Go Back
Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Veggie Board | Kids' Snack Idea

Thanksgiving Turkey Veggie Board with Herby Dip

A no-cook Thanksgiving appetizer that arranges colorful vegetables into a turkey shape around a protein-rich herby yogurt dip, ready in about 20 minutes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 95
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 orange bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 2 carrots cut into sticks
  • 1 cucumber cut into sticks and rounds
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small round cheese ball (such as mild cheddar) for the head
  • 1 slice cheddar cheese cut into a small triangle, for the beak
  • 2 black olives sliced, for the eyes

Method
 

  1. Blend the cottage cheese: Add the cottage cheese to a food processor or blender and blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides once. The texture should turn from lumpy to a pale, creamy consistency with no visible curds.
  2. Mix in yogurt and mayo: Transfer the blended cottage cheese to a bowl and stir in the Greek yogurt and mayonnaise until fully combined. The mixture should loosen slightly and look uniform in color.
  3. Add garlic, lemon and herbs: Stir in the minced garlic, lemon juice, onion powder, chopped dill and chives. Mix until green flecks are distributed evenly through the dip.
  4. Season and chill: Taste the dip and add salt and black pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so the flavors settle and the dip firms up slightly.
  5. Slice the bell peppers: Cut the orange, yellow and red bell peppers into long, even strips about 3 inches long. Keep the strips similar in size so the feathers fan out neatly on the board.
  6. Cut the carrots and cucumber: Slice the carrots into thin sticks and cut the cucumber into a mix of sticks and rounds. Pat all the cut vegetables dry with a paper towel to keep the board from getting watery.
  7. Place the dip bowl: Set the chilled dip in a small bowl toward one end of a large board or platter. This bowl becomes the body of the turkey and anchors the rest of the design.
  8. Fan out the tail feathers: Arrange the bell pepper strips in a half-circle behind the dip bowl, placing the tallest strips at the back and shorter ones toward the front. Alternate colors so the feathers look striped.
  9. Shape the head and face: Place the cheese ball just in front of the dip bowl to form the turkey's head. Add two small olive slices for eyes and the cheese triangle for a beak.
  10. Add the wattle and accents: Tuck a small strip of red bell pepper under the beak to look like a wattle. Scatter a few cherry tomatoes near the head for extra color.
  11. Fill in remaining space: Arrange the remaining carrot sticks, cucumber pieces and cherry tomatoes around the board to fill any gaps. Group similar vegetables together so the board looks organized rather than scattered.
  12. Serve or chill briefly: Serve the board right away for the best color and crunch, or cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 1 hour before guests arrive.