Garden Vegetable Spread (Printable Version)
Vibrant, creamy blend of fresh vegetables with herbs and spices. Ideal for dipping, spreading, or serving as an appetizer.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 cup finely diced cucumber, seeded and peeled
02 - 1 cup finely diced red or yellow bell pepper
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
→ Seasoning
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 - Add the diced cucumber, bell pepper, grated carrot, celery, red onion, and chopped parsley to the seasoned base. Gently fold everything together using a rubber spatula until the vegetables are uniformly incorporated.
04 - Taste the spread and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to suit your preference.
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. Accompany with crackers, toasted bread, crudités, or use as a filling for sandwiches and wraps.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It takes twenty minutes, uses zero heat, and tastes like summer in a bowl.
- The spread gets better as it sits in the fridge, so making it ahead means less stress when guests arrive.
02 -
- If you skip seeding the cucumber, the spread will weep liquid overnight and turn soupy by morning.
- Roasting the bell pepper under the broiler until charred adds a smoky depth that transforms the entire flavor profile.
03 -
- Grate the carrot on the finest holes so it melts into the spread rather than feeling like shreds.
- For a vegan version, plant based cream cheese and coconut yogurt work surprisingly well with the lemon and garlic.