Crudite Platter: Elegant Veggie Tray Ideas
Jan 04, 2024 Updated Dec 04, 2024
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Forget that sad veggie tray you get at the grocery store and make this super fresh, seasonal crudite platter 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 my:
- Smoothie Bowl Toppings Board
- Vegan Cheese Board
- Whole 30-Approved Board
- Mediterranean Mezze Board
- Veggie and Goat Cheese Board
- Fresh Fruit Board
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
Accoutrements
- Castelvetrano olives
- Pistachios
Garnish
- Dill
- Scallion greens, sliced
- Thyme
- Roasted chickpeas
How to Arrange a Veggie Platter
- 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 a Fancy Vegetable Tray
- 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.
More Veggie Platter 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
Seasonal Veggies for Vegetable Board
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 a Crudite Platter
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 Veggie Trays
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.
Crudite Platter: An Elegant Veggie Tray
Ingredients
Produce
- Les Petit Carrots of Many Colors (from Trader Joe's)
- Purple, Orange & White Cauliflower cut into florets and blanched (more on blanching in my St. Paddy’s Day Board post)
- Watermelon Radish sliced
- Cucumber sliced
- Mini Bell Peppers halved
- Mini Heirloom Tomatoes
- Sweety drop peppers
- Broccolini
- Celery
Carbs
- Pita Chips
Accoutrement
- Castelvetrano Olives
- Pistachios
Dips
- Hummus
- Ranch
- Dill (I like Galbani)
Garnish
- Dill
- Chives
- Parsley
- Roasted chickpeas
Instructions
- 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 scallions, 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.
Love this healthy and visually stunning board! I love serving this as a crowd pleasing starter before any family & friends dinner.
Another beautiful board! Your guides are so helpful and make party planning a breeze! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas and videos. Merry Christmas!!
I have to say that I love this idea, and the colors of the veggies are just stunning! Even people who ‘hate veggies” are going to decide to give it a try. I think the dips are key. In addition to the Ranch & Hummus recommended, I could see an old fashioned onion dip, and a honey ginger dressing going with this board. Or even a Chinese Chicken salad type dressing. That would make people gather for sure…
Super helpful for making a perfect veggie platter!