Print

Halloween Veggie Tray & Easy Homemade Ranch Dip

Halloween Veggie Tray - featured image
Print Recipe

A spooky spider web-shaped veggie tray with creamy homemade ranch dip that’s a crowd-pleaser for Halloween parties. Quick to assemble and kid-approved, this healthy snack gets eaten before the candy.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried chives
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 large orange bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 large cucumber, sliced into rounds
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks (optional)
  • ½ cup black olives, pitted (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the ranch dip: In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, and buttermilk until smooth. Add fresh dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, dried chives, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk again until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: Wash and dry all produce thoroughly. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small, bite-sized florets. Slice bell peppers into thin strips, about ¼-inch wide and 2-3 inches long. Slice cucumber into rounds, about ¼-inch thick. Halve cherry tomatoes if large. Cut carrots into sticks, about 3 inches long and ½-inch thick. Set aside.
  3. Assemble the spider web: Place a serving bowl or ramekin in the center of a large round platter. Spoon the ranch dip into the bowl. Arrange cucumber rounds in a single layer around the dip bowl to create a solid base ring.
  4. Create web strands: Take bell pepper strips and arrange them like spokes of a wheel, radiating outward from the dip bowl to the edge of the platter. Use alternating colors (red, orange, yellow) and space them evenly, about 1-2 inches apart at the outer edge.
  5. Add concentric rings: Using more bell pepper strips, lay them in circles around the dip bowl, connecting the spokes. Start about 2 inches from the bowl, then another ring 2 inches further out, and so on until you reach the edge.
  6. Add spiders and veggies: Place broccoli florets at the intersections of the web strands to look like spiders. Scatter cauliflower florets and carrot sticks around the outer edge. Arrange cherry tomatoes along the rim. If using black olives, place a few near the broccoli spiders to look like spider bodies.
  7. Final touches: Fill any empty spots with extra veggies. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving.

Notes

Dry vegetables thoroughly to prevent dip from becoming watery. Slice peppers uniformly (about ¼ inch) for a neat web. Build the web from the center out. Use a heavy ceramic ramekin as an anchor for the dip. Don’t overcrowd the tray so the web pattern is visible. The dip can be made a day ahead for better flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween veggie tray, spider web veggie tray, homemade ranch dip, Halloween appetizer, healthy Halloween snack, veggie platter, party snack

Find it online: https://shimmersnack.com/halloween-veggie-tray-and-easy-homemade-ranch-dip/