Some nights, we immerse ourselves in simmering vats of marinara sauce and rolling out scallion pancakes. But when we’re sick of doing dishes and standing over the stove, we assemble a snack plate.
Despite the name, a snack plate is perfectly acceptable to eat for lunch or dinner. Call it aperitivi, mezze, crudités, or adult Lunchables—we love it all. Making a good snack plate is less about cooking and more about curating, and despite what the maximalist charcuterie boards taking over Instagram might have you believe, you don’t need a fridge full of dips or a hidden cache of sourdough. Start with whatever stray produce is hanging out in the crisper, grab a few favored sauces or condiments, and go where your pantry leads you. But first, may we suggest a few upgrades?
You don’t actually need a platter
Okay, we won’t deny that piling everything onto a glossy ceramic platter makes everything feel pulled together. But a spare cutting board or sheet pan works just as well. Can you eat out of 11 tiny prep bowls? Yes, yes you can.
Throw together a quick dip
Stir together a quick chile butter, blend up an herby chutney, or mix strained yogurt with grated crunchy produce like radishes, carrots, turnips, or apples. When in doubt, spike anything creamy with a pinch of salt and a jolt of lemon juice.
Or upgrade a store-bought one
Assistant food editor Sohla El-Waylly, a proud mezze-for-dinner devotee, prefers to zhuzh up prepackaged dips instead of starting from scratch. “I’ll finish hummus with a quick chhaunk made from cumin, coriander, pepper, and lemon zest, or top baba ganoush with frizzled curry leaves, mustard seeds, and cumin,” she says.
Marinate a can’s contents
“Anything you crack open from a can or jar should get doused in good olive oil and flaky salt immediately,” says senior food editor Molly Baz. That means artichoke hearts, sardines, cannellini beans, and olives. Add other ingredients if you like—fruity vinegar or citrus juice, crushed garlic, smoked paprika or chile flakes, whatever fresh herbs you might have around—and allow the flavors to meld while you assemble the rest of the platter.
Dress your raw vegetables
Slice crunchy vegetables like Persian cucumbers, jicama, radishes, and carrots into finger-friendly spears, then toss them with plenty of citrus juice and a hint of salt. Finish with a few sprinkles of sumac, Tajin, or Aleppo-style pepper.
Pick a protein
Bring on the deli meats (salami! prosciutto! mortadella!) and tinned fish (anchovies! octopus! mussels escabeche!), and don’t be afraid to mix and match. Test kitchen manager Gaby Melian loves to channel Argentinian picadas by pairing cold cuts with jarred piquillo peppers and, when she has it, leftover cold milanesa.
Add a starch
Thick-cut bread is perhaps the obvious choice, but any carb will do. BA staffers are especially fond of stocking their snack plates with parathas, roti, and warmed tortillas. But if you prefer a crunch, we won’t stop you from adding a few seedy crackers or Triscuits, too.
Make room for something sweet
Balance out the inevitable saltiness of all that meat and cheese with dates, apple slices, berries, or dried apricots. If your fruit supply is low, add a dollop of jam or a drizzle of honey to smear atop cheese.
Don’t forget the napkins!
Share plates, cutlery, and cute little toothpicks are optional. A spare dish towel (or two) is essential. Your table, and your fingers, will thank you.