Whether you’re having a Scandal viewing party, girls night, or dinner party, this quick and easy Mezze Platter is sure to set your party off right! 

I love Mezze Platters! I love anything revolving around Mediterranean food. Everything on this dish is light, packed with healthy fats and delicious. Whether you make everything yourself or buy some of the ingredients, Mezze platters are so easy to put together. Below I will share the recipes for 3 dips that will have your guests begging for more.  For this Mezze platter all you need for the presentation is a large white serving tray (I say white so that the colors from all of the vibrant foods can really stand out) and some small round serving bowls.

This Mezze Platter includes:

• Green grapes
• Sliced carrots
• Falafel balls (recipe coming soon, you can buy them pre-made as well)
• Almonds and pistachios 
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Toasted and sliced Ezekiel bread
• Roasted garlic olive oil
• Herb spread
• Sun-dried tomato spread
• Kalamata olives

 

You can swap out any of these items to fit your taste. You can add things like white bean dips, whole wheat crackers, pine nuts, hummus, dairy- free cheez, artichokes, avocado, bell peppers, figs, eggplant, nectarines, pomegranates, raw veggies, and a host of other yummy things that all fall under the category of a typical Mediterranean diet. I used what I had on hand and it worked out perfectly! My parents and I feasted on this bad boy for dinner and it was such a hit! Not only did everyone think it was good but Mezze platters are communal since you are eating off of one large plate, it brings everyone together!

 

 

Cashew dip base:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups soaked cashews (soak cashews covered in a bowl of water overnight)
• Juice from one whole lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until creamy and smooth. Spoon out half of the mixture into a separate bowl, leave the other half in the blender.

 

Creamy Sun-dried Tomato spread:

Ingredients:

• Cashew dip base
• Handful of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (maybe about 1/4-1/2 cup)
• Pink Himalayan salt

Directions:

1. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the pink Himalayan salt to the remaining mixture in the blender. Blend until the mixture turns a bright reddish/orange color. Scoop into a serving dish and serve.

*** This creamy spread is rich and thick and has the consistency of a soft cheese spread. It is great for crackers, breads, crudite, and sandwiches. The sun-dried tomato spread was the most popular. It was so good, its a must try!***

 

Creamy Herb spread:

Ingredients:

• Cashew dip base
• Dill
• Onion powder (I love Trader Joe’s Onion salt)
• Garlic powder
• Pink Himalayan salt

Directions:

1. In the bowl that has your cashew dip base, add all of the seasoning and mix until well combined. Add to a small serving bowl and serve.

 

Roasted Garlic Olive Oil:

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 head roasted garlic
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Cilantro
• Pink Himalayan salt

Directions:

1. Roast a head of garlic in the oven then chop finely. ( Depending on your super market you can buy garlic already roasted but its easy to do)
2. Combine all of the spices with the olive oil and roasted garlic. (I just added mine to a small bowl and mixed it up. It leaves it chunky which is how I prefer it, if you want it more fine you can always add it to a food processor, process for a couple seconds then transfer to a serving bowl.)

 

These 3 spreads and dips are really going to take your next gathers to the next level. Give them a try!