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Nisha Vora, known for her popular platform Rainbow Plant Life, recently shared a video showcasing her go-to low-impact vegan dinner: a mezze platter. Vora, a former lawyer turned plant-based chef and content creator, has built a following for her accessible yet flavorful vegan recipes. She emphasizes that making plant-based meals at home doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated, and her latest video highlights how a mezze platter can solve multiple cooking challenges at once.
To learn how to build your own mezze platter and access full ingredient measurements, watch Nisha Vora’s full video below:
Why a mezze platter?
Vora describes mezze as “a collection of small sharing plates,” common in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. She explains that this type of meal is ideal for those looking to incorporate more vegetables into their diet, those who lack time or energy to cook elaborate meals, or anyone who wants an easy yet impressive spread for guests. “A mezze platter could be just what you need,” she says, adding that it requires virtually no cooking while remaining highly customizable.
Read more: ‘My Simple Hack For Easier Plant-Based Meals’
The protein: simple chickpea salad
To build a balanced mezze platter, Vora starts with a protein component: a chickpea salad. She drains and rinses two cans of chickpeas before tossing them in a dressing made from ingredients like lemon zest and juice, olive oil, maple syrup, diced shallots, grated garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. “This is the kind of thing I would prep on a Sunday and then have throughout the week,” she says. Fresh herbs like parsley, dill, and basil add brightness, making the salad fresh and versatile.
The dip: muhammara
“Dips are my favorite part of any mezze platter,” Vora shares. While hummus is a common choice, she highlights muhammara, a Syrian roasted red pepper dip, as an alternative. She opts for jarred roasted bell peppers to save time, blending them with toasted walnuts, breadcrumbs, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, garlic, Aleppo pepper, cumin, and lemon juice. “You want a rustic chunky texture. You don’t want it to be totally smooth,” she explains. The dip balances sweetness, smokiness, and spice, making it a standout component.
Vegetables and fresh components
A variety of vegetables add color and texture to the mezze platter. Vora suggests using fresh raw vegetables like baby carrots, broccolini, cucumbers, radishes, and summer squash. For extra flavor, she recommends drizzling them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. “Who said vegetables are boring? Look how pretty these are,” she notes. For a heartier option, roasted vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, and cauliflower can be included.
The carby element: pita bread
Bread is essential for scooping up dips, and Vora recommends high-quality pita. If store-bought pita isn’t fresh, she suggests warming it in the oven and brushing it with olive oil and za’atar to enhance the flavor. “This pita is so good I could just eat it plain right now,” she says.
Additional components: olives, pickles, and sweet additions
Vora completes the platter with Castelvetrano olives, which she describes as “buttery and mild,” and an optional pickled component like peppadew peppers or cornichons. She also incorporates a light sweet element, such as fresh figs or grapes, which balance the savory flavors.
A customizable and effortless dinner
Vora emphasizes that a mezze platter is highly adaptable, allowing people to use what they have on hand and adjust portions based on how many people they are serving. “It is literally my dream dinner, especially in the warmer months,” she says.
Find out how to make Nisha Vora’s sauce recipes and lots more on Rainbow Plant Life and her YouTube channel.
Read more: ‘I Tried Every Way To Make Crispy Tofu – This Is The Best One’
