Mezze
Mezze is a spread of small dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, such as hummus, salads and dips, shared at the table. See what to serve.
Also called Meze, Mazza, Mezes.
Mezze, also spelled meze, is a selection of small dishes served together, shared from the middle of the table. It is common in Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Israel, Palestine, Iran and nearby countries. Mezze can be a starter before grilled meat or the whole meal, often with drinks.
How to use it
A good mezze spread mixes dips, salads, pickles and a few warm things, served family style with flatbread. Plan 5 to 8 dishes for a group.
- Start with two or three dips, such as hummus made with tahini, baba ghanoush (smoky eggplant, aubergine in the UK), and labneh (thick strained yogurt).
- Add a fresh salad, such as tabbouleh (parsley with bulgur) or fattoush (bread salad with sumac).
- Add something pickled or salty: olives, pickled turnips, feta.
- Add one or two warm dishes, such as falafel, stuffed vine leaves, halloumi, or small kebabs.
- Put out warm flatbread and good olive oil.
Most dips and salads can be made a day ahead. Dress leafy salads at the last minute.
How to store it
Keep dips and salads covered in the fridge and eat them within 3 days. Take them out 20 to 30 minutes before serving; cold dulls their flavor. Do not leave the spread out for more than 2 hours.
Common mistakes
- Too many similar dishes. Five creamy dips feel heavy. Mix textures and temperatures.
- Serving everything cold from the fridge. Hummus and labneh taste better cool, not cold.
- Forgetting acid and herbs. Lemon, parsley and mint keep the spread fresh.
In recipes
A recipe labeled "mezze" or "meze" is meant as one small dish among many. Portions are small. Spanish tapas and Italian antipasto are similar ideas. Mezze leans on legumes, yogurt, olive oil and fresh herbs.
Where it comes from
The word comes from Persian maze, meaning "taste" or "snack", and passed into Turkish and Arabic.
Mezze recipes
1 recipe from the sites we collect.
Related terms
- TahiniTahini is a smooth paste of ground sesame seeds. It is the base of hummus and tahini sauce. How to thin it, why it seizes, and what to swap in.
- TapasTapas are small Spanish dishes served with drinks, from olives and ham to garlic shrimp and potatoes. See how to plan a tapas spread at home.
- Family styleFamily style means serving food on large shared platters and bowls set in the middle of the table, so everyone passes them around and helps themselves.
- SumacSumac is a tart, lemony spice made from dried red berries. It adds sourness without liquid to za'atar, fattoush, kebabs, onions and roast meat.
- KebabA kebab is grilled or roasted meat, fish or vegetables, often on a skewer, from the Middle East, Turkey and South Asia. See how to grill them evenly.
- AntipastoAntipasto is the Italian opening course of cured meats, cheese, pickled vegetables and bread. See what goes on the platter and how to build one.