This cute turkey veggie tray is a fresh and colorful appetizer centerpiece that is the perfect holiday addition to your Thanksgiving spread. Best of all, kids love to help make it!
It’s the perfect easy Thanksgiving appetizer to kick off your holiday gathering along with this turkey fruit tray or chocolate strawberry turkeys!
Table of Contents
Turkey Vegetable Tray
As you can probably imagine, this turkey vegetable tray for Thanksgiving is always a hit next to the oven roasted turkey! Kids love this platter especially when you add their favorite dip.
Placing fresh, colorful, healthy veggies as a turkey veggie tray is super simple to do, yet so creative! It’s the perfect appetizer to kick off your Thanksgiving menu and is a fun twist on a fruit and veggie platter.
How to Assemble a Thanksgiving Turkey Veggie Tray
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below
- Set up. Place the bowl in the center at the bottom of the platter. Fill it with your favorite veggie dip, we love homemade ranch and dill dip.
- Turkey body. Cut the bottom of a yellow bell pepper off and place two candy eyes on two bumps on the bell pepper end. Use a small sliver of red bell pepper for the beak and cut out more yellow pepper for the wings. Slice the carrots for the feet.
- Lettuce. Place lettuce leaves around the outer edge of the platter. Lay them flat side by side but a little overlapping is fine. Fan them out like turkey feathers.
- Celery. Line celery stalks beside one another and layer them around the platter just below the lettuce leaves.
- Cucumber. Place slices of cucumber just below the celery in the same fashion.
- Bell pepper and carrots. Keep going you’re almost done! Layer the red bell pepper sticks first followed by the baby carrots.
- Black olives. Last but not least, add them to the bottom of the tray before serving.
Tip: Make sure to use the pictures as a guide. I love making mine this way, but it’s your platter, so you can have fun getting your kids involved to create it!
Tips and Variations
- Wash and cut your veggies ahead of time for faster assembly. Keep them crisp by placing them in a Ziploc bag with a paper towel to absorb the moisture and store in vegetable crisper.
- To assemble the turkey veggie platter ahead of time, cover the dip with plastic wrap and leave off the olives and turkey face until just before serving.
- Use different veggies. You can follow the color scheme by swapping the cucumber for broccoli florets, the red bell pepper for cherry tomatoes, and kale or collard greens for the lettuce leaves.
- You could also do a completely different color pattern and arrange the turkey vegetable platter any way you like.
- Make this entire platter using fruit instead! Strawberries, kiwi, oranges, you get the idea. Use this funfetti dip to pair with it!
- You can also use guacamole, spinach dip or blue cheese dressing for your veggie tray dip.
Looking for more dip appetizers for your vegetables? Try this tzatziki sauce, hummus, or this nacho cheese dip for more delicious snacks!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Turkey Veggie Tray
Ingredients
- 1 baby romaine lettuce
- 1 stalk celery , sliced into 3-inch pieces
- 1 english cucumber , sliced
- 1 red bell pepper , sliced
- 8 ounces carrots , sliced
- 1-2 cups black olives
For turkey dip:
- 1 cup dill dip
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 mini yellow pepper
- 2 candy eyes
- 2 baby carrots
Instructions
- Wash and dry veggies. Wash vegetables, slice and allow to air dry. Gather a large oval or circle platter. Place bowl for the veggie dip in the bottom center of the platter.
- Make your turkey face and body. Then cut the bottom of the bell pepper off and place at the top of the bowl. Place two candy eyes on top and cut a little sliver from a red bell pepper to make the beak. Then slice the mini pepper in half for the wings. Next slice the carrot in half and carve out the feet. Then place onto the bottom of the bowl.
- Add turkey feathers. Start at the top of the plate and add the romaine lettuce all around the top. Then layer the celery and cucumber.
- Add remaining veggies. Next add the bell pepper and baby carrots. Place olives on the bottom of the platter and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Thoroughly wash and cut up your vegetables. Assemble the tray and cover the dip with plastic and wait to add the olives and bell pepper turkey on top of the dip until ready to serve.
You can cut your vegetables 24-48 hours ahead of time. Store them properly in storage bag to have them last longer and keep their crisp layer.
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Kid-Friendly, Low Carb, Platters, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
What size is the turkey veggie tray platter?
Mine was about 12 inches :)
This was so cute. All the kids loved it.
This is so cute! We always have a veggie tray for Thanksgiving, but I never thought of arranging it into an adorable turkey. It will be a great project for my daughter to help with!
Such a fun recipe for your little ones to help out with!