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This snowman veggie platter is the perfect festive appetizer for holiday gatherings. It brings together fresh crunchy vegetables with two creamy dips styled as a cheerful snowman face and body. This playful presentation makes it easy to encourage guests, especially kids, to snack healthily while adding charm to your Christmas table.
I discovered this idea during a cold December party and now it’s a holiday tradition. The kids adore helping to build the snowman while adults appreciate the light but satisfying options.
Ingredients
- Snap peas: two cups — fresh and crisp for texture
- Grape tomatoes: two cups — juicy and vibrant color
- Broccoli florets: two cups — adds green crunch and nutrition
- Baby carrots: two cups — sweet and bright orange
- Cauliflower florets: two cups — mild flavor and nice contrast
- Celery: one bunch — refreshing crunch and a natural dipper
- Ranch dip: one and a half cups — creamy with herbs to create the snowman’s face
- Spinach artichoke dip: two cups — rich and savory for the snowman’s buttons area
- Black olive slices: five to six — for eyes and mouth details on the snowman
- Baby carrot: one piece — used as the snowman’s nose
- Tip: When selecting vegetables choose them firm without brown spots and crisp to ensure they hold well when dipped. Opt for fresh black olives with a glossy appearance for best presentation.
Instructions
- Sculpt the Base Bowls:
- Place two white bowls on your serving board, one small bowl on top and one larger beneath. The small one will hold the ranch dip (the snowman’s face), the larger one will hold the spinach artichoke dip (the body).
- Create the Face:
- Spoon the ranch dip evenly into the smaller bowl. Arrange five to six black olive slices as eyes and a smiling mouth. Insert one baby carrot vertically in the center to resemble the snowman’s carrot nose.
- Add the Button Details:
- Fill the larger bowl with the spinach artichoke dip. Place three black olive slices vertically down the center to mimic snowman buttons.
- Arrange the Veggies:
- Around the two bowls, arrange rows of snap peas, grape tomatoes, broccoli, baby carrots, cauliflower, and celery in bands. This surrounds the dips and forms the snowman’s arms and body shape visually.
- Chill and Serve:
- Wrap the entire board loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to eight hours. This allows the dips to chill and vegetables to stay crisp while ready for guests to enjoy.
I particularly love how the little carrot nose instantly brings the snowman to life. Once we made this together as a family and it became a game to find new veggie swap ideas for the arms and scarf each year. It really brightens up our table and mood.
Storage Tips
To keep the platter fresh wrap tightly with cling film. Store in the refrigerator and note the dips keep well for two days but vegetables are best consumed within one day for crispness.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you do not have ranch dip, a thick Greek yogurt mixed with herbs makes a great alternative. For the spinach artichoke dip, plain cream cheese and drained frozen spinach mixed with chopped artichokes also works well.
Serving Suggestions
Add small bowls of nuts or breadsticks around the platter for guests who want additional snacks. Serve with chilled sparkling water or light white wine to balance the creaminess of the dips.
This playful snowman platter brightens any holiday table and makes healthy snacking fun. It’s simple to assemble and brings seasonal cheer.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Quels légumes sont utilisés dans ce plateau ?
Le plateau comprend pois mange-tout, tomates raisins, brocoli, carottes, chou-fleur et céleri pour une variété de textures et couleurs.
- → Quels dips accompagnent ce plateau coloré ?
Deux dips sont servis : un dip ranch crémeux pour la tête et un dip épinards-artichauts pour le corps.
- → Comment créer l'effet visage sur le plateau ?
Des tranches d'olive noire forment les yeux et la bouche, accompagnées d’un petit bâtonnet de carotte pour le nez.
- → Peut-on préparer ce plateau à l'avance ?
Oui, le plateau peut être assemblé et réfrigéré jusqu'à 8 heures avant de servir.
- → Comment disposer les légumes pour former la silhouette ?
Les légumes sont rangés en rangées colorées autour de deux bols, petits et grands, positionnés pour imiter la forme d’un bonhomme de neige.