Middle Eastern Meze Recipes

Meze are small dishes common throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East

Published May 6, 2014 11:00 PM

Recipes by Cuisine

This velvety dip is a classic—we like it garnished with pickles and served with plenty of toasted pita chips. Penny De Los Santos

The meze-style spread—small plates, dips, and salads meant to be shared as an appetizer course or light meal—is common throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East and one of our favorite ways to eat.

Bread is the heart of a meze meal. Homemade pita is easy, and much better than most of what you can buy. It’s great grilled with za’atar, a spice blend of wild thyme, tangy sumac, and toasted sesame seeds ubiquitous in the Middle East.

Dips are one of the main types of meze. Everyone is familiar with hummus. The creamy chickpea puree is a staple in the Middle East. We’ve got you covered with a recipe for a classic hummus, as well as versions topped with whole chickpeas and fried mushrooms. Other classic dips include baba ghannouj—made from mashed grilled eggplant—and labaneh—a tart yogurtlike cheese.

For hot meze, kebabs rule. Kafta kebabs are made of ground meat. Our Lebanese kafta are made of ground chuck and studded with sun-dried tomatoes and aleppo peppers. Our Persian ground meat and onion kebabs are similar, made with ground lamb and sirloin. Kebabs are also often made with chunks of meat, as in our pork or chicken kebabs.

Vegetables feature heavily in meze. No table is complete without tabbouleh—finely chopped fresh parsley and mint bathed in fruity extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, Also try fried artichokes and turnips marinated in yogurt.

Check out these dishes and more in our collection of Middle Eastern meze recipes!

Pita Bread

No Middle Eastern meal is complete without fresh, fluffy pita.

Hummus with Tahini

This velvety dip is a classic—we like it garnished with pickles and served with plenty of toasted pita chips.

Mashed Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghannouj)

Across the Levant, eggplants are grilled and mashed to make baba ghannouj, a silky, delicious dip for flatbreads and vegetables. Get the recipe for Mashed Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghannouj) »

Labaneh

Thick, tart, and creamy, this yogurt-like cheese, is perfect eaten with olive oil, pita bread, and za’atar.

Charred Eggplant with Chile Sauce & Tahini

Charring young eggplant over an open flame lends a smoky flavor to this dish from the Galilee. Get the recipe for Charred Eggplant with Chile Sauce & Tahini »

Artichokes with Lemon Za’atar Dipping Sauce

Za’atar is a mixture of sesame seeds, dried thyme, and spices ubiquitous in the Arab world. Here it’s used to make a lemony dip for simmered artichokes.

Yogurt and Cucumber Dip (Mast-o Khiar)

Topped with rose petals and golden raisins, this simple dip is an elegant mezze.

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Rice (Dolma)

This recipe for stuffed grape leaves uses both lemon juice and zest to enhance the flavor of the stuffing.

Grilled Pita Bread with Za’atar

This chewy flatbread topped with za’atar, a spice blend of wild thyme, tangy sumac, and toasted sesame seeds, can be either grilled outdoors or oven-baked and finished in a grill pan.

Emirati Grilled Prawns (Rubyan Meshwi)

At Abu Dhabi’s Al Arish restaurant, jumbo prawns are basted in a spicy-sweet ketchup-based sauce before they are grilled.

Galilean-Style Hummus (Hummus Maushaushe)

Generous spice, a good dose of olive oil, and chickpeas piled high are the hallmarks of this Galilean-style hummus.

Herb Meatballs in Tomato-Plum Sauce (Kufteh)

These tender meatballs are simmered in a sweet-tart tomato and dried plum sauce.

Spiced Chicken and Tomato Kebabs (Jujeh Kabab)

A marinade of orange, cumin, and saffron flavors these juicy chicken and tomato kebabs. Get the recipe for Spiced Chicken and Tomato Kebabs (Jujeh Kabab) »

Tabbouleh

Finely chopped fresh parsley and mint are bathed in fruity extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice in this classic Middle Eastern appetizer.

Man’oushé bil Za’atar (Flatbread with Za’atar)

Za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice mix of wild thyme, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds, tops chewy flatbread in this iconic Lebanese snack.

Fried Artichoke Hearts with Taratur Sauce

We found this recipe—a flavorful local favorite, in which tender artichoke bottoms are fried and served with an intense, tahini-based sauce—at al-Az, a casual but well-known restaurant in Damascus. Get the recipe for Fried Artichoke Hearts with Taratur Sauce »

Roasted Eggplant with Goat Cheese Tahini and Pine Nuts

These one-bite hors d’oeuvres are inspired by the ingredients of a classic Middle Eastern baba ganoush; they can be served either cool or hot out of the oven. Get the recipe for Roasted Eggplant with Goat Cheese Tahini and Pine Nuts »

White Chocolate Baba Ghannouj

The famously smoky Middle Eastern eggplant puree reaches new heights of smoothness with the inclusion of white chocolate, which compliments the nutty flavor of tahini and the delicate spice of fresh garlic and paprika. Get the recipe for White Chocolate Baba Ghannouj »

Falafel

Any way you make it, there is nothing like falafel’s first bite: the crisp-fried exterior giving way to a creamy center of seasoned mashed beans, garlic, and parsley.

Persian Ground Meat and Onion Kebabs

These kebabs are made of ground lamb and beef and seasoned with turmeric, paprika, and saffron.

Pork Kebabs with Cucumber-Mint Yogurt Sauce

Redolent of oregano and cinnamon, these pork kebabs owe their tenderness to a red wine marinade. Get the recipe for Pork Kebabs with Cucumber-Mint Yogurt Sauce »