Room temperature hummus tastes better than cold hummus, so let it sit out for 15 minutes after blending if you've chilled it.
03 -
  • Make the hummus 30 minutes to 2 hours ahead; the flavors develop and deepen as it sits, and you won't be rushed right before people arrive.
  • Cut vegetables no more than 2 hours before serving so they stay crisp and don't weep water onto the platter.
  • If your tahini is grainy or separated, blend it alone with a tablespoon of lemon juice first to smooth it out before adding the chickpeas.
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