Spring Crudite Platter
Spring Crudite Platter- Get ready to welcome Spring with a fresh and easy appetizer! This colorful and beautiful platter is full of goodness and is full of all the garden fresh goodness! In this post, I will show you how to make a show stopping crudite platter you and your guests will love, with variations to make a fresh platter any time of year.
Spring Vegetable Platter
We have all been to some sort of gathering with a veggie platter on the table. They are pretty easy to buy pre-made at any local grocery store.
A Spring crudite platter is so easy to make yourself, there is no reason to buy one already made. By doing it yourself you get to choose all the vegetables, as well as the dips that are served!
Why You Will Love This Veggie Platter
I love recipes like this, because you get to show off a little culinary creativity, all while doing no cooking at all! Here are a few other things to love:
- The veggie possibilities are endless (more on that later in the post).
- Makes perfect use of Spring Farmers Market or garden produce. This recipe is an especially great way to use up extra produce!
- All of the ingredients in this recipe can be found at a local grocery store.
- In addition to serving this as an appetizer, you could actually take this to work with you for lunch instead of the usual sandwich or reheated leftovers for a change of pace.
- No Cook Recipe! I know I said this before, but it is worth repeating.
You know how much I love fresh veggies and the many ways to work with them. If you are running across this website for the first time, please be sure to visit the about page to find out more about how this blog can help you find new and creative ways to use Farmers Market and grocery store produce, while making things yourself from scratch instead of buying them already made for you!
What is a Crudite Platter?
Crudite is a platter of raw vegetables that are cut or sliced, and served with dipping sauces. It is simply another term for a veggie tray!
There are all sorts of vegetables or different types of crackers that you can serve, but for the purposes of this recipe, we are focusing on Spring (though I will talk about some variations later in the post).
What Is The Difference Between Crudite and Charcuterie?
The big difference is that Charcuterie is a platter of meats and cheeses (with bread or crackers and often a dip) where a Crudite platter is a platter of vegetables. You could serve both types at the same gathering, which gives guests a nice variety.
Vegetables For A Spring Crudite Platter
There are so many wonderful veggies you could choose! The focus is Spring here, so I will be talking about the vegetables you’ll find in this recipe that are in season in Spring.
Here are a few ideas for Spring:
Asparagus- Make sure the stalks are thin. If they are thick they will be woody and have an unpleasant texture when eaten raw.
Radishes- I like to use radishes in more than one color, it makes for a really pretty presentation.
Sugar Snap Peas- Fresh and crisp sugar snap peas are great on this platter!
Radicchio- The slightly bitter and spicy bite of this member of the Chicory family is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the carrots and the snap peas.
Carrots- It wouldn’t be a Spring vegetable platter without carrots. I like using rainbow carrots for all the color they bring to the plate!
How To Make A Crudite Platter
A crudite platter is pretty easy to make. I think the hardest part is arranging the vegetables on the platter in an eye-catching way. If you feel stuck on how to assemble the platter, try the photos in this post for inspiration or check out other photos you might find online.
Here are a few other tips:
- Peel the carrots. They will appear brighter in color and look a lot nicer.
- Choose radishes with bright greens that are not brown. If you can’t find radishes with nice greens on them, by all means remove the greens.
- Overall, choose vegetables that look fresh and crisp, and are not wilted, browning, or otherwise don’t look good.
- If the veggies require any chopping, do that the same day you serve the platter so everything looks really nice.
Best Dips For A Crudite Platter
This platter goes so well with most any type of dip. Here are a few suggestions:
If you have never had leek scapes, find out more about them in my post complete guide to scapes. Green Goddess Dip is full of fresh herbs, and is easy to make. Be sure to check out my Artichoke Dip, it has a couple of ingredients that really make it special.
You can also try tzatziki or hummus with this platter, they are both great!
Recipe Variations
There are an almost infinite number of ways you can adapt this crudite platter, and I have included a few ideas to get you started:
- Cut bell peppers (in any color).
- Chopped Jicama.
- Celery sticks.
- Cherry tomatoes.
- Broccoli.
- Cauliflower.
- Sliced cucumber.
- Fresh green beans.
- Shishito peppers.
- Endive leaves.
These are just a few ideas! If you want to change up this platter, a great way to do that is to go to your local Farmers Market during market season and see what the vendors have that might inspire you.
What To Serve With A Crudite Platter
Your crudite platter does not have to sit on the table all by itself! I’ve gathered a few suggestions that pair really well.
You can also try my pesto calabrese or avocado lime crema as dips for a change of pace.
Thank you for reading this post! I hope you found some great ideas for your Spring crudite platter. Be sure to leave a rating or comment if you tried this recipe.
If you want all the latest updates, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. Happy Cooking!
Print
Spring Crudite Platter
This Spring Crudite Platter is perfect for your next gathering! Full of fresh and colorful veggies that pair great with all types of dips, bread, and crackers. This no cook recipe is a great use for Farmers Market and garden veggies!
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 10 –12 Asparagus Spears
- 1 pound of Radishes (about 10 to 12 radishes) with or without greens, see notes) or about 1 cup of radishes
- 1/2 pound of Sugar Snap Peas (about 30 to 45 snap peas, see notes) or about 1 cup
- 10–12 leaves of Radicchio
- 10 to 12 small Carrots (about 2 pounds, with or without greens, see notes)
- 1 Baguette, sliced into rounds or about 40 to 50 crackers
Instructions
- Start by rinsing the vegetables under cool water and gently pat dry with paper towels.
- Trim the bottom end of the asparagus spears to remove any dry ends. Set aside until ready to assemble the platter.
- The radishes may be served whole with the greens still on, or greens removed and cut into slices (see notes).
- Try to remove the string from along the edge of the sugar snap peas if you can before adding them to the platter. If you can't remove them its ok, but they are a little more pleasant to eat if its removed.
- Carefully remove about a dozen leaves from the head of radicchio (the rest can be added to a salad). See notes for more suggestions.
- Peel the carrots using a vegetable peeler. Not only does it make for a nicer appearance, but you ensure that all the dirt has been removed from the carrots.
- Assemble the platter. You can group the veggies by type, or by color, whatever you prefer. Add the baguette slices or crackers to the platter, placing them where you like. There are no rules here. Add your favorite dip and serve!
Notes
Radishes- If the radishes have nice vibrant greens on them that are not wilted or browning, you can leave them on, they make a nice presentation. If you can't use the greens that's ok. The radishes can be left whole or sliced. Try to find multiple colors for your radishes if you can, it brightens up the plate.
Carrots- Try to find carrots that are on the smaller and thinner side, this way they can be left whole. This not only means less chopping, but the whole carrots are really pretty! The carrot tops are kind of long and cumbersome, so I recommend trimming most of it off, and just leaving an inch or two of stem.
Asparagus- You definitely want thin stalks. They are the most tender and taste great raw. Anything larger will be too tough and woody.
Sugar Snap Peas-
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Appetizers and Drinks
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 24
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 24
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 0
I love crudites! There are so many variations that it never gets old. I enjoy carrots, asparagus, and radicchio on my platters. Thank you for sharing!