Garden Vegetable Spread (Printable)

Bright, creamy spread of cucumber, bell pepper, carrot and celery folded into cream cheese and yogurt, served chilled.

# What You Need:

→ Fresh Vegetables

01 - 1 cup finely diced cucumber, seeded and peeled
02 - 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
03 - 1/2 cup grated carrot
04 - 1/2 cup finely diced celery
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dairy Base

06 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

→ Seasonings and Flavorings

08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
12 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

# How-To:

01 - Seed and peel the cucumber, then finely dice it along with the red bell pepper and celery. Grate the carrot and thinly slice the green onions. Combine all prepared vegetables in a medium bowl and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a spatula or hand mixer until smooth and free of lumps. Add the Greek yogurt or sour cream and continue mixing until fully incorporated and creamy.
03 - Stir the minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, kosher 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 the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to balance the flavors.
06 - Transfer the spread to a serving bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled with crackers, toasted bread, or fresh vegetable sticks.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes fifteen minutes from cutting board to table and tastes like you spent an hour.
  • The cream cheese base carries every vegetable so well that even picky eaters go back for thirds.
02 -
  • If you skip seeding the cucumber you will end up with a puddle instead of a spread.
  • The spread tastes dramatically better after resting in the fridge because the garlic and dill need time to bloom.
03 -
  • Pat the diced cucumber dry with a paper towel before adding it to the bowl for the creamiest result.
  • A pinch of garlic powder alongside the fresh clove adds depth without overpowering the raw vegetables.

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