These Creamy Feta Nachos are the Mediterranean Snack You Didn’t Know You Needed

We talk a lot about the Mediterranean diet — a way of eating that emphasizes fish, healthy fats, whole grains, and more. Studies link the diet to longevity — evidence shows that it can relieve symptoms of depression and even may prevent signs of Alzheimer’s. But it’s still a diet, you might think. Doesn’t that mean your favorite snack foods are forbidden?

Author Suzy Karadsheh doesn’t think so. Her cookbook, The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner, includes over a hundred Mediterranean diet-friendly recipes, with an emphasis on ease and variety.

Case-in-point: Her quick yet tasty roasted pepper and feta nachos. This dish pops with fresh flavors, thanks in part to the addition of smoky red peppers. And the creamy feta dressing transforms the salty, crumbly cheese into a mellowed-down, smooth sauce. A sprinkling of mint and dill contribute fresh flavors to complete the bite.

Karadsheh recommends adding a protein to bulk these nachos up for dinner, but the protein-free version makes the perfect group snack. You can dress these up and serve them to your friends and family on an exquisite plate, maybe as an appetizer during that big dinner party. But we can also envision a world in which Mediterranean nachos becomes a weeknight staple that you whip up after shedding your work clothes. Either way, the unique flavors will serve you well.

Roasted Pepper and Feta Nachos

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 roasted red peppers — you can do homemade, or use 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
• ½ teaspoon sumac
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• Pita chips with savory seasoning
• 1 or 2 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts finely chopped
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup creamy feta dressing, or more as needed — instructions for making the dressing below
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds

Instructions

1. Slice the roasted peppers into ½-inch-wide strips. Sprinkle with the sumac and about ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper.
2. Arrange half the pita chips on a medium serving plate. Arrange the roasted pepper strips and then the scallions on the plate and crumble the feta on top. Drizzle a bit of the dressing all over, then sprinkle with the fresh mint and dill.
3. Serve with the remaining pita chips and offer the remaining feta dressing on the side.

Creamy Feta Dressing

Makes 1 to 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 6 ounces creamy feta cheese, crumbled
• Juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup)
• 1 large garlic clove, grated extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Instructions

1. In a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade, add the yogurt, feta, lemon juice, and garlic. Add a generous drizzle of the olive oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) and the water. Process on medium-high until you reach the consistency of a creamy dressing. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you’re happy with it.
2. Stir in the parsley (if using). Taste and adjust the seasoning.
3. Use immediately or store in the fridge in a tightly closed pint mason jar for up to four days.

Reprinted with permission from The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner by Suzy Karadsheh copyright © 2024. Photographs by Caitlin Bensel. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.