This easy Crudités Board features an assortment of fresh veggies and a variety of creamy dips.
One of the easiest appetizers you can put together is a Crudités Board, which is simply raw vegetables cut and neatly arranged on a platter. No cooking necessary, just rinse and chop a bunch of fresh veggies, place them on a board or platter and add a few of your favorite dips!
Ingredients
When choosing vegetables for a crudités board, I like to think about three things:
- Seaon: The best-tasting vegetables are generally what’s in season. Check out this guide to seasonal produce to find out what’s growing now!
- Color: A variety of colors is the main factor in making your crudités platter visually appealing. Choose several green veggies and make sure the rest include a variety of warmer colors, such as reds, oranges and yellows.
- Texture: Crunchy veggies, such as carrots and radishes, are my favorite for a crudités board. But I also like to include a few juicy ingredients, such as tomatoes or cucumbers. And you can also introduce blanched or steamed vegetables, like asparagus or broccoli, for another textural element.
Here are the vegetables I went with for this crudités board:
- Mini cucumbers
- Mini sweet peppers
- Carrots
- Snap peas
- Cherry tomatoes
- Radishes
Other great options include: broccoli, cauliflower, endives and celery.
For the dips, I went with three creamy sour cream-based dips. Some more options include spinach dip, hummus, tzatziki and guacamole. Our Walnut and Caramelized Onion Yogurt Dip is also always a hit on a crudités platter!
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables. Rinse and dry the vegetables. Then cut into bite-sized pieces as desired.
Step 2: Place the dips on the board and add the largest vegetables. The dips serve as a visual anchor, so place them evenly across the board.
Step 3: Continue arranging the veggies on the board, working from largest to smallest. Pay attention to color. We want pops of color throughout the board.
Step 4: Add the smallest vegetables. Use the smallest vegetables to fill in any gaps left on the board.
Storage and make ahead
Some vegetables, such as carrots, cucumber, bell peppers and radishes, can be cut and stored separately in the fridge a day in advance. For juicer veggies, such as cherry tomatoes, I would recommend leaving them whole or halving only an hour or two before serving.
I don’t recommend arranging the platter any more than 4 hours in advance, as some of the veggies will lose their crispness. And really, this simple crudités platter comes together in minutes and takes little effort once the veggies are prepped, so it’s easy to throw together at the last minute!
Have leftover veggies? Try using them in a stir-fry or omelet!
Expert tips and tricks
- Be consistent in size. For a visually appealing crudités board, make sure your vegetables are uniform in size. For example, try to cut the carrot sticks as uniformly as possible and choose radishes that are similar in size.
- Arrange your crudités platter from large to small. Start by placing the dips on the board. Then move to the larger veggies and finally fill in any gaps with smaller vegetables.
- Don’t forget the plates and utensils! Have small spoons for the dips, tongs to pick up the vegetables and little plates so your guests can choose their favorite mix of veggies.
Variations
- Don’t stick to just raw vegetables. Try adding blanched, steamed or even grilled veggies to your platter.
- Get creative with the dips! While I went with a variety of sour cream-based dips for this version (know your audience!), you can also get more creative. Try adding a spicy aioli or something like whipped feta!
- Add garnishes. Fresh herbs, microgreens and edible flowers are all great options to level up your crudités platter!
FAQs
Crudités (pronounced kroo-dee-TAY) is the French term for raw vegetables. So essentially it’s just a raw vegetable platter!
While you can prep and cut some of the veggies ahead of time, I recommend arranging the board only an hour or two before serving. This keeps the vegetables crisp and fresh.
For 8-12 guests, I generally choose at least 6-8 types of vegetables. For a smaller crowd, 4-5 vegetables will be enough.
Use whatever is in season and looks the freshest at your grocery store! Aim for a mix of colors and textures to make your board visually appealing.
Loving this crudités board? Here are some more showstopper appetizers that are light on the cooking and easy to put together:
- How To Make A Charcuterie Board: The Ultimate Guide
- ALDI Charcuterie Board
- Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
Crudités Board Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8-10
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Curation
- Cuisine: Global
Ingredients
- Mini cucumbers, cut into rounds or sliced lengthwise
- Mini sweet peppers, cut in half
- Carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
- Snap peas
- Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- Radishes, cut into rounds or wedges
- 2–3 dips (hummus, spinach dip, tzatziki, sour cream-based dip, etc.)
Instructions
- Transfer the dips to small ramekins or bowls and evenly space out on your board or platter.
- Arrange the vegetables on the board starting from largest to smallest. The smallest vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes and radishes, can be used to fill in any gaps.
Notes
Choosing vegetables: Choose what’s in season and consider color and texture. You want a variety of colors and textures on your board. Some more vegetable ideas include: broccoli, cauliflower, endive, celery and bell peppers.
Make ahead and storage: You can prep and cut up the vegetables for this crudités board a day in advance. I recommend putting together the board only up to 4 hours in advance so the vegetables retain their crispness.
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