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This Thanksgiving turkey veggie tray turns crunchy broccoli, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, and cherry tomatoes into an adorable turkey, with a bowl of guacamole for the body. It’s a fun, festive way to bring more veggies to the holiday table, and it takes no cooking at all. Planning the rest of the menu? Find more ideas in my vegan Thanksgiving recipes.
So many of you loved my Christmas veggie tray that this turkey-shaped veggie platter was a must-try. It makes holiday snacking so fun for young and old alike, and it’s a great way to get kids involved, both in the prep and in the eating. It will have everyone gobbling it up, with no actual turkeys harmed!
Quick Glance
- Recipe Name: Turkey Veggie Tray
- Why You’ll Love It: A fun, festive, no-cook Thanksgiving appetizer that kids love to help make.
- Time and Difficulty: About 45 minutes of chopping and arranging, easy.
- Main Ingredients: Broccoli, cucumber, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, celery, and guacamole.
- Method: Set a bowl of dip on a platter, fan the veggies around it like feathers, and add a veggie face.
- Texture and Flavor: Crisp, fresh, and colorful, with a creamy dip.
- Quick Tip: Use a thick dip like guacamole or hummus so the turkey face stays in place.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Turkey Veggie Tray So Good
With so many rich dishes at Thanksgiving, a light, colorful appetizer is always welcome. Serve it with my easy guacamole or a store-bought dip, and set it out while everything else finishes cooking.
- No cooking: Just wash, chop, and arrange.
- Kid-friendly: Little helpers can arrange the feathers and make the face.
- Make-ahead friendly: Chop everything a day or two ahead, or assemble the whole tray the day before.
- Easy to customize: Use whatever veggies and dips your family loves.
- A centerpiece and an appetizer: It looks so cute on the table, and it disappears fast!
- Budget-friendly: Just simple, everyday veggies you can find at any grocery store.
Turkey Veggie Tray Ingredients
You’ll need a mix of colorful veggies, a creamy dip, and a few small pieces for the turkey’s face. You’ll find the full list in the recipe card below.
- Broccoli: The big, leafy florets make the outer row of feathers.
- Cucumber: Slice it into rounds for the next row.
- Bell peppers: Green, yellow, and orange slices add the fall colors. A small piece of red bell pepper makes the snood, and yellow bell pepper makes the wings.
- Cherry tomatoes: Rainbow cherry tomatoes add color, and half of one makes the head.
- Baby carrots: Multi-colored baby carrots look so pretty, and one makes the legs and beak.
- Celery: Cut into pieces for the bottom of the tray.
- Guacamole: The dip in the middle becomes the turkey body. Use homemade or store-bought.
- Vegan cream cheese and black sesame seeds: A tiny dab of cream cheese topped with a sesame seed (or a peppercorn) makes each eye.
PRO TIP: Other great veggies for a Thanksgiving veggie platter include cauliflower, asparagus, sugar snap peas, snow peas, steamed green beans, radishes, jicama, mini sweet peppers, baby corn, pickles, olives, and roasted or pickled beets. Crackers (like these vegan rosemary crackers) and vegan cheese cubes work too.
The Best Dips for a Holiday Veggie Tray
I love using homemade vegan dips, but store-bought ones work, too. Thick dips hold the turkey face best.
- Guacamole (my favorite for this tray)
- Vegan ranch dressing
- Hummus, like my easy hummus, dill pickle hummus, or easy beet hummus
- Spicy chipotle white bean dip
- Vegan French onion dip
- Vegan bean dip or pinto bean dip
- Creamy vegan spinach dip
- Vegan tzatziki, baba ganoush, or vegan buffalo dip
How to Make a Turkey Vegetable Tray
Before you start, grab a 12 to 16-inch platter. A round one makes it easiest to fan out the feathers. You’ll also need one small bowl for the dip, plus a medium bowl if you’d like to nest the carrots and tomatoes around it.
Step 1: Prep the veggies. Rinse, trim, and chop the vegetables. If you like a more tender bite, blanch or steam the broccoli and other firm veggies, then cool them completely.
Step 2: Set up the dip. Place the bowl of guacamole at the bottom center of the platter. If you are using two bowls, nest the small bowl inside the medium bowl.
Step 3: Add the feathers. Arrange the vegetables in overlapping half circles around the dip to look like turkey feathers. Start with broccoli on the outer edge, followed by cucumbers, bell peppers, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes. Tuck the celery pieces along the bottom, around the dip bowl.
Step 4: Make the turkey face. Place half a cherry tomato at the top of the dip for the head, a small triangle of carrot for the beak, and a small piece of red bell pepper for the snood. Add two yellow bell pepper pieces on the sides for wings and a lengthwise-sliced baby carrot for the legs. Dot on vegan cream cheese eyes topped with black sesame seeds.
PRO TIP: For a simpler face, use the bottom of a bell pepper as the head, a red bell pepper piece for the snood, a baby carrot tip for the beak, and candy eyes or olive slices for the eyes. A little dip or vegan cream cheese holds them in place.
Toni’s Tips for the Best Turkey Veggie Tray
- Use a range of vegetables: For lots of colors and textures (it looks great, too!). Make sure they are fresh and crisp.
- Go big to small: Put the largest veggies at the back (like broccoli and bell peppers) and the smaller ones at the front (like tomatoes and cucumbers).
- Blanch firm veggies, if you like: Broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus get a more tender bite.
- No large platter: Build it on a large cutting board, or right on the table over parchment paper.
- Add the face last: Make the face right before serving so the eyes stay put and the guacamole stays green.
- Offer more dips: Set extra bowls of dip beside the tray so everyone can choose a favorite.
- Keep it cool: Serve the turkey veggie platter over a tray of ice.
Ways to Switch It Up
- Fruit turkey: Use fruit for the feathers, with a sweet vegan yogurt dip.
- Different feathers: Try purple cauliflower, snow peas, jicama sticks, or mini sweet peppers.
- Different eyes: Use olive slices, candy eyes, or blueberries.
- Hummus body: Swap the guacamole for hummus, which stays the same color for longer.
- More holidays: Make it for Christmas, too, with my veggie tray shaped like a tree or wreath. For a bigger spread, see my tips on how to have an easy vegan Thanksgiving.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Prep ahead: Chop the veggies 24 to 48 hours ahead and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. Most dips can be made ahead, too.
- Make the whole tray ahead: Assemble it up to a day ahead, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill it until serving. Add the guacamole and the face right before serving.
- Serving time: Like any cut veggies and dips, it’s best not to leave the tray out for more than 2 hours at room temperature. Setting it over ice helps.
- Leftovers: Store leftover veggies in airtight containers or reusable bags in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Guacamole browns quickly, but a thin layer of water on top can help it keep for 2 to 3 days. Other dips keep for several days.
Turkey Veggie Tray FAQs
Plan for 4 to 6 pieces of vegetables per guest and about 4 Tablespoons of dip. That’s generous, but I’d rather have leftovers than run out mid-party!
A 12 to 16-inch platter works well. A round platter makes it easiest to fan out the feathers, but a square or rectangular one works if you arrange the veggies in an arc.
Add the guacamole right before serving. If you want to set the tray out longer, hummus is a great choice, since it doesn’t brown.
I use tiny dots of vegan cream cheese topped with black sesame seeds or peppercorns. Olive slices, blueberries, or candy eyes work too.
Yes! Use a larger board, add an extra row of feathers, and set out a few extra bowls of dip. Plan on 4 to 6 pieces of veggies per guest.
More Vegan Appetizer Recipes
Vegan Appetizers
Vegan Charcuterie Board (Grazing Platter)
Vegan Appetizers
Easy Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
Vegan Appetizers
Sweet Potato Hummus
Vegan Appetizers
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
If you tried this turkey veggie tray or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
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Easy Turkey Veggie Tray
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Video
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli chopped into florets
- 1 large cucumber sliced
- ½ green bell pepper sliced
- ½ yellow bell pepper sliced, plus 2 small pieces for the wings
- ½ orange bell pepper sliced
- 1 small piece red bell pepper for the snood
- 1 handful rainbow cherry tomatoes
- 1 handful multi-colored baby carrots
- 1 rib celery cut into 4 pieces
- 1 batch guacamole homemade or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegan cream cheese for the eyes
- 2 black sesame seeds or peppercorns for the eyes
Instructions
- Rinse, trim, and chop the vegetables. Blanch or steam the broccoli first if you like a more tender bite, then let it cool completely.
- Place the small bowl of guacamole at the bottom center of a 12 to 16-inch platter. If using two bowls, nest the small bowl inside the medium bowl.
- Arrange the vegetables in overlapping half circles around the dip like turkey feathers. Start with the broccoli on the outer edge, followed by the cucumbers and bell peppers. Add the baby carrots and cherry tomatoes as the inner rows (or in the medium bowl), and place the celery pieces at the bottom of the platter.
Decorate the guacamole to create the turkey face:
- Slice a cherry tomato in half lengthwise and place it at the top of the guacamole for the head.
- Cut a small triangle of carrot for the beak and a small drop-shaped piece of red bell pepper for the snood, and place them on the head.
- Cut two equal pieces of yellow bell pepper for the wings and place them on both sides of the guacamole.
- Slice a baby carrot in half lengthwise for the legs, and carve small feet with a sharp knife, if you like.
- Dab two small dots of vegan cream cheese on the head and top each one with a black sesame seed for the eyes.
- Serve right away.
Notes
- Use a mix of colorful, fresh vegetables for the best look and crunch.
- Blanch broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus first if you prefer a more tender bite.
- No large platter? Build it on a large cutting board or on the table over parchment paper.
- Put the largest veggies at the back of the tray and the smaller ones at the front.
- Chop the veggies up to 48 hours ahead and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. Add the guacamole and the face right before serving.
