River Delta Vegetable Platter (Print out)

Colorful vegetables and creamy dips artfully arranged for a Mediterranean-inspired starter.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dips

01 - 360 ml hummus or Greek yogurt dip

→ Vegetables

02 - 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 150 g cucumber, sliced into sticks
04 - 150 g colorful bell peppers, sliced into strips
05 - 120 g carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
06 - 60 g radishes, thinly sliced
07 - 60 g snap peas, trimmed

→ Garnishes

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 15 ml olive oil for drizzling
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or zaatar (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Spoon hummus or Greek yogurt dip onto a large flat platter in a wide, winding line down the center. Smooth and shape using the back of a spoon to mimic a flowing river.
02 - Place vegetable sticks and slices in branching, tapering lines radiating from the edges of the platter toward the central dip, alternating colors and shapes to resemble river delta tributaries.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the dip and sprinkle with smoked paprika or zaatar if desired.
04 - Scatter chopped parsley across the platter and serve immediately with additional vegetables or pita chips as accompaniment.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a conversation starter that transforms ordinary vegetables into an edible landscape your guests will photograph before eating
  • Zero cooking required means you can spend your energy on presentation and enjoying your guests instead of sweating over a stove
  • Every vegetable stays perfectly crisp and fresh because everything is served at room temperature, making it ideal for those warmer gatherings where hot food feels wrong
02 -
  • The single most important lesson I learned: cut your vegetables at least 30 minutes before serving and store them on damp paper towels in the refrigerator. This keeps them crisp and prevents them from wilting under the weight of presentation and time
  • Don't arrange this more than an hour before serving, or your vegetables will start to weep and lose their crispness. Timing matters more than you'd think
  • The hummus or dip needs to be at room temperature to spread smoothly. Cold dip becomes stubborn and refuses to cooperate
03 -
  • A damp kitchen towel placed under your serving platter keeps it from sliding around while you're arranging vegetables, and it subtly signals to your guests that you've thought about the details
  • If you're serving this for a longer gathering, keep a backup platter of arranged vegetables in the refrigerator and swap them out partway through—it keeps everything looking fresh and intentional throughout the event
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