Persian Appetizer Platter

Persian Appetizer Platter is a great choice for gatherings and parties. This platter can be served as an afternoon snack too, it’ll be great with a cup of tea!

Back to basics, today I have one of my all time favorites for you, Persian appetizer platter.

I call it a Persian appetizer platter but the reality is that you can have this platter for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a simple afternoon snack. It’s a staple in Iranian households and I personally can never say no to a good “loghmeh” (bite) of cheese and herbs with some crunchy walnuts!

What I love the most about this Persian appetizer platter is that, like many other Persian recipes, this one also calls for whatever you have in your fridge. No fuss, no difficult ingredients to hunt for. As long as you have some herbs, some cheese, and walnuts, you’re good to go.

If you like to turn this to a fresh herb platter (Sabzi Khordan) or herbs and feta cheese platter, then you can leave out the watermelon, grapes and tomatoes. I always love to have the sweet and savory flavors together as it gives a nice balance to the platter.

The bread usually used in Persian appetizer platter is Lavash, Barbari or Sangak. These are traditional Iranian breads that are pretty thin and light. They’re perfect for appetizer or just an afternoon snack. If I’m having this Persian platter for breakfast or afternoon snack, I would definitely have it served with some delicious sweetened black tea.

And the herbs can vary according to the season and what you have at hand, my favorites are parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, green onions and tarragon. I always love to have some radishes, too. Herbs make this platter so delicious and healthy!

How to eat the Persian appetizer platter: Basically, you grab a small piece of bread (pictured above) and spread some Feta cheese on it. Then, from there, you can have anything you like on it such as walnuts, herbs, chopped tomatoes or cucumber. The best part? You can mix and match! Here are some mix and match ideas for you:

• Bread, Feta cheese and walnuts.
• Bread, Feta cheese and herbs.
• Bread, Feta cheese, cucumbers and tomatoes.
• Bread, Feta cheese and watermelon.
• Bread, Feta cheese and grapes.
• Bread, Feta cheese, walnuts and watermelon.

If you are familiar with Middle Eastern / Mediterranean flavors, you know that the combination of Feta, watermelon and herbs is something you don’t want to miss!

Notes and tips about this Persian appetizer platter:

• If you don’t have all the herbs, just use the ones you have at hand, even a couple of them would work.
• You can use melons (any kind) instead of or in addition to watermelon.
• Persian cucumbers (small ones) work best for this platter, but if you can’t find them, English cucumbers would work, too.
• If you are not a fan of Feta cheese, it’s totally fine. Just swap the Feta cheese with a favorite cheese of yours. I suggest cream cheese, or if you happen to go to a Turkish grocery shop, Ezine or white (Beyaz) cheese would be great. Spreadable cheese is preferred.
• You can make this platter ahead of time and cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge.

I really encourage you to try this in your next party or gathering. I admit, I’m a cheese and crackers fan, yes, nothing beats some good crackers with blue cheese and smoked salmon but  sometimes, all I want is a taste from home, my beloved Iran, my beloved family. Every loghmeh of Noon Panir Sabzi (bread, cheese and herbs) reminds me where I’ve come from and where I’m going.

Take some of my roots and bring them to your table and your family. It’ll be like we’re all sitting around one table, sharing food, just how I picture a perfect life can be 🙂

Interested to see more food from my roots?

• Persian Spinach and Eggs – Nargesi
• Persian Sausage and Potato Skillet – Sosis Bandari
• Persian Meat Patties- Kotlet
• Adas Polo – Persian Lentil Rice
• Salad Shirazi – Persian Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Borani Esfenaj
• Marinated Olives with Walnuts (Zeytoon Parvardeh)
• Mast o Khiar (Persian Yogurt and Cucumber Dip)

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Persian Appetizer Platter

Persian Appetizer Platter is a great choice for gatherings and parties. This platter can be served as an afternoon snack too, it'll be great with a cup of tea!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Persian

Keyword Persian Appetizer Platter

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 240 kcal

Author Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

• 3 Pieces Lavash Bread
• 8 oz Feta Cheese
• 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
• 2 Sliced Cucumbers
• 1 cup Cubed Watermelon
• 1 cup Herbs Parsley, Cilantro, Green Onions, Dill and Radishes
• 2 Tomatoes Diced
• 1 cup Grapes

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients on a platter.
2. Try different combinations such as Lavash+Feta+Walnuts, Lavash+Feta+Herbs, Lavash+Feta+Watermelon, Lavash+Feta+grapes, etc.

Recipe Notes

You can make this platter ahead and have it in the fridge until ready to serve. You can modify the amount of each ingredient according to your preference.