26 Easy Appetizer Recipes That'll Transport You To The Mediterranean
Is it just us or is everyone and their mother on a Mediterranean vacation this year? Don't get us wrong, we'd love to be cruising off the coast of Mykonos this year, too, but we think these easy Mediterranean-inspired appetizer recipes are basically like an edible vacation. So if you're waiting on your passport to get renewed (oops) in time to go to Sicily, Marseille, or Alexandria, have recently gotten into the Mediterranean diet, or simply want to add more variety to your typical party spread, these 26 easy Mediterranean appetizer ideas will transport you to say the least.
Pull out a map and you'll quickly notice the Mediterranean Sea is a wide stretch of the world, full of so many rich culinary traditions from Morocco and Spain, all the way to France, Italy, Greece, Egypt and the Middle East. What they all have in common? An emphasis on fresh, local ingredients that need very little embellishment to become an incredible appetizer, like our caponata, muhammara , bruschetta, and fried calamari.
Chances are, when you daydream about a magical Mediterranean vacation, you imagine having a spritz in hand with plenty of fun bite-sized snacks to enjoy during aperitivo hour or at a tapas restaurant. If that sounds like your idea of a great evening (and like, same?!), we highly suggest you make our potato croquettes, mini phyllo feta bites, socca, and arancini ASAP. Round it all out with one (or a few) of these classic Italian cocktails and a Mediterranean dessert, and you've got an impromptu Mediterranean-inspired party in the making!
Hummus
Hummus is one of our favorite dips, made even better by how simple it is to make. Made from blending chickpeas, tahini, and a few other simple ingredients in a food processor, it’s the easiest last-minute appetizer or satisfying snack to throw together.
Get the Hummus recipe.
Socca
Socca, also known as farinata, is a chickpea flatbread popular in the Mediterranean and traditionally made with a short list of ingredients: chickpea flour, water, salt, and olive oil. The chickpea flour allows for a crispy exterior and soft center. Commonly enjoyed as a street food in the French and Italian Riviera, socca is crisped on a hot griddle, scraped or roughly chopped into pieces, then enjoyed with a refreshing glass of rosé. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free!
Get the Socca recipe.
Kibbeh-Spiced Lamb Skewers
We love kebabs because they can be served as the main course with rice or as an easy appetizer at a cocktail party. The grated onions in this lamb mixture make for a tender kebab, and the orange zest adds an unexpected flavor combination that accompanies the spiced meat that's just as good off the grill as it is in a skillet or under a broiler.
Get the Kibbeh-Spiced Lamb Skewers recipe.
Classic Caponata
Five cups of this classic Sicilian dish may seem like a LOT, but when you realize it's the perfect condiment, toast-topper, pasta mix-in, and chicken and seafood accompaniment (among many other things), you'll be wishing you made double of this irresistible antipasti.
Get the Classic Caponata recipe.
Potato Croquettes
These are inspired by the flavors of Spanish croquetas de jamón (sans traditional bechamel) and are enriched with chopped ham, chives, and Manchego. You’ll start with mashed potatoes (we’ve included a recipe, but feel free to use leftovers), then add ham and cheese, roll them into balls, bread them, and fry them to crispy perfection.
Get the Potato Croquettes recipe.
Mediterranean Pizza
This pizza isn’t exactly what comes to mind when you think of a traditional pie. The classic dough and sauce are swapped out for alternatives (including an infused oil) to create a lighter pie. Topped with plenty of Mediterranean-inspired veggies, marinated olives, and crumbled feta, this flavor-packed pizza is worthy of any summer dinner or pre-party appetizer.
Get the Mediterranean Pizza recipe.
Muhammara Dip With Crudités
Looking for a last-minute app? Add this sweet and tangy roasted red pepper dip to your next dinner party menu. This dip originated in Syria, and is now shared across Turkish and Lebanese cuisines, each with its own variations with seasonings and spices (our version uses sumac, a smoky spice that adds floral, lemony, and salty notes). It’s essential to mezze platters across the Middle East, along with dishes like hummus or baba ghanoush.
Get the Muhammara Dip With Crudités recipe.
Bruschetta
Easy to throw together and made up of simple, classic ingredients, bruschetta is the perfect dish to serve when you're craving something classic and refreshing. While you can make it all year round, the best time to enjoy this appetizer is summer, when fresh tomatoes are at their peak.
Get the Bruschetta recipe.
Loaded Mediterranean Sweet Potato Fries
These loaded sweet potato fries are not only more nutritious than the average fries, thanks to nutrient-dense sweet potatoes, but they’re also layered with a flavorful Mediterranean tomato-cucumber salad, and made even better with a tahini-yogurt sauce. These fries are great alongside literally anything on a skewer, or as a snack at your next party (yes, a party of one totally counts).
Get the Loaded Mediterranean Sweet Potato Fries recipe.
Greek Feta Dip
Whipped feta has become the base for many of our most popular dips (who can forget our cranberry whipped feta), but when we're craving fresh summer flavors, we turn to this Greek-inspired recipe. Serve it at your summer BBQs for a creamy dip that everyone will be reaching for. Full disclaimer: This recipe makes a lot of dip and can easily be halved, but we've never had a problem demolishing it.
Get the Greek Feta Dip recipe.
Homemade Falafel
Falafel may be king of Middle Eastern street food, but that doesn’t mean you have to travel to enjoy it at its best. Boasting a crisp, golden-brown exterior and a center that’s soft, tender, and packed with chickpeas and fresh herbs, our favorite homemade falafel recipe hits all those classic Middle Eastern flavors and familiar street food vibes.
Get the Homemade Falafel recipe.
Pesto-Stuffed Burrata Bombs
Why have just mozzarella when you can have burrata? Why have just burrata when you can have pesto-stuffed burrata? This recipe is the best way to upgrade the creamy cheese of the moment. It takes everyone’s favorite cheese to the next level by injecting it with delicious pesto and serving it with juicy roasted tomatoes (specifically cherry tomatoes that have been tossed with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, then slow-roasted to perfection).
Get the Pesto-Stuffed Burrata Bombs recipe.
Mini Phyllo Feta Bites
These mini phyllo feta bites are the perfect easy bite-sized appetizer for a party. Salty, gooey feta cheese is wrapped in the flakiest golden-brown layers of phyllo dough. Everything gets drizzled in sticky-sweet honey and topped with flaky salt for extra crunch, and voilá: You have an elegant hors d’oeuvre with just six ingredients.
Get the Mini Phyllo Feta Bites recipe.
Bagna Cauda
Looking for a fancy last-minute appetizer? Look no further than bagna cauda, an Italian dip that comes together in just 20 minutes with only 6 ingredients (including what you pair it with for dipping). It’s a buttery sauce made from lots of garlic and anchovies (stick with us), that somehow work together to create a dip that’s a little pungent, a little sweet, and will keep you coming back for more.
Get the Bagna Cauda recipe.
Crispy Fried Calamari
Fried calamari doesn't have to be reserved for beachfront restaurants. It's easy to make at home and comes out extra crispy and crunchy. A squeeze of lemon juice and fresh marinara, and you're ready to go. After you master this, give fish and chips a go!
Get the Crispy Fried Calamari recipe.
Focaccia Bread
All you need is a little patience (and a LOT of olive oil), and you can create the classic crackly-on-the-outside, soft-and-pillowy-on-the-inside-texture that’s synonymous with the Italian flatbread.
Get the Focaccia Bread recipe.
Melon Prosciutto Skewers
If you haven't experienced the flavor combo of prosciutto + melon, get on it STAT. It's the ultimate in sweet and salty.
Get the Melon Prosciutto Skewers recipe.
Mediterranean Pinwheels
Inspired by spanakopita, a Greek spinach pie, we stuff our pinwheels with an unbeatable combination of cheeses, chopped spinach, dill, and lemon zest. Then we added chopped artichoke hearts and roasted peppers to give the filling a tangy, slightly briny zing. A quick brush with a lightly beaten egg gives these (almost) bite-sized appetizers a lovely, glossy finish.
Get the Mediterranean Pinwheels recipe.
Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Traditionally stuffed with a meat and rice mixture, dolmas can also be made vegetarian (known as yalancı dolma, or “fake dolma”). Here we stick to rice with lots of herbs and spices, plus some currants for flavor and pine nuts for texture.
Get the Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves) recipe.
Scrunch Bread
This Turkish borek-inspired bread gets its name from "scrunched"-up layers of phyllo and a spanakopita-esque filling that result in a stunning, pleated spiral shape. Fresh dill, feta, and spinach make it a grand slam you can enjoy any time of day.
Get the Scrunch Bread recipe.
Caprese Bites
All you really need to make these Caprese bites are mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, basil, though we've added a few extra ingredients to give them even more flavor. The only cooking required is turning your balsamic vinegar into balsamic glaze, but if you'd rather a completely hands-off version, feel free to use a store-bought glaze.
Get the Caprese Bites recipe.
Olive & Fig Tapenade
This tapenade skips the fish and instead combines olives with figs and balsamic vinegar for a fabulous combination of sweet, salty, and tangy notes that will keep you coming back, bite after bite.
Get the Olive & Fig Tapenade recipe.
Arancini, 3 Ways
The Italian dish is prepared by forming cooled risotto into balls, filling them with some sort of filling (typically cheesy!), then breading and deep frying them into golden, crispy perfection. We've got three different flavor options here, but our fave for any time of year is pesto provolone!
Get the Arancini, 3 Ways recipe.
Skordalia
Skordalia is a Greek dip made from potatoes and walnuts that's smooth and creamy and always a hit. Serve it with toasted pita bread or veggies for a new favorite!
Get the Skordalia recipe.
Spinach Spanakopita
So much flaky crispy goodness. The elegant shape might look intimidating, but these cute two-biter spanakopita pockets are actually so easy to fold! Take a long strip of phyllo and just imagine you're folding a paper football or a flag. See? Easy!
Get the Spinach Spanakopita recipe.
Baba Ghanoush
We like our eggplant-based, Levantine baba ghanoush GARLICKY. If you don't, skip grating the raw clove in at the end. Without it, you'll have a more subtle (slightly sweet) garlic flavor that will still make everyone very, very happy. Accompanied by crudités and pita chips, you really can't go wrong.
Get the Baba Ghanoush recipe.
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