Polka Dot Platter Appetizer (Printable)

Colorful spheres of fruit, cheese, and savory bites artfully arranged for impressive party presentations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruits

01 - 1 cup watermelon balls
02 - 1 cup cantaloupe balls
03 - 1 cup honeydew melon balls
04 - 1 cup red grapes
05 - 1 cup green grapes

→ Cheeses

06 - 1 cup mozzarella pearls (bocconcini)
07 - 1 cup marinated feta balls (optional)

→ Savory Spheres

08 - 1 cup mini bocconcini or small marinated cheese balls
09 - 1 cup stuffed green olive spheres

→ Extras

10 - ½ cup chocolate truffle balls (optional)
11 - ½ cup energy bites or nut butter balls (optional)
12 - Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Use a melon baller to scoop watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew into uniform spheres.
02 - Rinse red and green grapes thoroughly and pat dry with a clean towel.
03 - Drain mozzarella pearls and marinated feta or cheese balls to remove excess liquid.
04 - On a large serving platter, alternate the various spherical ingredients by color and type to create a polka dot pattern.
05 - Incorporate optional savory and sweet spheres as desired to enhance variety and flavor.
06 - Sprinkle fresh mint leaves over the platter to add aroma and visual appeal.
07 - Serve chilled, providing cocktail picks or small skewers alongside for easy enjoyment.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent the whole day preparing when you actually invested maybe 25 minutes, which is the best kind of magic.
  • Every element is a perfect bite—no fumbling with forks or dealing with awkward fruit chunks that slip around your plate.
  • You can prep most of it the night before and assemble right before guests arrive, which means you're actually relaxed when people show up.
  • It works for any dietary restriction you can think of, from vegan to gluten-free, without needing a separate platter or feeling like an afterthought.
02 -
  • The melon baller works best when the fruit is cold—chilled melons scoop cleaner and rounder than room-temperature ones, and the difference is noticeable.
  • Assemble this no more than an hour before serving, because the melon's natural moisture will eventually start to weep into the platter and ruin the pristine presentation that's the whole point.
03 -
  • Invest in a quality melon baller with a sharp edge—cheap ones require aggressive pressure and produce uneven spheres that roll off the platter.
  • The secret to a platter that looks abundant without waste is to use bowls of similar size and fill each one to the same level before assembly, so you have equal visual weight throughout.
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