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    Category Home » Appetizers » How to Build a Crudités Platter

    How to Build a Crudités Platter

    Published: Jun 4, 2021 by Leigh Anderson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Pronounced “krew-dee-tay” this abundant platter of assorted raw veggies and flavorful dips is the perfect hors d’oeuvre to kick off a party! In this post you’ll learn how to assemble the quintessential crudités platter with fresh, crisp veggies and perfectly paired dips and sauces.

    a vibrant an colorful array of vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, radish) on an oval platter with two bowls of dip, one feta dip and one hummus.

    Welcome to Crudités 101.

    I think it’s time we leave behind the grocery store plastic platter of sad, stale pre-cut veggies surrounding a tub of ranch dip. Ok well, we can bring the ranch dip but the rest has to go!

    Building a beautiful crudités platter is easier than you might think and oh so satisfying with all it’s beautiful colors and textures. There really is something for everyone. I’m partial to crisp carrots, and bitter radicchio dunked in garlicky labneh dip!

    You can find everything you need to make a beautiful vegetable platter at the grocery store but if you really want to step it up a notch plan a trip to your local farmers market!

    Ingredient’s You’ll Need

    Spring and Summer Crudités Ingredients: snap peas, green beans, asparagus, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, lettuces, radish, squash blossoms.

    Fall and Winter Crudités Ingredients: sliced beets, fennel, cauliflower, roasted squash, carrots, endive, radicchio, and broccoli.

    Dips, Sauces or Spreads: There are so many different options here. I recommend including at least two. To keep things simple, use a combination of store-bought and homemade.

    cleaned vegetables drying on a white and blue kitchen towel. radishes, cucumbers, endive, carrots and snap peas

    Tips and Tricks:

    • Use seasonal veggies! No matter the season carrots and cucumbers will always make an appearance on my crudités platter but beyond that I try to keep it seasonal. In the fall I like to add roasted delicata squash and raw fennel, in the spring and summer I load up on green beans, snap peas, and asparagus!
    • Blanch or roast hearty vegetables. It can be really interesting to mix things up with roasted vegetables like squash, carrots, and cauliflower. For hearty spring vegetables like asparagus, green beans and broccoli give them a quick blanch in boiling water then shock them in ice water which will not only make them more tender but intensify and brighten their beautiful green color.
    • Refresh Vegetables in Ice Water: Sometimes even fresh vegetables become stale and limp as they sit in the refrigerator. To fix this, fill a large bowl or your kitchen sink with ice water. Drop the vegetables into the ice water, let sit for 1-2 minutes then remove and dry on a clean kitchen towel. The ice water will instantly crisp up and rehydrate almost any vegetable, but especially carrots, cucumbers and radishes. This trick works really well with lettuce too!
    • Things to avoid putting on a crudités platter: Don’t even think about including those weird little wet baby carrots, you know the ones I’m talking about. Also, I’m all for using store bought hummus or dips (Trader Joe’s always has great ones), but transfer them into a pretty bowl, rather than leaving them in their plastic containers. It will look so much more sophisticated —trust me!
    a stainless steel mixing bowl filled with ice water, broccolini, snap peas and radish
    Refresh limp vegetables by dunking them in an ice bath for 1-2 minutes!

    FAQs

    Can I prepare a crudités platter ahead time?

    We’ve all seen the pre-cut veggie platters at the supermarket and they never look very appealing, thats because the’ve been assembled sometimes days in advance. It’s best to prepare crudités as close to serving as possible, ideally with in 2-3 hours. To keep your vegetables fresh, cover with damp paper towels and store in the refrigerator. The damp towels will keep the veggies hydrated and fresh! Dips and sauces can be made up to 2-3 days in advance.

    What kind of dips should go on a crudités platter?

    My favorite dips to serve with crudités are: Whipped Feta Dip, Smooth and Creamy Homemade Hummus, Garlicky Labneh Dip, or warm Bagna Cauda.

    an oval crudités platter filled with cut vegetables like snap peas, carrots, broccolini, cucumber and two bowls of dips; feta dip and hummus

    Check our More Great Recipes

    • How to Build a Charcuterie & Cheese Platter
    • Pan con Tomate
    • Burrata Salad with Prosciutto and Nectarines
    • Avocado Panzanella with Snap Peas and Feta Cheese

    I love to hear from readers and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! Don’t forget to follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Crudités Platter

    In this post you'll learn how to assemble the quintessential crudités platter with fresh, crisp veggies and perfectly paired dips and sauces.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 240kcal
    Author: Leigh Anderson

    Ingredients

    Vegetables:

    • 1 bunch breakfast radishes
    • 2 bunches carrots
    • 4 small Persian or English cucumber
    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
    • 2 cups sugar snap peas
    • 1 bunch broccolini
    • 2-3 heads endive or radicchio

    Dips:

    • Whipped Feta Dip
    • Garlicky Labneh + Tahini Dip
    • Homemade Hummus

    Instructions

    • Wash and dry all of the vegetables in ice-cold water.
    • Remove the strings and stems from the snap peas, peel the carrots and cut the rest of the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Add two bowls of different dips to a large platter then pile the vegetables around the bowls. Serve immediately!

    Notes

     
    Recipe Tips and Tricks:
    • Use seasonal veggies! No matter the season carrots and cucumbers will always make an appearance on my crudités platter but beyond that I try to keep it seasonal. In the fall I like to add roasted delicata squash and raw fennel, in the spring and summer I load up on green beans, snap peas, and asparagus!
    • Blanch or roast hearty vegetables. It can be really interesting to mix things up with roasted vegetables like squash, carrots, and cauliflower. For hearty spring vegetables like asparagus, green beans and broccoli give them a quick blanch in boiling water then shock them in ice water which will not only make them more tender but intensify and brighten their beautiful green color.
    • Refresh Vegetables in Ice Water: Sometimes even fresh vegetables become stale and limp as they sit in the refrigerator. To fix this, fill a large bowl or your kitchen sink with ice water. Drop the vegetables into the ice water, let sit for 1-2 minutes then remove and try on a clean kitchen towel. The will ice water instantly crisp up and rehydrate any vegetables, but especially carrots, cucumbers and radishes. This trick works really well with lettuce too!
     
    How to prepare crudités ahead of time:
    • We’ve all seen the pre-cut veggie platters at the supermarket and they never look very appealing. It’s best to prepare crudités as close to serving as possible with in 2-3 hours. To keep them fresh, cover with damp paper towels and store in the refrigerator. The paper towel will keep the veggies hydrated and fresh! Dips and sauces can be made up to 2-3 days in advance.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 15386IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag me: @Craving_California and use the hashtag: #CravingCalifornia!
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    I'm so glad you're here. My name is Leigh and this is my food blog where I share California inspired recipes and tons of tips and tricks for better home cooking!

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