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For the Christmas holiday, this crudite platter wreath offers guests a festive healthy beautiful platter filled with vegetables and a homemade ranch dip! Perfect for feeding a crowd and easy entertaining for the holidays.
It’s the holidays! And it’s the “forget all about your diet” days! Am I right?! To balance out all the festive meals, baked goods and treats at our events, I love contributing a crudite platter to a party spread. And so I change it up depending on the season, and on the occasion to make it unique, fun and fit for a crowd. The Christmas edition of my crudite platter is the wreath edition. How cute is this?
What is crudite?
Crudite is a french word that means raw vegetables. They can be served whole or cut into edibles pieces and served on a platter with some sort of dip, or even a couple dips. It’s like a fancy vegetable tray that’s wonderful for parties all year round. You can customize it depending on what vegetables you have on hand, what’s in season at your local grocery store, and what your guests like.
What I love about this crudite platter idea for the holidays is that there’s really not a lot of effort involved in whipping it up. And the result is a colorful, healthy and beautiful party platter that is so fun to munch on.
What vegetables to use for crudite platter
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli and broccolini too
- Brussel sprouts
- Carrots (the heirloom baby carrots with stems and a variety of colors are ideal!)
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumbers (Persian cucumbers work great)
- Fennel
- Green beans
- Jicama
- Radicchio
- Radishes (watermelon radishes kick it up a notch)
- Snow peas
- Sugar snap peas
- Tomatoes (look for colorful cherry tomatoes)
- Zucchini (look for the mini ones if possible)
What dips are usually served with a crudite platter?
Typically a crudite platter is only raw vegetables and a selection of one, two or three dips. I’ve also seen some with fruits and nuts added, although it’s not as common. To select a dip that works well, it’s best to refer to the vegetables you’re using. I think a classic ranch dip works well with everything, and that’s what I did for my Christmas crudite platter.
Two other really popular dips are hummus and baba ghanoush. You can also go with guacamole. Other popular choices include aioli, olive tapenade, tzatziki sauce or any type of salad dressing you like. For example green goddess or caesar dressing. I’ve included below a simple ranch dip that works really well with the green vegetables I selected for my crudite platter.
How to assemble a crudite platter
Assembling the platter will depend on the occasion. A spring crudite will look different than this holiday wreath one we have going on. Whatever the occasion, it’s important to select a large serving tray, wooden board or platter to fit all the vegetables and dip(s). Crudite platter are usually pretty large and their appeal is the bounty and freshness of the vegetables.
For this Christmas crudite, I started out a cheap large green plastic plate because I wanted the vegetables to cover the plate entirely. Just make sure to start with something circular. Then you’ll want to add some leafy greens like kale, arugula or romaine lettuce. Kale is mostly in season now and doesn’t wilt as easily, so I opted for kale. And then you’ll carefully pile on the veggies in groups so it’s easy to decipher the selection of vegetables on the platter.
After adding the kale and green beans, I added broccoli and sugar snap peas.
Finally I added some sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes for some red flair.
And then I carefully pour the mixed up ranch dip into the little dip bowl and sprinkled on some fresh chives. It’s ready to go! I usually store it in the fridge until party time to keep the vegetables crisp and fresh.
Tips for delicious crudite platter
- Purchase the vegetables on the day you plan to assemble the crudite platter, or the day before at the earliest. This way it guarantees that you have the freshest vegetables that will stay crisp for the party.
- Boost the color of the vegetables by blanching them. This isn’t necessary for all vegetables, but it works great for vegetables like broccoli, green beans and asparagus. By blanching them, you’re simply going to place the vegetable in boiling water for a couple minutes and then shock it in an ice water bath immediately after. This preserves the deep bright green color of the vegetables and makes them easier to chew.
- Cut larger vegetables into one-or-two bite pieces. Traditionally the vegetables are cut into sticks or rounds whenever possible. This makes them more appetizing and easier to grab and eat. Perfect finger food for a party!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make a crudite platter ahead of time?
You can make the ranch dip up to 2 days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. I would advise not preparing the vegetables until the day you plan to serve the platter, but if you do, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.
What are the best vegetables to use on a crudite platter?
For my festive crudite wreath, I stuck to green vegetables for that holiday vibe, but you can of course use any veggies you like! It’s best to use vegetables with a crunch, carrots, bell peppers and cauliflower are all great choices.
I love this healthy party appetizer, especially for the holiday season when we’re surrounded by so many other indulgent foods and treats. Transform a boring veggie tray into this festive crudite platter shaped like a wreath! Serve it with my homemade ranch dip for a fuss-free party food that everyone will love!
For more party appetizers, check out:
- Christmas Salad
- Broccoli & Cheese Hand Pies
- Bean & Cheese Wonton Quesadillas
- Zaatar Spring Rolls
- Mushroom Avocado Toast
- Shrimp Cocktail in Avocado Boats
If you make this healthy-ish feel good Crudite Platter Wreath recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
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Crudite Platter
Ingredients
For the Dip
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup full fat Greek Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Vegetables
- Baby carrots halved
- Baby Bell peppers halved and seeded
- Radishes quartered
- Cherry tomatoes
- Baby cucumbers halved
- Sugar snap peas
- Cauliflower florets
Instructions
- Whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, chives, dill, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and set on a charcuterie board.
- Place the vegetables around the dip.
Notes
Original Crudite Platter Wreath Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup green beans trimmed
1 cup sugar snap peas strings removed
½ bunch curly kale leaves
1 English cucumber sliced
Handful cherry tomatoes
Rosemary sprigs Ranch dip 1 ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried dill
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Water for thinning as necessary
1 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
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To prepare crudité: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, and set a large bowl of ice water next to the pot. Add the broccoli to the water and cook until bright green but still firm, about 2 minutes. Use a colander to drain the broccoli, then quickly transfer to the ice bath to chill. Drain again and pat dry with a paper towel. Repeat this method for green beans and sugar snap peas, if desired.
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To prepare dip: Whisk together the yogurt, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, salt, pepper and chives in a medium bowl. Transfer to a serving bowl; set in the center of a large circular platter to be used for creating the wreath
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To arrange the wreath: Start with the kale leaves all around the outside edges of the bowl. Add the broccoli, green beans, sugar snap peas, cucumber and celery in any arranged you like. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs.
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Serve cold or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Nutritious, simple, appetizing and beautiful. Perfect!
Thank you so much!!