Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
There’s no shortage of ways to start a Mediterranean meal — ways so delicious, actually, that you just might forget all about the main course. This collection of recipes for Mediterranean appetizers features the region’s most celebrated ingredients, like tangy feta cheese, briny olives, and smoky eggplant, to name only a few. We’ve got flatbreads from pissaladière to pide, fried bites such as cheesy tirokroketes, and lots of dips and spreads for all manner of slathering. Whether you call them antipasti, tapas, or meze, savor the flavors of the Mediterranean with these tasty appetizers.
Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Emily Neighbors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This dish is one of many dips chef Cheetie Kumar serves at her Mediterranean spot, Ajja, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Cumin, coriander, and Urfa pepper spice up caramelized carrots served over whipped feta with toasted sourdough for a colorful appetizer.
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Saganaki Halloumi (Cypriot Fried Halloumi)
Photo by Cedric Angeles / Prop Styling by Stephanie Bohn
Fry halloumi cheese in clarified butter, then brush it in honey spiced with rosemary and coriander and serve with lemon yogurt, brandy-basted nectarines, and fresh tomatoes for a sweet and savory appetizer from Houston chef Christian Hernandez.
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Roasted Tomato Pissaladière
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Made simple with a base of store-bought puff pastry, this pissaladière includes roasted canned tomatoes along with the usual anchovies, olives, and caramelized onion. Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rounds it all out with a nutty note.
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Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lamb, Rice, and Herbs)
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Stuffed grape leaves are a Mediterranean staple that varies by region. This recipe is one of many types found in Turkey and features a spiced lamb and rice filling along with a tangy yogurt dipping sauce.
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Asparagus Pide
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Chef Loryn Nalic of Balkan Treat Box in St. Louis fills these fluffy, lightly charred flatbreads with a blended cheese spread and tender Aleppo pepper-spiced asparagus. Once they come out of the oven, the pides get a dollop each of smoky ajvar and tangy cream, plus a shower of fresh herbs.
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Zeytinyağli Yaprak Sarmasi (Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Photo by Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Carrie Purcell / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
In Musa Dagdeviren’s vegetarian recipe, the tangy brightness of brined grape leaves is mellowed by a rice filling seasoned with fresh parsley, dill, and plenty of cooked onions.
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Pintxos Matrimonio
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Frozen puff pastry and tinned anchovies make easy work of these popular Spanish tapas. All you have to do is cut and bake off the puff pastry, chop a bit of parsley and garlic to stir together with olive oil, and assemble — about 25 minutes of active work time.
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Fritto Misto with Calabrian Chile Aïoli
Jose Mandojana / Food Styling by Robyn Valarik / Prop Styling by Christine Wolheim
This take on fritto misto will disappear as soon as you put it on the table. From the crispy anchovy-stuffed olives, lemon slices, shrimp, and calamari to the aïoli spiked with the fruity heat of Calabrian chile, this Italian appetizer is as elegant as it is fun to eat.
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Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Sauce)
One of Spain’s most castizo (rootsy) tapas, gambas al ajillo is made to order at countless rustic taverns throughout the country, particularly in Madrid and the south. The F&W Test Kitchen version is ready in 20 minutes.
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Grilled Artichokes with Herby Lemon Aïoli
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop styling by Audrey Davis
“Artichokes are at their best — and easiest to prepare — when cooked quickly over a hot fire, particularly when served with luscious lemon aïoli made with the smoky juices and pulp of grilled lemons,” says cookbook author Paula Disbrowe. “You can serve the creamy dressing on the side for dipping, but I prefer to toss it with the artichokes so it seeps into every crack and crevice.”
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Charred Eggplant with Burrata and Pomegranate-Walnut Relish
Caitlin Bensel
Inspired by her travels in Turkey, Hetty McKinnon’s vegetarian delight pairs velvety eggplant with creamy burrata and an unexpected relish made from walnuts, cilantro, and pomegranate. “Toasting the walnuts brings out their full nutty, slightly bitter character and plays well against the bright pomegranate seeds, which provide fresh bursts of juice and sweetness,” she writes.
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Tomato Bruschetta
This timeless Italian antipasto is about as simple as it gets. Perfectly ripe tomatoes are chopped and tossed with a pinch of salt, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and fresh basil before they’re served with toasted, garlic-rubbed ciabatta.
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Feta-Stuffed Marinated Olives
Photo by Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv
Adeena Sussman turns Castelvetrano olives into a fragrant, bright, and herbaceous addition to any grazing table spread with za’atar, feta, lemon, chile, and parsley.
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Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Green Goddess Dip
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Taking a nod from the North African lamb sausage merguez, spices like cumin, garlic, and paprika abound in these hearty meatballs. A creamy green-tinged dip full of fresh herbs brings a balancing herbaceous quality to the spicy, earthy notes of the lamb.
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Shakshuka Deviled Eggs
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Give crowd-pleasing deviled eggs the shakshuka treatment by spooning smoky, garlicky harissa-spiked tomato jam onto each egg half. The velvety yolk filling includes tangy yogurt along with the usual mayo to balance the flavors.
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Tzatziki
Once you make your own tzatziki, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with the store-bought stuff. Creamy, cooling, and incredibly easy to prepare, it combines Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and dill for a terrific appetizer dip.
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Michael Symon’s Arancini
© Abby Hocking
1998 F&W Best New Chef Michael Symon makes risotto with finely chopped onion and ham, then folds in Parmesan cheese and egg before forming it into balls around diced mozzarella, rolling it in breadcrumbs, and frying until golden and crispy.
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Baba Ganoush
Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
The star of any meze platter, this two-hour take on the silky, smoky eggplant dip develops flavor as it chills, so it’s a perfect make-ahead option. Enjoy it with pita bread or crudités.
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Calamari with Pickled Peppers and Almond Romesco
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Crisp, perfectly tender calamari is paired with smoky Spanish-style almond romesco and sprinkled with bright, crunchy pickled peppers for a knockout appetizer.
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Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Lebanese cooking instructor Jeanette Chawki’s mildly spicy dip of roasted red bell peppers and toasted walnuts is bolstered by finely ground crispy breadsticks. It’s smooth, thick, and layered with flavor from tangy pomegranate molasses and zesty pepper paste.
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Sweet Potato and Feta Bourekas
Greg DuPree
Frozen puff pastry sheets make easy work of these crisp and savory little parcels. Inspired by his grandmother’s recipe, chef Michael Solomonov’s version is stuffed with sweet potato, Bulgarian feta, dill, and olives.
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Berenjenas con Miel (Fried Eggplant with Honey)
Abby Hocking / Food & Wine
José Andrés’ recipe for this classic Andalusian snack features sliced eggplant that’s dredged in flour and fried until golden. To serve, it’s drizzled with honey and sprinkled with lemon zest and sea salt.
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Green Peppercorn-Marinated Feta
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Marinate cubed feta a day in advance, then pair it with crackers and fruit to anchor your cheese board. Feta’s slightly airy texture makes it perfect for soaking up bold flavors, such as these briny, piquant peppercorns.
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Black Olive Tapenade with Figs and Mint
© David Malosh
Jacques Pépin’s tangy tapenade combines oil- and brine-cured olives with dried figs, mint, and capers. As an appetizer, it’s great with crudités or as a topping for crostini.
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Tirokroketes (Greek Fried Goat Cheese Balls) with Honey
© Tina Rupp
Wine aficionado Victoria Moore’s golden fried tirokroketes are sweet-savory balls of fresh goat cheese coated in breadcrumbs and drizzled with honey that can be served as an appetizer or dessert.
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Garlicky Eggplant Salad with Tomato Sauce
© Akiko Ida & Pierre Javelle
Essentially the Moroccan version of ratatouille, this silky salad is made from mashed steamed eggplant and garlic mixed with a tomato sauce flavored by cilantro, cumin, paprika, and crushed red pepper. Serve it with warm pita or crusty, olive-studded Moroccan bread.
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