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Easy Christmas Tree Veggie Platter with Whipped Feta Dip

Christmas tree veggie platter - featured image
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A festive and easy Christmas tree-shaped veggie platter with a creamy whipped feta dip, perfect for holiday parties. This quick appetizer comes together in under 20 minutes and is a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz feta cheese, block style
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (full fat or 2%)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups cucumber, sliced into rounds or half-moons
  • 1 cup snap peas or snow peas, trimmed
  • 1 cup baby carrots, halved lengthwise if thick
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, for ornaments
  • 1 star-shaped vegetable or cheese, for the top (e.g., yellow bell pepper star or cheddar slice)
  • Fresh herbs like rosemary sprigs or parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the whipped feta dip: Crumble the 8 oz block of feta into a food processor. Add the 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 chopped garlic clove, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water. Pulse a few times, then run for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through, until smooth and creamy. Season with a pinch of black pepper and a tiny bit of salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while prepping the veggies.
  2. Prep all the veggies: Wash and dry everything thoroughly. Cut broccoli into small florets, slice cucumber into rounds or half-moons about 1/4 inch thick, trim snap peas, halve baby carrots lengthwise if thick, cut green bell pepper into thin strips, and halve cherry tomatoes.
  3. Create the tree base: On a large platter (at least 12 inches wide), use a spatula to spread the whipped feta dip into a triangle shape about 8 inches wide at the base and 10 inches tall, about 1/4 inch thick.
  4. Build the tree layers: Starting at the bottom of the triangle, arrange veggies in rows, working upward. Start with a row of cucumber rounds along the bottom edge, then a row of broccoli florets, then snap peas, then green bell pepper strips, then baby carrots. Each row should overlap slightly with the one below it to cover the dip completely.
  5. Add the star and ornaments: Place the star-shaped veggie or cheese at the top of the tree. Dot the cherry tomatoes around the tree in clusters of 2-3 like ornaments. Add rosemary sprigs around the base for a ‘tree skirt’ effect.
  6. Fill in the gaps: Check for any bare spots and fill them with extra veggies so the tree looks full and lush.
  7. Garnish and serve: Drizzle a little olive oil over the exposed edges of the whipped feta dip. Sprinkle fresh herbs around the platter if desired. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving (add cherry tomatoes and star just before serving).

Notes

Room temperature feta whips more smoothly. Dry veggies well to prevent watery dip. Use the dip as glue to hold veggies in place. Cut veggies uniform sizes for a professional look. Make the dip a day ahead for better flavor. For a vegan version, use vegan feta and plant-based yogurt. For a low-carb version, skip carrots and cherry tomatoes.

Nutrition

Keywords: Christmas tree veggie platter, whipped feta dip, holiday appetizer, easy veggie platter, festive snack

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