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Easy Budget-Friendly Halloween Veggie Tray with Ranch

budget-friendly halloween veggie tray - featured image
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A fun and affordable Halloween veggie tray with homemade ranch dip, featuring creative vegetable shapes like witch finger carrots, celery bones, and jack-o-lantern peppers. Perfect for parties and picky eaters.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound carrots (about 6–8 medium)
  • 1 bunch celery (about 6–8 stalks)
  • 2 medium bell peppers (1 red, 1 orange or yellow)
  • 1 large broccoli crown (about 2 cups florets)
  • ½ head cauliflower (about 2 cups florets)
  • 1 large English cucumber
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup sour cream (full-fat or reduced-fat)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup black olives, sliced (optional)
  • ¼ cup pretzel sticks (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the ranch dip: In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup mayonnaise, and ¼ cup buttermilk. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Prepare the carrot witch fingers: Wash and peel carrots. Cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces. Use a paring knife to round one end slightly (the fingertip) and leave the other end flat. Create 2-3 shallow horizontal lines across the middle for knuckles. Near the rounded tip, carve a small almond-shaped indent for a fingernail.
  3. Create the celery bones: Wash celery stalks and cut into 3-inch pieces. Scrape out stringy parts from the concave side. Optionally fill with cream cheese, peanut butter, or hummus.
  4. Carve the jack-o-lantern peppers: Wash bell peppers and cut in half from top to bottom. Remove seeds and membranes. Use a paring knife to carve simple jack-o-lantern faces into the skin side. Cut each half into 1-inch wide strips, keeping the face intact on each strip.
  5. Prepare the ghost cauliflower and broccoli trees: Wash cauliflower and broccoli. Cut cauliflower into small 1-inch florets. Cut broccoli into similar-sized florets.
  6. Cut the cucumber ghosts (optional): If using a ghost-shaped cookie cutter, slice cucumber into ¼-inch rounds and press cookie cutter into each round. Otherwise, cut into rounds.
  7. Assemble the tray: Place the bowl of ranch dip in the center or slightly off to one side on a large serving platter. Arrange vegetables around it in groups: witch finger carrots, celery bones, jack-o-lantern pepper strips, ghost cauliflower, broccoli trees, cucumber ghosts, and cherry tomatoes. Add optional garnishes like black olives, pretzel sticks, or pumpkin seeds.

Notes

The dip benefits from sitting in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to meld flavors. For extra crunch, soak cut vegetables in ice water for 10-15 minutes before arranging. Prep everything the night before for easy assembly. Double the dip recipe if serving a crowd. The dip can be made dairy-free with plant-based yogurt and vegan mayo.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween, veggie tray, ranch dip, budget-friendly, party snack, healthy Halloween, vegetable platter

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/easy-budget-friendly-halloween-veggie-tray-with-ranch/