Veggie Platter Recipe

Wash and dry

Thoroughly wash all fresh produce (carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, radishes, sugar snap peas). Pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to prevent watery veggies and dilute the dips.

Prepare carrots and celery

Peel carrots if desired and cut into 3–4 inch sticks to yield about 2 cups. Trim celery and cut into sticks about the same length as the carrots (about 1.5 cups). Keep sizes consistent so they’re easy to pick up.

Slice cucumber and bell pepper

Cut cucumber into 1/4-inch rounds or half-moons to make about 1 cup. Core bell peppers, remove seeds, and slice into 1/2-inch strips to make about 1 cup mixed colors.

Prep smaller veggies

Halve radishes to make about 1/2 cup. Rinse sugar snap peas and drain to equal about 3/4 cup. Leave cherry tomatoes whole or halve if very large to yield about 1 cup.

Season lightly

Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl or shallow serving tray. Drizzle with 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. Toss gently to coat evenly—this adds flavor and keeps bites from tasting plain.

Hummus

Spoon 1 cup of store-bought or homemade hummus into a small bowl. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon and drizzle a little (about 1 tsp) olive oil over it if desired. Sprinkle a pinch of smoked paprika or chopped parsley as garnish.

Herbed Greek yogurt dip

In a bowl, combine 1 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 tbs chopped parsley, 1/2 tbs lemon juice (from one of the wedges), 1/4 tsp sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. Stir until smooth and transfer to a serving bowl. Taste and adjust lemon or salt to preference.

Olive tapenade (optional)

If using, transfer 1/2 cup olive tapenade to a small bowl. Let it come to room temperature for 10 minutes so flavors are more pronounced.

Arrange crackers and olives

Place 1 cup whole grain crackers and 1/2 cup mixed olives into separate small bowls or arrange on the platter in clusters, so guests can choose crackers alongside veggies and dips.

Garnish and finish

Transfer the lightly seasoned vegetables to a large serving platter, arranging by color and shape for visual appeal (e.g., carrot and celery sticks grouped, bell pepper strips in a fan, cucumber rounds clustered, cherry tomatoes and radishes as accent). Place the hummus, Greek yogurt dip, and optional tapenade in bowls positioned centrally. Scatter the chopped parsley over the dips and vegetables, and tuck 4 lemon wedges around the platter for squeezing.

Serve

Serve immediately at room temperature. If preparing up to 1 hour ahead, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate; remove 15 minutes before serving to let olive oil and dips lose chill but stay food-safe. Provide small spoons for dips and napkins for guests.