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Easy Turkey Veggie Tray with Herby Dip | Kids' Thanksgiving Appetizer

Turkey Veggie Tray with Herby Dip

A no-cook Thanksgiving appetizer that arranges carrots, peppers, and cucumbers into a turkey shape around a creamy herb dip, ready in 20 minutes.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks
  • 3 stalks celery cut into sticks
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 orange bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 cucumber sliced into rounds
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/4 cup black olives sliced

Method
 

  1. Mix the herby dip: In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, chives, parsley, garlic, onion powder, and salt until the mixture turns an even pale green.
  2. Chill the dip: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dip for at least 15 minutes. This lets the flavors settle in and thickens the dip so it holds vegetables upright.
  3. Wash and dry vegetables: Rinse the carrots, celery, peppers, cucumber, and tomatoes under cold water, then pat everything dry with a towel so the pieces stay crisp on the board.
  4. Cut carrots and celery: Slice the carrots and celery into matchsticks about 3 inches long so they are uniform and easy to fan out into feather shapes.
  5. Slice the bell peppers: Cut the red, yellow, and orange bell peppers into thin strips, keeping the pieces roughly the same width for an even feather fan.
  6. Prepare the cucumber rounds: Slice the cucumber into thin rounds; these will overlap to form the turkey's body feathers around the dip bowl.
  7. Set the dip in place: Place the chilled dip in a small bowl and set it in the center of a large platter or board. This bowl becomes the turkey's body.
  8. Build the tail feathers: Arrange the carrot sticks and pepper strips in overlapping rows behind the dip bowl, alternating colors until the fan spreads out like a turkey's tail.
  9. Add the body feathers: Overlap the cucumber rounds in a semicircle in front of the dip bowl to build out the turkey's body.
  10. Shape the head and beak: Place a cherry tomato half at the front of the body for the head, then tuck a small triangle of orange pepper underneath for the beak.
  11. Add eyes and wattle: Press two small olive slices onto the tomato for eyes, then add a tiny red pepper piece hanging below the beak for the wattle.
  12. Fill in gaps: Scatter the remaining celery sticks and tomato halves around open spaces on the board so the tray looks full and colorful.
  13. Chill before serving: Refrigerate the assembled board for 10 minutes before serving to keep the dip cool and the vegetables crisp.