A mezze (or meze) is a popular style of eating in the Mediterranean and Middle East.

Similar to Spanish tapas, each dish is meant to be shared and the various flavors compliment each other.

Here’s a little walk around our Middle Eastern Mezze Platter.

Each Recipes is linked to the dish titles.

Because many of the dishes are dips of one kind or another, most always a mezze will include fresh herbs & veggies such as cucumber, bell peppers, radish, and mint or parsley and nuts (we included walnuts).

You’ll also want to include pita bread and/or other flatbread type crackers.

Jerusalem Salad brings nice fresh bright flavors to your mezze platter. This side dish is loaded with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and fresh parsley. It’s tossed in a simple lemon vinaigrette that really gives the salad a burst of citrus flavor.

Tabbouleh is a traditional Lebanese salad made with grains like bulgar, couscous or quinoa that’s tossed with lots of fresh parsley, cilantro and mint, diced tomato and cucumber and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

It’s absolutely delicious and gorgeous on a mezze platter.

Baba Ghanoush, a creamy smoky eggplant dip, is a personal favorite and a classic Levantine dish. The rich flavor plays so nicely with the other bright dishes being served.

Labneh (soft Middle Eastern cheese made from strained Greek yogurt) with roasted beets is an easy dish to include on your meze platter.

We also love Kofta Kebab made with ground lamb or beef. They’re packed with fresh herbs and spices and are delicious served on a bed of saffron rice.

With their crispy outside and tender most center, these Falafel are a crowd pleaser.

They get their bright green color from fresh herbs and you know that makes me happy. Falafel are perfect served with a side of creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce.

Marinated Olives & Feta bring a nice salty briny flavor component to our mezze platter.

Every mezze platter should include Hummus. Roasted Garlic & Herb Hummus is a favorite, but we also love Sweet Potato Hummus, Golden Beet Hummus, and Pumpkin Hummus.

Sharing a Middle Eastern Mezze Platter with friends and family is a fantastic way to allow everyone to sample so many wonderful Levantine dishes.

Whether you serve it as an appetizer with cocktails or as light dinner, your guests will be delighted by it’s beautiful presentation and bright fresh flavors.

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All my best,
xo Libby

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Getting ready for a big office Halloween Party tomorrow.  Not only do we go all out with our costumes and decorations, but we put on quite a festive themed spread.  This Pumpkin Hummus recipe from Cooking Light offers a nice holiday-twist on the traditional Middle Eastern spread.  Serve with Homemade Pita Chips and you’ve got a great holiday appetizer.

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Pumpkin Hummus {with Homemade Pita Chips}

Course Appetizer

Author Cooking Light

Ingredients

For Chips…

• 4 6 ” pitas each cut into 8 wedges
• cooking spray

For Hummus…

• 2 Tbl. tahini sesame-seed paste
• 2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ground cumin from toasted whole seeds
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 2 Tbl. fresh flat leaf parsley chopped

For garnish…

• 1 Tbl. pumpkinseed kernels toasted

Instructions

For Chips…

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place pita wedges on baking sheets, coated with cooking spray.
• Bake for 6 minutes or until toasted.

For Hummus…

• Place all hummus ingredients (except parsley) in a food processor, and process until smooth.
• Add parsley and pulse until well blended.

To serve…

• Spoon hummus into a bowl, sprinkle with toasted pumpkinseeds.
• Serve with pita chips.

The post Pumpkin Hummus {with Homemade Pita Chips} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.