Rainbow Veggie Tray with Easy Dips – The Perfect Party Platter!

Wondering how to make a beautiful veggie tray? This rainbow crudité platter is packed full of colorful vegetables and will be the center of attention at your next party or gathering. Pair it with our easy dip recipes and win over both adults and kids!

Charcuterie boards are extremely trendy right now, and rightly so – they are easy to make, pretty to look at, and are great for feeding a crowd.

We decided to take a healthier spin on the charcuterie platter, replacing all the meat, cheese and crackers with fresh vegetables, all arranged by color to make it impossible to ignore.

Paired with 3 simple dips, the result is a stunning Rainbow Veggie Tray, that offers something for everyone, and will lure even the pickiest of eaters to dig in.

Read on to find out how to make this modern take on the veggie tray, with lots of tips and simple ideas.

PIN for when you want to create your own crudités platter:

HOW DO YOU MAKE A VEGGIE TRAY?

First, head to the grocery store (or if you’re lucky, your garden!) and grab a large assortment of different vegetables. Think about the different colors you’ll need (see our inspiration list below), and consider veggies in different shapes, textures and sizes.

Wash and dry all your produce, and then prep it for your tray: cut, slice and peel so everything is ready to place.

Next gather your largest platter or tray (cutting boards also work nicely) and some small bowls for dips. Place the dip bowls on the board, evenly spaced.

Start at the top of your board with your purple veggies, and then transition into red, orange, yellow, white, and finally green.

Add your dips into the bowls (try and color match to the surrounds vegetables), and voila! Your Rainbow Veggie Tray is ready to serve!

TIPS AND IDEAS FOR A PERFECT, PRETTY PLATTER

• Use what vegetables are in season – they’ll taste better and have more vibrant colors
• Tightly pack your veggies so you don’t see the tray beneath, and tuck everything closely to the dip bowls
• Don’t worry if your vegetables overhang the side of the platter – in fact, it can make it look more organic if everything’s not perfectly lined up
• Use a mandolin to create perfect slices…and save tons of time chopping!
• Think about mixing up shapes and textures on your platter – some vegetables can be transformed just by how they’re cut. Carrots for instance could be left whole, cut on an angle, or chopped into sticks.
• Blanch crunchier vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli or green beans to make them more tender and bring out their color. Add them to a large pot of boiling water, cook for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and then add to your tray.
• Consider adding pickled vegetables to your tray, or other small appetizers like olives, nuts or roasted red peppers
• Grab some fresh herbs to fill in any holes and add texture – rosemary, dill, parsley and cilantro work well

WHAT VEGGIES ARE GOOD FOR A VEGGIE TRAY?

Any vegetable that you’d enjoy raw or blanched can be put on your crudités platter. Consider these options for each of your rainbow colors:

PURPLE

• Radicchio
• Purple Carrots
• Purple Cauliflower
• Beets

RED

• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Radishes

ORANGE

• Baby Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Carrots

YELLOW

• Yellow Carrots
• Baby Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Endive
• Yellow Green Beans
• Yellow Cauliflower
• Summer Squash

WHITE

• White Asparagus
• Jicama Root
• Radishes (sliced so white flesh is showing)
• Mushrooms
• Cauliflower
• Parsnips

GREEN

• Broccoli or Broccolini
• Celery
• Lettuce/spinach/kale leaves
• Asparagus
• Green Beans
• Snap or Snow Peas
• Green Bell Pepper
• Cucumber

WHAT DIPS GO WITH A VEGGIE TRAY?

You can use any of your favorite store-bought dips, or go semi-homemade like we did for ours.

RASPBERRY CREAM DIP

This dip is sweet and tangy and loved by all – especially kids!

• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
• ½ cup sour cream
• Sprinkle of chia seeds

CREAMY RED PEPPER HUMMUS

Hummus is a great go-to dip for veggies. We made ours extra creamy for easy dipping.

• 1 cup hummus (we used roasted red pepper to get that nice orange color)
• ½ cup sour cream

FLUFFY AVOCADO GUACAMOLE

• 2-3 ripe avocados
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
• 2-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
• ½ cup sour cream

You’ll find that with these delicious dips + a rainbow of fresh vegetables, your Veggie Tray will be the talk of your gathering. You never go make to buying those boring store-bought platters again!