Mediterranean Charcuterie Cones

What better time than the holidays to flex your charcuterie board building skills? The variety of delectable treats traditionally found on these boards offers something for everyone. Filled with a wide variety of tasty cheese, olives, vegetables, dried and fresh fruits, nuts, meats and spreads, even the pickiest of eaters will find something they love, and let’s be honest–who doesn’t need a little pick-me-up after this year?! 

And since we’ve brought up *whispers* 2020, we know our holiday celebrations will look different with social distancing, sheltering-in-place, and family gatherings of only a few people.  We all want to stay safe and healthy, so it seems the days of everyone reaching for a communal platter have gone out the window.

These Mediterranean Charcuterie Cones are the perfect way to make sure everyone enjoys some tasty bites this holiday season without any added germs or risks. Honestly, we think these will be perfect even after the pandemic is over and we get back to large gatherings and family festivities! So if you’re hosting a few family members or friends this holiday season, or you want to do some holiday drop-offs for family and friends, you can make these at home in just a few simple steps.

Supplies to Make Mediterranean Charcuterie Cones

• First, you will need to make a cute paper cone. We purchased a couple of sheets of scrapbook paper in festive colors, but it’s totally okay to use whatever paper you have handy. You can use parchment paper, sturdy wrapping paper, snow cone cups, or even construction paper. Wouldn’t a book-themed zoom meeting be cute with charcuterie cones made from several pages of an old book? Or have your kids draw and color pictures and use the drawings to make the cones for a children’s party.  If that sounds like too much work after nine months in quarantine, there are pre-made cones available to purchase on Amazon. You can also purchase cone boards that hold the cones upright (how easy is that?!). Another labor-free and easy idea if you do not want to make the paper cones is to use a pretty cup (glass or plastic). 
• For instructions on how to make the paper cones we have included a link HERE
• You will also need long party toothpicks to make skewers of smaller-sized ingredients.

What’s In Our Charcuterie Cones?

• Turkey Keftedes
• Greek Salad Kebabs
• Yaprakia (Stuffed Grape Leaves) with meat or our Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves
• Spanakopita made into triangles
• Grapes
• Pita Bread Rounds
• Rosemary Sprigs

Prepping the Individual Ingredients

In addition to being easy to put together, the best part about these Mediterranean Charcuterie Cones is that the individual elements can be made in advance. Feel free to make the keftedes and spanakopita the day before, or even earlier, if you’re pressed for time before your holidays.

As Greeks, we are used to cooking in large quantities and for large groups of people, but you don’t need to do that for these cones. The size of the cones you make will dictate the number of pieces that go inside. For reference, our cones contained one salad kebab, two turkey keftedes, one piece of spanakopita, two yaprakia, a couple of pita rounds, a skewer of grapes, and a sprig of rosemary. Now let’s get down to the fun, hands-on part!

Assembling the Mediterranean Charcuterie Cones

First, take your party toothpicks and alternate snacks, such as olives, vegetables, etc. to create a little snack kebab! You can make as many of these as you would like to so that you have a variety of flavors and combinations to choose from to make your cones. Once you’ve crafted the kebabs, assemble a mix of ingredients for your cone, including the party picks, yaprakia, pita bread, etc.

Take your empty cone and layer in the components, placing your taller pieces in the back of the cone, with your smaller pieces in front. If you have any loose pieces of cheese or meat, you can place those in the bottom of the cone as a little surprise toward the end! Once you’ve assembled the cone, you can make it look even more festive by adding a sprig of rosemary for some extra color and texture. Voilà…you’ve now created a pandemic-friendly treat sure to please family and friends of all ages and snack persuasions!

If you make these Mediterranean Charcuterie Cones be sure to let us know. We love hearing about your interpretations! Tag us in your photos on Instagram and use the hashtag #HeartHealthyGreek! And stay connected to all things Heart Healthy Greek by following us on Facebook and Pinterest and by subscribing to our mailing list!