Middle Eastern Mezze Platter (Print View)

A colorful spread of hummus, fresh vegetables, olives, feta cheese, and pita for light, flavorful sharing.

# Components:

→ Hummus

01 - 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - ¼ cup tahini
03 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional 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 - 150 grams 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

# Directions:

01 - Combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth, adding cold water a tablespoon at a time to achieve desired creaminess. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
02 - Transfer hummus to a shallow bowl or platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sumac or paprika.
03 - Artistically place cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, carrot sticks, mixed olives, and feta cheese around the hummus on the platter.
04 - Warm pita breads if desired, then cut into triangles and add to the platter.
05 - Sprinkle chopped parsley over the platter and place lemon wedges alongside. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's practically no-cook, freeing you from the stove so you can actually enjoy your guests.
  • Every element tastes better when you make the hummus fresh—silky, bright, and nothing like the store-bought tub.
  • The platter adapts to whatever you have on hand, so it's forgiving and endlessly customizable.
02 -
  • If your hummus breaks and looks grainy or separates, it usually means the food processor overworked it—start fresh and pulse gently instead of blending continuously.
  • Prep the vegetables hours ahead and store them separately, but wait until the last minute to halve the tomatoes, otherwise they'll release liquid that makes the platter soggy.
  • Cold hummus tastes muted; let it sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before serving so the flavors wake up.
03 -
  • Save a few spoonfuls of chickpea cooking liquid (aquafaba) while draining your canned chickpeas—if the hummus becomes too thick later, a teaspoon of this liquid loosens it perfectly without diluting the flavor.
  • Arrange everything on the platter thirty minutes before guests arrive so the flavors have time to mingle and settle, but add the lemon wedges and parsley just before serving so they stay bright.
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