This festive pumpkin veggie tray is arranged in the shape of a jack-o-lantern and features orange and green vegetables with Greek yogurt dip! It’s a fun DIY recipe for Halloween or fall entertaining.
Halloween is right around the corner, and I’m so excited for all of the fun. This year, I wanted to share a way to add some vegetables to your spooky season celebrations with this pumpkin veggie tray!
It’s a simple recipe to whip up, even if you have only 10 minutes. You can serve it for your family before trick-or-treating or make it for a party. It’s fun for both kids and adults, AND it’s customizable based on what veggies you have on hand.
In addition to the vegetables, I included a simple Greek yogurt dip with ranch seasonings. It makes the veggies more interesting and provides some protein for a balanced snack. You can totally sub a store-bought dip if needed though!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orange vegetables: Of course, orange needs to be the base color for a pumpkin veggie tray! I recommend baby carrots, and if you can find them, mini orange bell peppers.
- Vegetable for the “teeth” and “nose:” For the jack-o-lantern’s teeth, you can use something with a pale color like sliced cucumber. I added some broccoli for variety and also because spooky pumpkins are probably not immune to broccoli getting stuck in their teeth ;-)! I used a mini bell pepper for the nose, in a different color than the ones on the rest of the tray so that it would stick out. You can also use a triangle-shaped piece of sliced cucumber or another veggie. I’ve seen people use olives for the nose too.
- Green veggies for the stem: Thinly sliced celery sticks are perfect for the pumpkin’s stem, but a tall stalk of broccoli also works.
- Greek yogurt: Use plain Greek yogurt for the base of the veggie dip. If you want the tray to be vegan or allergy-friendly/dairy-free, sub a dairy-free Greek yogurt like Kite Hill brand or a vegan dip like hummus.
- Dried seasonings for the dip: Use a combo of onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, dried parsley, and salt to get a Ranch flavor. You can also use a veggie dip seasoning packet or add other seasoning you like, such as fresh herbs (like chives), a dash of Worcestershire sauce, or smoked paprika for some heat.
Equipment
Arrange your pumpkin veggie tray on a large circular tray or plate. If you are hosting a party or feeding a large family, use the biggest one you can find and get enough veggies to fill it. For the dip, use 2 small bowls. I used 4-ounce ramekins, and they worked perfectly!
If the bowls are too big, they won’t look right as the “eyes” of the pumpkin. If you only have larger bowls, you can use other veggies for the eyes and serve the dip on the side.
Instructions
The full recipe card is at the bottom of the post. Here are some tips for arranging a jack-o-lantern vegetable tray.
Prepare the veggie dip by mixing the Greek yogurt with the seasonings in a bowl. Transfer the dip to small bowls for serving.
Put the dip “eyes” on your platter, then arrange the veggie tray. You can start by putting the orange veggies (baby carrots and mini bell peppers, if using) all over the plate as a base OR you can start with the veggies for the smile and then fill in the tray with the orange veggies. Add the nose and stem.
Serving
A pumpkin veggie tray is a simple and fun way to serve Halloween vegetables with dip! It’s great as part of a spread with other festive foods, such as my Healthy Dirt Cups (with tofu chocolate mousse), Pumpkin Peanut Butter Balls (No Bake), Sheet Pan Pumpkin Bars (Lightened Up), or Vegan Peanut Butter Cups with Pumpkin.
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Veggie Tray
Equipment
- Large plate or circular tray
- 2 4-ounce bowls or ramekins
Ingredients
Veggies
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 4 to 6 mini orange bell peppers - optional
- 1 mini red or yellow bell pepper - for the nose
- ½ cucumber - peeled and sliced; for the teeth
- ¼ cup broccoli florets - cut into tiny pieces; for the teeth
- 2 ribs celery - thinly sliced; for the stem
Greek yogurt dip
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the veggie dip by mixing together the Greek yogurt with the seasonings. Spoon it into 2 small bowls (4 ounces each is preferable). Place the bowls onto your tray as the "eyes" of the jack-o-lantern.
- Prepare the vegetables in the appropriate shapes and sizes.
- Arrange the veggie tray. Start with the orange veggies (baby carrots and mini bell peppers, if using) and place them all over the tray. Alternatively, you can start with the smile and put the cucumber slices and small pieces of broccoli on first and then fill in the rest of the tray with the orange veggies.
- Add the nose to the tray. I used a mini red bell pepper, but you can use a triangular slice of cucumber, olives, or another veggie of choice.
- Add the stem to the tray. I used thinly sliced pieces of celery.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- If you don’t have small bowls for the dip, use veggies for the eyes and serve the dip on the side.
- To make the tray vegan or dairy-free/allergy-friendly, use a plant-based Greek yogurt or a dip like hummus.
- To save time, use a store-bought dip.
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