Key Takeaways
Ina Garten’s Mediterranean mezze platter is a no-cook entertaining solution made entirely from store-bought items, elevated with small touches like herbs, olive oil, and garnishes.The spread includes feta with herbs, hummus with pine nuts, baba ganoush with pomegranate arils, plus fresh veggies, olives, stuffed grape leaves, and breads.Garten emphasizes keeping it casual and effortless, pairing the platter with a glass of rosé for a simple yet elegant summer gathering.
Ina Garten has created thousands and thousands of beloved recipes over the years (like her Engagement Roast Chicken and Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, to name a few) but when it’s too hot outside and the acclaimed chef doesn’t feel like turning on the oven or stove, she has a go-to spread that requires zero cooking.
“I have some friends coming this afternoon for cocktails, but it’s way too hot to cook, so I’m going to make a Mediterranean mezze platter completely with ingredients that I bought at the grocery store,” Garten explained as she shared her “recipe” for this eye-catching array of snacks in an Instagram video posted on August 27.
First, the Be Ready When the Luck Happens author placed several large fig leaves on her platter to create a “nice base,” then she took a big block of feta cheese and cut it into thick slices. “This is what I call barley cooking,” Garten mused. “What I do is, I take all of these ingredients and I do something to them to make them special so it doesn’t feel like you’re cooking, but it also doesn’t feel like it’s from the store.” Case in point? That aforementioned feta got a sprinkling of herbs de Provence and a drizzle of quality olive oil, which elevates its taste and appearance.
Elsewhere on the platter, Garten took store-bought hummus and topped it with toasted pine nuts and olive oil. Similarly, she also spooned some store-bought baba ganoush into a bowl and elevated it with an olive oil drizzle and a handful of pomegranate arils sprinkled on top. The platter also includes “lots of things that would be fun to eat,” such as cucumber spears, stuffed grape leaves, cherry tomatoes on the vine, and Kalamata olives. And of course, you can’t have a Mediterranean platter without bread—Garten’s go-tos are whole-grain bread and lightly toasted pita.
The goal, Garten said, is to keep things “very casual” with this easy yet delicious spread. “You don’t want anything formal here,” she declared.
And if you’re curious about what drink pairs best with this Mediterranean feast, Garten’s got you covered. “All you need is a nice glass of rosé, and everybody has a wonderful time,” she concluded.
Unsurprisingly, Garten’s followers were very impressed with her spread. “Perfection,” one wrote. “[A] variety of foods, tastefully and thoughtfully assembled, visually makes you want to dig in. That’s my version of luxury.”
“You make everything look so easy,” another gushed.
Dining and Cooking