This cute turkey veggie tray makes the best Thanksgiving appetizer that even the kids will love! This holiday vegetable platter is so easy to assemble and requires no cooking, just fresh-cut veggies, and your favorite dip! Don’t forget the adorable turkey face!
We love including fresh veggies as part of our Thanksgiving appetizer, and this turkey veggie tray is the perfect addition! Festive and adorable, this vegetable platter is a fun and creative way to serve your veggie and dip spread. Plus, it’s a great Thanksgiving craft to get the kids involved in!
You can even pick your favorite dip to pair it with like ranch or tzatziki. See other suggestions below.
This easy turkey veggie tray would be great paired with a simple charcuterie board for an easy no-cook vegetable appetizer that you can quickly assemble before your guests arrive.
Why You’ll Love This Thanksgiving Veggie Platter
- Quick and easy
- No cooking required
- Fun and festive
- Kid-friendly
- Healthy and delicious!
This veggie platter with a turkey face is so cute and great for kids and adults!
Plus, veggie platters are great for entertaining, especially a Thanksgiving themed veggie tray since they give your guests something lighter to nosh on that pairs well with a meat and cheese platter, giving a wonderful balance to your spread.
Here is what you’ll need to make this turkey veggie tray for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
Just a few simple fresh ingredients is all your need for this cute turkey veggie platter!
- Carrots – I used large carrots that I peeled and cut into carrot sticks but you could also use baby carrots if you prefer to.
- Bell peppers – any variety of colorful bell peppers works. Just keep in mind that if you have a lot of other green veggies then you want to use red, orange, and yellow bell peppers to balance the colors.
- Broccoli florets – add a nice pop of green color and texture to the body of the turkey veggie tray.
- Cucumber – I used smaller Persian cucumbers since they contain fewer seeds and are a great size for a veggie platter.
- Radishes – bring a nice colorful element that adds a nice pop of bright color.
- For the turkey face – just the end of a bell pepper, the end of a carrot or baby carrot, candy eyeballs ( which you can get on Amazon or in the baking aisle at almost any grocery store).
- Dip of choice – I used ranch dip! See more suggestions below.
How To Make A Turkey Veggie Tray with a Turkey Face
Here is a summary of the step-by-step instructions to make this turkey vegetable platter with a turkey face. Get the complete list of recipe ingredients, instructions, and nutrition in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Start with the body of the turkey
Step 1: Select your platter and dip bowl to determine how many vegetables you’ll need to fill the space. I used a medium-sized platter and a small bowl, which worked perfectly.
Step 2: Prepare your vegetables by cutting them into shapes that suit your design. For variety, I sliced some veggies into circles and others into sticks.
Step 3: Create the turkey body – Fill your dip bowl with your favorite dip to anchor it in place, and set it at the front of your platter. Begin arranging the veggies by starting at the outer edge of the platter and working inward toward the dip bowl, layering each row as you go.
Then create the turkey face (which is adorable!)
Step 4: Create the turkey face – slice the end off a bell pepper (I used red, but any color works) and place it upright at the top of the dip bowl. Add candy eyes (I used putty to secure them), a beak by slicing a carrot end with a slit in the center, and carve carrot slices into feet. Attach the beak, position the feet, and enjoy your turkey veggie tray!
Dip ideas for a turkey veggie platter
You can choose any dip you like or have on hand. Here are a few ideas.
- Ranch
- Veggie dip
- Onion dip
- Green goddess dip
- Tzatziki sauce
- Hummus
Best veggies to use for a turkey veggie tray
Here are some of the best vegetables to use when making a vegetable board or platter.
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Radishes
- Bell peppers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Snap peas
- Asparagus
Tips for Success
- Choose your platter and design before you buy anything. Then shop your fridge for what you have on hand that works. Then you can head to the store to pick up the remaining items without having to overspend. Note: I sketched my design, chose the platter and dip bowl then selected the veggies and dip I wanted to use.
- For the turkey face you want to use a narrow bell pepper that has an end shaped like a pear (like the one in my photos). You don’t want the turkey face to take up the entire dip bowl or it will be harder for guests to scoop or dip.
- Arrange your veggies on your platter from the outside in so it is easier to layer them as you go making a more beautiful and appetizing presentation.
That’s it! This turkey veggie platter is so quick and easy to make and your guests will love it!!
Make ahead and storage
You can easily make this turkey veggie tray ahead of time by cutting and storing all the veggies in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you assemble and serve it. If you are making a homemade dip then you can also prepare that in advance and store it in the fridge until serving.
Keeping the turkey veggie platter cold while serving
Here are a couple of easy ways to keep your veggies crisp and fresh for your guests:
- Store the assembled platter in the refrigerator and bring it out just as your guests arrive.
- Place the platter on a tray of ice to keep it cool and refreshing throughout the gathering.
More healthy dip appetizers to try!
- Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Best Homemade Blender Hummus
Other vegetable appetizers
Did you try this Thanksgiving turkey veggie tray recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!
Print
Turkey Veggie Tray
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This Thanksgiving Turkey Veggie Tray makes the cutest centerpiece for your Thanksgiving spread that even the kids will love! It is easy to assemble and requires no cooking, just some fresh-cut veggies and your favorite veggie dip! Don’t forget the adorable turkey face!!
Ingredients
For the turkeys body
- 2 large yellow bell peppers – cut into slices
- 5–6 Persian cucumbers – cut into slices
- 5–6 large carrots – peeled and cut into carrot sticks
- 1 bag or bunch of fresh radishes – cut into slices
- 1 head of fresh broccoli – cut into florets
- 1 cup rand dip – or your favorite dip!
For the turkey face
- 1 medium bell pepper
- the end of a carrot or baby carrot
- candy eyeballs
- 1 medium carrot – peeled (to use for the turkey’s feet)
Instructions
- Select the tray and dip bowl you wish to use, then select your veggies.
- Prepare and cut the veggies how you like.
- Fill the dip bowl and put it in place on the platter. Begin arranging the veggies starting from the outer edge of your tray and building toward the dip bowl at the front of the tray. You want to layer and fan out the veggies as you fill in the tray so they resemble the body of a turkey.
- Make the turkey face – cut the end off of a bell pepper and place it at the top center of the dip bowl. Add the candy eyeballs (use some putty on the back of each one or a bit of peanut butter to help it stick to the pepper). Cut the round end of the carrot, cut a slit in it to make the beak, and add it to your turkey face. Cut the feet out of the remaining carrots and put them in place in the dip bowl.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- For the turkey face – use a medium bell pepper with a narrow end that has the shape of a pear. I had to look through a few peppers but I found one quickly.
- You can use putty or peanut butter to secure the eyes and beak in place on the turkey’s face.
- Cut the veggies thin so they are easy to layer but still dippable.
- To ensure your veggies a fresh and cold during serving, assemble the veggie tray and keep it in the fridge then pull it out right before your guests arrive.
- Make ahead – but and store your veggies in the fridge for up to one day before assembling and serving.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Healthy appetisers
- Method: No cook
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