I’m getting soooo excited for warmer weather guys! It was finally warm enough to get outside and go hiking yesterday and it made me daydream about all of the other adventures I can start planning for the next few months. I’m on a mission to really get out and explore Utah this Summer and I’m itching to get things crossed off of the bucket list! Outdoor parties, days by the pool, and summer dinners on the patio! Which brings me to another thing that I’m looking forward to with warmer weather…fresh produce! With Easter around the corner, I wanted to share some tips to create your own easy Spring crudité platter, using fresh produce! So pretty, so colorful and very, very easy to put together too!
At this point, you might be asking yourself, “What the hell is a crudité platter?” It’s basically a fancy way to say “veggie tray”. The word crudité means “rawness”. It’s a traditional french appetizer made using sliced or whole raw veggies, and usually includes a vinaigrette or other dipping sauces. The veggies can be small pieces, thinly sliced, sticks, or whole. The trick to making a successful platter is picking out the right items, displaying them in a unique and interesting way, and offering a good variety. Check out my tips below to make your own easy Spring crudité platter. (It’s easy….trust me!)
Use in season veggies –
To keep your platter fresh and full of good for you nutrients, choose in season vegetables. Depending on the season and availability at your local store or farmers market, choose a variety of different veggies to offer your guests a good selection so that your finished platter will appeal to everyone. Pick some classics, like tomatoes and peppers, but throw in some unexpected options like fresh beets, radishes, artichoke hearts, and even figs! Different textures and flavors will contribute to a more well rounded platter too!
Add a lot of color –
One of the ways to make this easy Spring crudité platter stand out and look different than any other veggie tray is to use a lot of fun and different colors that you wouldn’t think to find in the veggie aisle! I used carrots, cauliflower, peppers, and beets, which all come in a variety of bright colors. Who could really resist that purple cauliflower?! Soooo pretty! And yellow beets offer a really bright contrast against the traditional darker beets. Alternate the colors next to each other on your display and mix in different textures and shapes to keep things interesting and visually stunning!
Add a few unexpected items –
In between all of those fresh veggies, mix in a few unexpected items. A traditional crudité platter only focuses on raw veggies, but I like switching this up a bit and adding more variety. Pickled veggies, olives, nuts, grilled veggies, crackers, meats, cheeses, and even fruit will all contribute to a well rounded platter and offer more variety for your guests. You can even nestle some fresh flower heads in between the snacks on your tray to create a pretty display too!
Don’t forget the dip –
No easy Spring crudité platter would be complete without dip! You can choose just one dip, but I like to have a few different options available for guests to sample. Serving multiple dips also adds more texture and flavor components to your platter! You can also add different spice levels in your dips to cater to those guests who want a little kick with their veggies! Ranch is the easy go-to for a simple veggie tray, but switch it up with some out of the box offerings too. Hummus, red pepper dip, cheese spreads, garlic aioli, pesto, and even a little bowl of sea salt are all great options to present on your finished platter! Also, if you have some vegan or vegetarian guests, make sure to choose a dip that appeals to all diets as well!
This easy Spring crudité platter is also a favorite because you can prep most of it in advance! You can choose to make homemade dips or purchase store bought dips, and all of the veggies can be cut and stored in the fridge earlier the same day or up to the night before. So all you have to do before party time is to arrange your finished platter!
It really does make quite an impression and will make anyone re-think that boring veggie tray!
Looking for another fresh recipe to share? I love this one!
