This homemade veggie tray is a healthy snack or appetizer that is quick and easy to put together. Made with a variety of colorful vegetables, delicious dips, and crunchy crackers, it's a beautiful piece to serve at any good party or gathering. This vegetable platter is fully customizable so you can make sure that there is something here for everyone — both kids and adults — to enjoy.
Why You'll Love this Veggie Tray
- Quick and easy to make. The prep work that is involved in this vegetable tray is washing and cutting the vegetables. Once you have that out of the way, it's super quick and simple to arrange the veggies on the platter. If you are making homemade dips, they are also usually quite easy to make in about 5 minutes each.
- Totally customizable. The best part about this veggie tray is that it's completely customizable with whatever vegetables and dips that you want to add in. You can also switch up the ingredients based on the season or holiday to make it festive. For instance, stick to green and red veggies and arrange them in the shape of a wreath or tree for a Christmas veggie tray.
- A healthy snack or appetizer. Veggie trays are the perfect way to sneak in some nutrients, especially for the kids. They are healthy and delicious. Some other healthy snacks that I like to serve are Baked Apple Chips, Deviled Eggs, and a Charcuterie Board.
What to Add to a Vegetable Platter
To make this easy Veggie Tray, you will need (full quantities of ingredients are listed in the recipe card below):
Vegetables. You want to use a variety of vegetables in different colors, texture, and sizes. This will make the platter really pop and aesthetically beautiful. Some crudites that work really well in a veggie platter are:
- carrots
- cucumbers
- celery ribs
- cauliflower florets
- bell peppers
- grape tomatoes
- radishes
- broccoli
- snap peas
Dips. Use an assortment of dips spooned out into small bowls and arranged in between the vegetables in a non-symmetrical pattern. These are some dips that go really well in a crudite platter:
- Hummus
- Ranch
- Whipped Feta
- Avocado Hummus
- Whipped Ricotta
- Pesto Hummus
- Caramelized Onion Dip
- Tzatizi Sauce
- Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Crackers. This is not a typical item on a veggie platter so you can feel free to leave it out, but I always like to add some assorted crackers or slices of bread. Try:
How to Make the Best Veggie Tray
- Place the dips and olive into small bowls, and arrange them spaced apart on a large platter.
- Add the prepped vegetables to the platter, making sure not to arrange similar colors next to each other and leaving space for the crackers.
- Arrange the crackers or bread and fill in any gaps.
- Serve immediately or cover with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Tips for the Best Vegetable Platter
- Buy fresh vegetables. I would recommend buying your vegetables up to a day before so that you have the freshest veggies on your platter.
- How to prepare the vegetables. Wash all the vegetables with cold water and vinegar and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Peel the vegetables that require peeling (carrots and cucumbers if you wish), and cut the vegetables into manageable sizes for easy eating.
- Save time on prep. The most time consuming aspect of a crudite tray is chopping the vegetables. You can save time by purchasing pre-cut vegetables from your grocery store.
- Add other ingredients. I added olives and crackers to my veggie tray, it adds more color contrast and texture, plus they are delicious. You can add in other bite-sized items such as Marinated Mozzarella Balls or Candied Pecans.
- How to scale the recipe. Whether you are serving 4 guests, 10 guests, or 20 guests, this easy to follow recipe will guide you in what you need. Depending on the number of guests, you may need more (or less) items in each category. For instance, if you are serving 4 guests, just serve 1 dip and cut down on the veggies. For 20 guests, you may want to consider 3-4 kinds of dip, and 1-2 cups of each vegetable.
Storing Instructions
This veggie tray will stay fresh for up to 2 hours at room temperature. It can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days, but note that the prepared vegetables will start to dry out after the first day. For best results, eat within a day.
If you want to prepare a vegetable platter in advance, I recommend preparing it up to 1 day in advance (the earlier the better). Store the prepared tray covered with plastic cling wrap in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
More Appetizers
- 30 Best Christmas Appetizers
- Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze
- Charcuterie Board
- Baked Cauliflower Nuggets
- Whipped Ricotta Crostini
- Pico de Gallo Chunky Salsa
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Recipe
Veggie Tray
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This homemade veggie tray is a quick, easy, and healthy snack or appetizer to make for your next party, with a variety of colorful vegetables and delicious dips.
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 1 cup cucumbers, julienned
- 1 cup celery ribs, julienned
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1-2 cups bell peppers, sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- ½ cup radishes, sliced
- 1 cup olives
- 2-3 cups assorted dips (try hummus, ranch, and whipped feta)
- assorted crackers (or bread)
Instructions
- Place the dips and olive into small bowls, and arrange them spaced apart on a large platter.
- Add the prepped vegetables to the platter, making sure not to arrange similar colors next to each other and leaving space for the crackers.
- Arrange the crackers or bread and fill in any gaps.
- Serve immediately or cover with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Notes
Buy fresh vegetables. I would recommend buying your vegetables up to a day before so that you have the freshest veggies on your platter.
How to prepare the vegetables. Wash all the vegetables with cold water and vinegar and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Peel the vegetables that require peeling (carrots and cucumbers if you wish), and cut the vegetables into manageable sizes for easy eating.
Save time on prep. The most time consuming aspect of a crudite tray is chopping the vegetables. You can save time by purchasing pre-cut vegetables from your grocery store.
Add other ingredients. I added olives and crackers to my veggie tray, it adds more color contrast and texture, plus they are delicious. You can add in other bite-sized items such as Marinated Mozzarella Balls or Candied Pecans.
How to scale the recipe. Whether you are serving 4 guests, 10 guests, or 20 guests, this easy to follow recipe will guide you in what you need. Depending on the number of guests, you may need more (or less) items in each category. For instance, if you are serving 4 guests, just serve 1 dip and cut down on the veggies. For 20 guests, you may want to consider 3-4 kinds of dip, and 1-2 cups of each vegetable.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: American
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