Description

Create a festive and healthy Santa Veggie Tray perfect for holiday gatherings. This colorful vegetable platter features a creamy hummus base and a creative arrangement of fresh veggies, mozzarella pearls, olives, and crackers designed to resemble Santa’s face, hat, and beard—making it both a delicious and delightful centerpiece for your party.

Ingredients

Scale

Base and Spread

1 recipe hummus

Vegetables and Garnishes

2 red bell peppers, sliced thin
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cherry tomato, halved
2 15-ounce cans large black olives, drained
1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 celery stalks, cut into sticks

Dairy and Crackers

Mozzarella pearls (cherry tomato sized), quantity as needed
Crackers of choice, quantity as needed

Instructions

Prepare the Base: On a large rectangular serving board, spread a generous amount of hummus on a 6-inch plate placed in the center of the board to act as the base of Santa’s face.
Create the Hat: Arrange the thinly sliced red bell pepper pieces above the hummus plate to form Santa’s hat. Place mozzarella pearls at the end of the hat and around the top of the hummus to mimic the fluffy trim of the hat.
Form the Face Features: Shape Santa’s beard using cauliflower florets arranged below the hummus plate. Add a strip of red bell pepper horizontally to represent the lips, a halved cherry tomato in the center for the nose, and two black olives positioned for the eyes. Use small cauliflower pieces to create eyebrows and a mustache to enhance facial details.
Add Arms and Side Decorations: Fill in the sides of the serving board with sliced cucumbers and use bell pepper sticks to design Santa’s arms, placing black olives at the bottom to form the hands or mittens.
Fill Remaining Space: Complete the tray by filling in remaining empty spaces with mozzarella pearls, sugar snap peas, celery sticks, and crackers of your choice to create a colorful and abundant presentation.

Notes

Use fresh, crisp vegetables for a more vibrant and appealing tray.
Hummus can be homemade or store-bought based on preference.
The quantity of mozzarella pearls, snap peas, and crackers can be adjusted depending on the size of your serving board and number of guests.
This tray can be prepared a few hours in advance and refrigerated, but assemble the delicate toppings close to serving to maintain freshness.
For a dairy-free option, substitute mozzarella pearls with vegan cheese alternatives.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Santa veggie tray, holiday appetizer, vegetable platter, hummus, festive snack, healthy party food, Christmas appetizer