Crudite Platter: How to Make an Elegant Veggie Tray

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Forget that sad tray you get at the grocery store, make this super fresh, seasonal appetizer instead! People eat with their eyes, so surprise your guests with a rainbow of veggies—think: watermelon radish, purple and orange cauliflower, mini bell peppers cut lengthwise, and teensy heirloom tomatoes or sweety drop peppers. Load up the board with creamy dips, and I promise all those veggies will be gone before you know it.

In the mood for good-for-you foods? Take a spin through my Healthy Boards, like the Vegan Cheese Board, Whole 30-Approved Board and Mediterranean Mezze Board. For more mess-free finger food ideas, check out my Veggie and Goat Cheese Board, Jarcuterie, Thanksgiving Turkey Board, Burrata and Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Crostini, and Smashed Blackberry and Brie Crostini.

What To Put On a Veggie Tray

Produce

• Purple, orange & white cauliflower, cut into florets and blanched (more on blanching in my St. Paddy’s Day Board post)

• Les Petites Carrots of Many Colors (I used this Trader Joe’s favorite on my Whole 30 Board!)

• Cucumber, sliced
  
• Mini heirloom tomatoes

• Broccolini

• Watermelon radishes, sliced and whole

• Mini bell peppers, halved 

• Celery

• Sweety drop peppers

Dips

• Ranch

• Dill

• Hummus

Carbs

• Pita chips

Accouterments

• Castelvetrano olives 

• Pistachios

Garnish

• Dill

• Scallion greens, sliced

• Thyme

• Roasted chickpeas

How to Arrange a Veggie Tray

• Add the dips, olives, and sweety drops  to separate small bowls and place in the center of the board to anchor it.

• Add the cucumbers and radish slices  to the center between the dips, then, working from the center out, add the red tomatoes and yellow tomatoes in separate piles.

• Then add the cauliflower, broccolini, remaining radish, carrots, celery, and peppers around the outside of the board, being careful to separate similar colors. 

• Garnish the dill dip with dill, ranch with scallion greens, and hummus with thyme and, if you have it on hand, a drizzle of olive oil and roasted chickpeas. Serve the pistachios and pita chips on the side.

Tips for Creating an Elevated Veggie Board

• Pick colorful produce and arrange it around the board, separating similar colors so each item pops. It doesn’t have to be an exact science, but I always have a sense of it.

• Go beyond the traditional carrot & celery combo and bring in a diversity of veggies, including watermelon radish, mini bell peppers, orange cauliflower, purple cauliflower and broccolini. Less common or unexpected veggies can elevate a board & make it fill at “bit fancy”.

• Choose yummy and healthy dips. My favorite tip for clean eating is looking at the ingredients list and making sure they are items you can pronounce. Here I used a combo of hummus and @galbanicheese’s new snack dips: Ranch & Dill.

• Make sure to build upwards on your board, piling the veggies on to make it look abundant.

• Finally, be sure to garnish your dips to bring it to the next level. Here i used roasted garbanzo beans, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of thyme on the hummus, then dill and sliced chives on the creamy dips.

Other Veggie Dips

Try some of these dips too!

• Whipped feta

• White bean dip

• Flavored Hummus

• Labneh

• Whipped goat cheese

• Spinach and Artichoke Dip

• Buffalo Chicken Dip

• Queso 

What About Veggies in Winter?

It’s no secret the winter is hard on fresh produce (and pretty much everything else), so here are some alternatives for the colder months if you shop local, which I highly recommend you do for fresher vegetables in every season!

• Rainbow potatoes, boiled or roasted

• Endives

• Fennel slices

• Brussels sprouts, roasted

• Delicata squash slices, roasted

• Sweet potato slices, roasted

The Best Board for this Spread

Note the size of this board is 20in x 14in. Similar options listed in the SHOP THIS POST below. Just be sure to look at the dimensions before purchasing.

Show Me Your Board

Nothing makes me happier than seeing you create beautiful boards from my tips. If you make a spread inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttoooproudtomeg so I can see and share!

And, if you liked this board recipe, please rate and review.