Christmas Tree Shaped Veggie Tray
Christmas Wreath and Christmas Tree Veggie Trays are perfect and super simple designs to make for your holiday gatherings.
CHRISTMAS TREE AND CHRISTMAS WREATH VEGGIE TRAY IDEAS
One of the first foods to disappear at any gathering is the veggie tray. I think most people like to nibble as they hang out. And veggies aren’t heavy and won’t make you feel like you need to take a nap like other party foods. So why not have a little fun with the traditional veggie tray? Presenting it in fun shapes like these Christmas Tree and Christmas Wreath Veggie Trays makes it a bit more exciting for the kiddos (and the kids at heart too!)
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREE VEGGIE TRAY: (PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW)
- celery
- red pepper
- sugar snap peas
- baby carrots
- English cucumber
- green pepper
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- American cheese
- Ranch Veggie Dip
HOW TO ASSEMBLE A CHRISTMAS TREE VEGGIE TRAY:
- You’ll need a rectangular serving tray (at least 9″x 13″)
- Start from the bottom and work your way up with the veggies.
- The first layer is the “tree trunk.” Place green pepper slices vertical at the bottom end of the tray.
- Next add a short row of cucumbers followed by a longer row of cucumbers. This will be the longest part of the veggie tray and each row will get shorter as you create the tree shape.
- The next row will be the baby carrots. Place them vertically above the cucumber slices. Angle the edge carrots slightly to give the tree some shape.
- The next row above the carrots will be the sugar snap peas. Lay those vertically and make the row slightly shorter than the carrot row and also angling the outer edges with a few snap peas.
- Above the snap peas, layer the slices of red peppers vertically. Above the red peppers, make a row of celery sticks. Again, make sure each row is slightly shorter than the last and angling the outer pieces.
- Finally, top it all off with a cheese star.
- Use the cherry tomatoes as “ornaments” and dot them all around the veggie tree.
- Serve with 1 (14 oz.) tub Marzetti® Ranch Veggie Dip.
Cook’s Notes: This can be made a day ahead of time. Wrap tray tightly with plastic wrap and keep cool in the refrigerator.
INGREDIENTS FOR A CHRISTMAS WREATH VEGGIE TRAY: (PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW)
- broccoli
- cherry (or grape) tomatoes
- red pepper
- Dill Veggie Dip
HOW TO ASSEMBLE A CHRISTMAS WREATH VEGGIE TRAY:
- For this you will need a large, round platter or large, round serving tray (at least 18-inches wide.)
Place tub of Marzetti® Dill Veggie Dip into the center of the platter. This will help you to easily build the broccoli wreath around it. - Starting from the center and working your way out, place all of your broccoli florets in a circle around the Marzetti® Dill Veggie Dip.
- Take the cherry tomatoes and place them on the broccoli wreath to make them look like ornaments.
- To make the red pepper bow: cut the bottom end off of the red pepper.
Cut around the “bumps” into three different sections.
Leave two of the pieces just like they are and take the third and cut it into a rectangle or square shape. This will be the center part of the bow. Place the cut rectangle-shaped pepper in between the two ends previously cut.
Next, cut off two 2-inch red pepper slices. Angle the cut slices underneath the red pepper bow. And that’s it. So easy and edible!
Place red pepper bow on the bottom half of the broccoli wreath.
Cook’s Notes: This can be made a day ahead of time. Wrap tray tightly with plastic wrap and keep cool in the refrigerator.
CHRISTMAS TREE VEGGIE TRAY
Ingredients
- 1 package celery cut into 2 1/2-inch sticks
- 1 red pepper sliced into strips
- 1 ½ cups sugar snap peas
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- 1 green pepper sliced into strips
- ¾ cup cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 slice American cheese cut into a star shape
- 1 (14 ounce) tub Marzetti® Ranch Veggie Dip
Instructions
- You’ll need a rectangular serving tray (at least 9″x 13″) Start from the bottom and work your way up with the veggies.
- First layer is the “tree trunk.” Place green pepper slices vertical at the bottom end of the tray.
- Next add a short row of cucumbers followed by a longer row of cucumbers. This will be the longest part of the veggie tray and each row will get shorter as you go to create the tree shape.
- The next row will be the baby carrots. Place them vertically above the cucumber slices. Angle the edge carrots slightly to give the tree some shape.
- Next row above the carrots will be the sugar snap peas. Lay those vertically and make the row slightly shorter than the carrot row and also angling the outer edges with a few snap peas.
- Above the snap peas, layer the slices of red peppers vertically.
- Above the red peppers, make a row of celery sticks. Again, make sure each row is slightly shorter than the last and angling the outer pieces.
- Finally, top it all off with a cheese star.
- Use the cherry tomatoes as “ornaments” and dot them all around the veggie tree.
- Serve with 1 (14 oz.) tub Marzetti® Ranch Veggie Dip.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
CHRISTMAS WREATH VEGGIE TRAY
Ingredients
- 8 broccoli crowns cut into bite-sized florets (it stems are long, trim down)
- ¾ cup cherry tomatoes (grape tomatoes)
- 1 red pepper
- 1 (14 ounce) tub Marzetti® Dill Veggie Dip
Instructions
- For this you will need a large, round platter or large, round serving tray (at least 18-inches wide.)
- Place tub of Marzetti® Dill Veggie Dip into the center of the platter. This will help you to easily build the broccoli wreath around it.
- Starting from the center and working your way out, place all of your broccoli florets in a circle around the Marzetti® Dill Veggie Dip.
- Take the cherry tomatoes and place them on the broccoli wreath to make them look like ornaments. To make the red pepper bow: cut the bottom end off of the red pepper.
- Cut around the “bumps” into three different sections.
- Leave two of the pieces just like they are and take the third and cut it into a rectangle or square shape. This will be the center part of the bow. Place the cut rectangle-shaped pepper in between the two ends previously cut.
- Next, cut off two 2-inch red pepper slices. Angle the cut slices underneath the red pepper bow. And that’s it. So easy and edible!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I love baking to make the house smell like the holidays, however, if I’m feeling lazy I just light a candle! Ha! Love the festive veggie trays!
I love baking cookies & comfort food, in the cooler weather.
I love baking during the colder months.
Every year during the holiday season, I make a lemon cake for our neighbors and ffamily. We have two lemon trees that produce many lemons.
i love making and baking all kinds of goodies to eat and to share. Fudge, cakes, and pies and many more!
Thank you!
Making soups and baking sweets!
I love making anything with pumpkin. Making apple pies. Keep the house warm with smells of cinnamon too. Love your recipes.
Looking forward to the holidays
We love to get apples from the farmer’s market. Years ago we could pick-our-own which made for a fun activity with lots of good memories.
I love decorating my house for the holidays!
I love fall decorating……inside and out. The air smells wonderful, the harvest is going on and little spooks come to see me!
Love to walk in the woods, photographing all the beautiful fall colors.
I love decorating for fall and baking all things pumpkin! My favorite time of year!!
I love taking walk on a cloudy fall day, hearing the leaves crunch under my feet.
Favorite fall activity? Hmm. Probably making all the pumpkin treats! Yummy, moist pumpkin bread is probably my favorite. 🙂
I like to curl up by the woodstove w/a cup of Hot Chocolate, my puppy dog, and a good book.Oh! and I love to bake!
I love decorating in the fall hues. It is crisp and the fall leaves are beautiful.
As the weather cools, baking becomes even more enjoyable!
I would have say, my favorite fall activity is home gating! I love having small, game day celebrations while watching football! 🙂
Long drives through the countryside — scenery is beautiful in the fall. And caramel apples!!
Like the way you done that red bow.. Very clever and such a cute idea.
In the Fall I like to do some canning and make homemade gift items to put in gift baskets.
Thank you for this giveaway opportunity.
my favorite fall thing is pumpkin bread making and spending time with my family and all the fall holiday traditions that lead into Christmas
Cute ideas!
Love the Christmas Veggie Tree idea!
I love decorating this time of year! What a perfect snack to add to the spirit!
I love baking!!
Soo creative & festive. a nice healthy addition to the normal calorie filled holiday “goodies”
Baking!
I love entertaining during the holidays
Going to festivals.
I love decorating and baking. I love shopping for gifts for all the kids. I love the relatives that come for the holidays also. I really enjoy Midnight Mass.
I love baking Christmas goodies
Both these looks so fun and festive.
Taking pictures of all the beautiful colors of nature!! 🙂
Love your recipes! I’m a jam maker. Christmas jam is my next one.
Wonderful ideas. Maybe I can keep the pounds off this year. 🙂
My favorite activities center around Halloween. Love carving the pumpkins, making pumpkin desserts and most of all, roasting the pumpkin seeds.
We enjoy traveling to our local Mountains for Apple picking, and a warm slice of Apple Pie 🙂
I love baking but try to restrict it to the Holidays!
Maybe I can make a prettier bow out of a red pepper than ribbon!
Mary – you and me both! LOL
What wonderful ideas! Can’t wait to make my own tree for the holidays!
Thanks so much Diane!!
I love pumpkin everything. My favorite pumpkin pie recipe is the one I make with my granddaughter. Every year she wants to help cook.
These are so cute.
Thank you Sue! Great for the creatively challenged like myself – ha!
I appreciate something healthy to snack around the holidays with all of the sweets and fatty foods. Now that I’m getting older, it’s a easier to put on weight and harder to take it off!
I’m going to make the Veggie Christmas Tree for our office Christmas party! I love it!
I hope everyone “Ooohs” and “Aaaahhs” over it! It’s the little things that make us happy. Merry Christmas!
we love hiking in the woods
I love making apple butter. It is my son’s favorite.
I love making some butter. It is my son’s favorite.
I love making holiday jams and jellies for my family.
Im gradually getting all of my fall decorations changed to Christmas….may enjoy decorating a veggie platter this year! Thanks for the ideas.
These are adorable! A nice alternative to all the sweets.
Making new ornaments for the tree each year is fun for me and my grandchildren