Garden Vegetable Spread (Printable)
Vibrant creamy spread with fresh diced vegetables, perfect for dipping, sandwiches, or appetizers.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 cup finely diced cucumber, seeded and peeled
02 - 1 cup finely diced bell pepper, red or yellow
03 - 1/2 cup finely grated carrot
04 - 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
05 - 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
06 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
→ Base
07 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and Greek yogurt. Stir vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Add the lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the cream cheese mixture. Blend thoroughly until all seasonings are evenly distributed throughout.
03 - Gently fold the diced cucumber, bell pepper, grated carrot, celery, red onion, and chopped parsley into the seasoned base using a spatula. Fold until vegetables are uniformly coated and well distributed.
04 - Taste the spread and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired to balance the flavors.
05 - Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the spread to firm up.
06 - Transfer the chilled spread to a serving dish. Serve with crackers, crusty bread, crostini, or use as a sandwich filling.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under twenty minutes with zero cooking, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay happy.
- The creaminess balanced against that sharp crunch of fresh vegetables makes it impossible to stop eating straight from the bowl.
- It doubles effortlessly for a crowd and tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle.
02 -
- Skipping the chill time means the flavors will taste flat and disjointed, so plan ahead and let the refrigerator do its work.
- If your cucumber seems watery, press the diced pieces between paper towels before folding them in, or your spread will turn soupy by tomorrow.
03 -
- Dice every vegetable as small and uniform as possible so the spread sits neatly on a cracker instead of tumbling off in uneven chunks.
- A microplane grater for the carrot creates a texture that virtually disappears into the base, adding sweetness and color without resistance.