How To Make An Ultimate Greek Appetizer Platter

19

Jul

Who doesn’t love a delicious charcuterie board? This Greek appetizer platter takes hosting to a new level and is a fun take for a Greek-inspired grazing board.  Don’t have some of the ingredients? No need to panic.  The food items and quantity you choose can be easily customized, giving you all the creativity!

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You can make homemade dips like tzatziki, whipped ricotta, spicy feta dip, meatballs, calamari, and pita bread, or save some time and pick these up ready-made from the grocery store.  It’s all about the presentation!

You can buy your favourite dips at the store, drizzle them with a little high-quality olive oil, paprika, fresh dill, or toasted pine nuts, and no one will know the difference. Enjoy creamy spreads, delightful textures, flavours, and all-around deliciousness with this Greek appetizer platter.  Gather your friends and family, and let’s dig in!

greek mezze board with pita bread, tzatziki, dolmades, halloumi, figs, and sliced feta cheese.

What Is a Mezze Board?

A mezze board is an assortment of small, flavourful dishes on a large wooden board or marble platter.  It’s designed to be shared and enjoyed as an appetizer platter before dinner or as a snack, similar to an antipasto plate or charcuterie board.

The word mezze means a selection of small plates.  The good news is that there’s really no wrong way to make a mezze platter.  Combine your favourite ingredients together and indulge with friends and family!

Ingredient Notes

These ingredients in the recipe card can be used as a guideline.  Easily swap out some of the ingredients or add in your own favourites! For instance, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, different cheeses, or more protein options.  I’ll have all of the ingredients I used to create this exact Greek appetizer platter in the recipe card below.

Dips and Spreads

Tzatziki: Refreshing, creamy, and thick tzatziki sauce is a staple on any Greek mezze platter. Drizzle it with a little olive oil and a touch of fresh dill.

Houmous: Houmous is made from blended chickpeas, lemon juice and garlic.  Sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Tirokafteri: Whipped feta cheese is spicy, creamy, and slightly salty.  A great addition to any mezze board!

Whipped ricotta cheese: Whipped ricotta is a neutral and creamy dip option.  Drizzle a little bit of honey on top and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and lightly toasted pine nuts.

These are some of my favourite dips when making a Greek appetizer platter, but you can adjust these based on your tastes or what your guests may enjoy more.  Other dip alternatives can include olive tapenade, melitzanosalata (Greek eggplant dip), pesto, or taramasalata.

Small Mezzes

Dolmades: Dolmades are made from delicate grape leaves stuffed with rice, herbs, and spices and coated in a light and tangy lemon oil sauce.  You should be able to find canned dolmades at your local Meditteranean specialty store, and I believe Whole Foods also has them.

Spanakopita and tiropita: I love using Krinos mini rolls for mezze platters.  Krinos has mini cheese pies and mini spinach pies.  They are so tasty, the perfect size, and come conveniently in their own baking tray.  If you’re looking for more spanakopita recipes, another great option is Riri’s spanakopita puff pastry.

Keftedes: Keftedes are small meatballs made with ground beef, fresh herbs, seasonings, and grated onion for added tenderness.  Keftedes can be fried in olive oil or baked in the oven. Their small size and satisfying flavour make them a great protein option for your mezze platter.

Marinated octopus: Impress your guests with marinated octopus! Greek marinated octopus is meant to be served cold.  It goes well on a mezze platter with fresh pita bread, tzatziki, tirokafteri, and Mediterranean olives.

Grilled halloumi: Salty, warm, grilled halloumi is so good! It has a slightly squeaky texture and high melting point, so it holds its shape really well.  Drizzle with some honey and warm pita bread.

Feta cheese:  Remove the feta from the brine and slice it into 1/2″ thick pieces.  Drizzle with olive oil and add a touch of dried oregano or red pepper flakes.  If you don’t love feta or want to try some other Greek cheeses, you can use kasseri, kefalotyri, or pan-fried saganaki instead of feta.

Warm pita bread or fresh bread:  Greeks love their bread, so having some crusty bread or pita bread to serve with your mezze platter is essential.  I like brushing pita bread with olive oil and placing it in the oven for 5-10 mins on convection bake so it gets lightly toasted.  Sprinkle with paprika or dried oregano for a little extra flavour!

 

Veggies, garnishes and seasonings

  • Persian cucumbers (skin on and chopped)
  • Cherry tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, garlic powder, and salt flakes)
  • Crackers and pita chips (my favourite crackers are the fig and olive Lesley Stowe raincoast crisps, but you can use any variety you like)
  • Dried or fresh figs
  • Honeycomb or honey
  • Fig jam or another jam of your choice
  • Toasted pinenuts
  • Kalamata or Mediterranean olives
  • Paprika
  • Dried oregano
  • Crushed red chlli flakes
  • Roasted chickpeas
  • Good quality olive oil
  • Fresh dill and fresh basil
  • Balsamic vinegar glaze
greek appetizer platter with tzatziki, pita bread, spinach pie, honey, dried figs, feta cheese, cucumber, and olives on a wooden board.


How to Make An Ultimate Greek Appetizer Platter: Step By Step

First, decide what ingredients you’d like to include on your mezze board.  It’s also a good idea to choose the wooden or marble board that you’ll be using to place all of the ingredients on so that you know the size and how many ingredients you’ll need.  For contrast and design, you can use a variety of bowls, plates, smaller boards, and cutlery on top of the main board.

I like placing the bigger items on the board first and then filling in the gaps with the smaller ones like chips, figs, fruit, and veggies, but you can get creative! There’s no wrong way to make a Greek appetizer platter.  It’s a good idea to serve this mezze platter with small plates and cutlery to make it easier for your guests to eat.

STEP 1: Bake the calamari, spanakopita, cheese pies, and/or meatballs.  Spread the items evenly on a baking sheet (or multiple baking sheets) and place them in the preheated oven.  Cooking times and temperatures may vary. While those items are baking, it’s time to prep the salad, dips, and any items that require a little time to make.

STEP 2: Make the tomato salad. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, seasoning salt, and fresh basil. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, stir together, and set aside.

STEP 3: Make the dips. You can use store-bought dips or make homemade dips. You can also make the dips ahead of time and remove them from the fridge once you’re ready to serve your Greek mezze board.  If you’re looking for homemade dips, be sure to check out Riri’s authentic tzatziki, thick tzatziki with sour cream, tirokafteri, and creamy whipped ricotta dip.

STEP 4: Grill the halloumi cheese. Remove the halloumi cheese from its packaging and slice it into 1/4″ slices.  In a small non-stick frying pan, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil and place the halloumi slices in a single layer in the frying pan.  Fry over medium heat until both sides of the cheese are golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.  Check on the food in the oven. If they’re done baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.

STEP 5: Assemble the larger items first. Bring all of your ingredients to the counter.  This will make it easier for you to see what you have so you don’t forget anything.  This will make it easier for you to see what you have so you don’t forget anything. Place the larger items like calamari, meatballs, and pita bread on your board. Then, surround those items with dried figs, feta cheese, crackers, cucumber slices, spanakopita, olives, or whichever other delicious items you wish to include.  Enjoy!

greek mezze board with pita bread, tzatziki, dolmades, halloumi, figs, and sliced feta cheese.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Greek Appetizer Platter

This Greek appetizer platter takes hosting to a whole new level with this Greek-inspired grazing board. You can make homemade dips like tzatziki, whipped ricotta, spicy feta dip, meatballs, calamari, and pita bread or save time and pick these items up ready-made from the grocery store!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Assembling20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Appetizers, Greek Appetizers
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: appetizer platter, greek mezze board, holiday appetizer platter
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Ria Mavrikos

Equipment

  • 1 wood or marble board

Ingredients

  • 4 pieces Pita bread cut into triangles
  • 1-2 cups Tzatziki
  • 1-2 cups Whipped ricotta
  • 1-2 cups Houmous
  • 1-2 cups Tirokafteri
  • 1 package Mini spanakopita or cheese pie rolls Krinos
  • 1 package Dried figs
  • 400 grams Feta cheese in brine
  • 1 can Dolmades
  • 1 Honeycomb
  • 1-2 packages Crackers
  • 1-2 cups Persian cucumbers (chopped)
  • 1-2 cups Cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar glaze
  • 3-4 tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1 tabelespoon Fresh dill
  • 1/2 cup Meditteranean or kalamata olives
  • 1 package Halloumi cheese
  • 1 package Calamari

Instructions

  • STEP 1: Bake the calamari, spanakopita, cheese pies and/or meatballs. Spread the items evenly on a baking sheet (or multiple baking sheets) and place them in the preheated oven. Cooking times and temperatures may vary. While those items are baking, it's time to prep the salad, dips, and any items that require a little time to make.
  • STEP 2: Make the tomato salad. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with garlic powder, seasoning salt, and fresh basil. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, stir together and set aside.
  • STEP 3: Make the dips. You can use store-bought dips or make homemade dips. You can also make the dips ahead of time and remove them from the fridge once you're ready to serve your Greek mezze board.
  • STEP 4: Grill the halloumi cheese. Remove the halloumi cheese from its packaging and slice it into 1/4" slices. In a small non-stick frying pan, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil and place the halloumi slices in a single layer in the frying pan. Fry over medium heat until both sides of the cheese are golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside. Remove the food from the oven if they're done baking and allow them to cool slightly.
  • STEP 5: Assemble the larger items first. Bring all of your ingredients on the counter. This will make it easier for you to see what you have so you don't forget anything. Put your dips into bowls and spread them out across your board. Place the larger items like calamari, meatballs, and pita bread on your board. Then surround those items with dried figs, feta cheese, crackers, cucumber slices, spanakopita, olives, and whichever other deicious items you choose to include. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 1037mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 3mg

Greek Appetizers

Date Published: July 19, 2023

Author: RIA mavrikos

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How To Make An Ultimate Greek Appetizer Platter

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