Garden Vegetable Spread (Printable Version)
Vibrant, creamy spread of cucumber, bell pepper, carrot and herbs—chilled and served on crackers or bread.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fresh Vegetables
01 - 1 cup finely diced seeded cucumber
02 - 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
03 - 1/2 cup grated carrot
04 - 1/2 cup diced celery
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Dairy
06 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
07 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
→ Seasonings
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Combine the finely diced cucumber, red bell pepper, grated carrot, diced celery, and sliced green onions in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a spatula or hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the Greek yogurt or sour cream and continue mixing until fully incorporated and lump-free.
03 - Stir the minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, chopped parsley, and dill into the cream cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
04 - Add the prepared vegetable mixture to the seasoned cream cheese base. Fold gently with a spatula until all vegetables are evenly coated and distributed throughout.
05 - Taste the spread and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to balance the flavors.
06 - Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled with crackers, toasted bread, or fresh vegetable sticks.
# Top Tips:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, so your kitchen stays cool and you stay happy on hot days.
- The crunch of fresh vegetables against the creamy base is genuinely addictive, and people always ask what is in it.
02 -
- If you skip the resting time, the spread tastes flat and separate because the salt has not had a chance to pull moisture from the vegetables and create harmony.
- Seeding the cucumber is not optional here, since extra water will pool at the bottom of the bowl and turn your beautiful spread into a soupy mess by the second day.
03 -
- Salt the diced cucumber lightly and let it drain in a strainer for ten minutes before adding it to the bowl, and you will never deal with watery spread again.
- Use the fine side of a microplane for the garlic so it practically melts into the cream cheese rather than sitting in harsh little chunks.