How to Build a Snack Board That Won’t Leave Your Guests Hungry

By Agnes E. Utt 5 years ago

Snack board with veggies and cheese

Snack board with veggies and cheese

Caitlin Bensel

A meal of bites and small plates is easygoing, tasty, and so satisfying when warm weather hits. “Snacks are perfect for outdoor dining with friends or family, no matter the crowd size,” says Rebekah Peppler, the author of À Table (Buy It, $18, amazon.com), a cookbook of modern French food. “They create a cohesive experience where everyone can graze, socialize, and enjoy.”

Plus, that casual vibe is a lot more relaxing than a dinner dinner. Just put together a snack board, layer on colorful vegetables, and round it out with a few extra-special dishes. Read on for Peppler’s tips for creating beautiful, healthy snack boards.

1. Start simple.

“Combine the best of French snacking with the genius of Basque pintxos to create a mix of thinly sliced sausage, potato or veggie chips, cheese, and olives,” says Peppler. “Arrange everything on a platter or a board, and tie it together with a sprinkle of mild pepper flakes like Piment d’Espelette (Buy It, $10, amazon.com).” You can also use paprika or Aleppo pepper.

2. Pile on the fresh veggies.

Don’t forget to be creative in your choices. Peppler likes to use raw fennel, leafy greens, small heads of lettuce cut into wedges, radishes, cherry tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, blanched green beans, and boiled potatoes on her snack board. Serve with a tangy, creamy dip, like green goddess, or something a little hardier, like hummus. Give your snacks staying power by adding protein, like hard-boiled eggs or shrimp. Set out bread and crackers. Or make socca.

3. Create flavorful homemade bites.

Elevating a few of the items on your snack board will really make the spread feel like a meal, says Peppler. It doesn’t require much — just some quick techniques and a clever use of spices and herbs — for a huge amount of extra flavor. The ideas here are guaranteed to please.

– 18 Available at Amazon

Upgraded Potato Chips

“Salty and perfect between sips of your wine, seltzer, or cocktail, chips are the ideal starter snack,” says Peppler. This preparation gives them some spice for your snack board. (Related: Air Fryer Pasta Chips Are the Genius New Snack from TikTok)

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp. sugar

  • 1/2 tsp. cumin

  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

  • A generous pinch of cayenne pepper

  • 10 oz. kettle-cooked potato or veggie chips

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt, and a generous pinch of cayenne pepper; set aside.

  2. Spread 10 oz. kettle-cooked potato or veggie chips on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until warmed through, about 5 min.

  3. Transfer the warm chips to a large bowl, sprinkle them with the spice mixture, and gently toss. Taste, and season with more salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Lemons and Olives

“Cooking olives with spices brings out their natural juices and umaminess,” says Peppler.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium lemon

  • 1 lb. mixed olives

  • 4 thyme sprigs

  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Thinly slice 3/4 of a medium lemon into rounds, remove the seeds, and cut into half-moons. Reserve remaining 1/4 lemon.

  2. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle lemon slices, 1 lb. mixed olives, 4 thyme sprigs, and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes with 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil. Toss to coat; season with freshly ground black pepper.

  3. Roast, tossing occasionally, until lemon slices start to caramelize and mixture is very fragrant, 10 to 15 min. Squeeze remaining 1/4 lemon over top, and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape up any caramelized bits before serving.

Eggs Mayo with Persillade

This French spin on deviled eggs is topped with bright-green garlicky persillade, a punchy sauce that’s stirred into the mayonnaise.

Ingredients

  • Ice water

  • 8 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup persillade (recipe below)

  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

  • Fine sea salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Flaky sea salt

Directions

  1. Fill a large bowl with ice water, and set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat.

  2. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower 8 large eggs into the water, 1 at a time. Cook for 7 min., adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle boil. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath, and set aside to cool.

  3. In a medium bowl, mix together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup persillade (recipe below), and 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Season with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  4. Use the back of a spoon to gently crack the eggs all over, and peel. Halve the eggs, spread each with a bit of the mayo-persillade mixture, and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and pepper, and serve.

Persillade

Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed fresh parsley

  • 6 garlic cloves

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Fine sea salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. In a food processor, combine 1 cup packed fresh parsley, 6 garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Pulse until finely chopped. Season with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

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