Spring Veggie & Hummus Platter

This Spring veggie and hummus platter is a beautiful assortment of fresh, colorful spring vegetables and an extra creamy and flavorful hummus. This board is the perfect thing to make for any special occasion (even if it’s just a small gathering of family at home!).

Spring Vegetable & Hummus Platter

This spring vegetable & hummus platter contains my favorite dreamy creamy hummus that’s bursting with big lemon and garlic flavor. Plus, an assortment of colorful and seasonal veggies and soft pillowy naan bread. It’s a show stopping board that is perfect for any party or special occasion.

I understand right now we are practicing social distancing and parties look a little different. But I’m a firm believer that you can throw a good party, even for just 2 people.

When my husband and I lived in Chicago, I used to plan these fun, themed date nights where I made an assortment of appetizers, whipped up a festive cocktail, and bought special plates and napkins. When I described what I was planning to my mom, she always asked whether I was throwing a party. I would always say, “a party for 2!” These were some of the best night when we lived in Chicago. Even though it was just the 2 of us, we made these nights fun and memorable.

I think now is the perfect time to still throw “parties” even when just at home with your families (or even if you live alone). Make weekends a little more special by dressing up (I know I need to get out of my yoga pants!), decorating your house with some festive party decor, busting out a good bottle of wine (rosé  pairs perfectly with this platter) and making this gorgeous spring vegetable & hummus platter. Making what seems like an ordinary, mundane night more exciting is a great way to lift your spirits!

How to make the extra creamy and flavorful hummus

I strongly recommend making hummus from scratch. It’s relatively easy to make and typically has much more flavor (and less preservatives) than the store-bought kinds.

Here are my tips to creating delicious, extra creamy, and flavorful hummus every time:

• Peel the chickpeas. I will admit this is a tedious task. But it’s worth it! The skins on the chickpeas cause the hummus to have a thicker, rougher texture. Removing them allows the chickpeas to blend into a softer, smoother hummus.
• Use white beans too. This is my secret to creating extra creamy hummus. The white beans have a similar flavor to chickpeas but a slightly softer, creamier texture which helps make the hummus overall creamier.
• Don’t be shy with the garlic. Chickpeas, which are mild in flavor, need a little love and assistance to make them shine. Garlic is the perfect addition. I use 3-4 large cloves to really pack that garlicky punch.
• A good amount of olive oil. The olive oil gives the hummus luscious, rich texture.
• A good squeeze of lemon juice. Lemon adds a fresh, bright pop of flavor and also helps round out the richness of the other flavors.
• Aquafaba. You might be asking what the heck is this? It’s actually just the liquid in the can of chickpeas. Make sure to reserve it so you can repurpose it in the actual hummus. It helps add more flavor and creaminess to the hummus.
• Garnish. I drizzled olive oil over the hummus and garnished with fresh parsley and lemon juice. It adds extra flavor and also looks pretty.

what veggies to include on this spring vegetable & hummus platter

I used fresh, colorful, and seasonal vegetables to dress up this spring vegetable & hummus platter:

• Rainbow Carrots. I love the freshness and beautiful hues of these carrots. They come in purple, yellow, and orange hues and each carrot has it’s own distinct taste. Plus, carrot sticks are perfect for dipping in hummus.
• Red Radishes. I love their beautiful red, almost rich pink color. Red radishes also have a peppery flavorful and crunchy bite that makes them perfect for this platter.
• Sugar Snap Peas. I love sugar snap peas. As the name suggests, they give a sharp snap when you bite into them. They also have a sweet and earthy flavor that pairs well with the garlicky hummus.
• Toasted Naan Bread. This is a must in my book for any good hummus platter. I use Stonefire Naan because it’s soft, flavorful, and fluffy. I drizzle the naan with olive oil and a little garlic salt and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes so it’s warm and a little toasted.
• Be creative. You can use any veggies you love and have in your kitchen or garden.

how to arrange the spring vegetable & hummus platter

I selected a round cutting board style serving platter. I put the bowl of hummus at the top of the board. Then I arrange the fresh, cut veggies into sections around the board trying to make sure that like, complementary colors were next to each so the board looks pleasing to the eye. I also put fresh cut, cleaned flowers on the board for extra pizazz and so the board really screamed spring.

enjoy!

This spring vegetable & hummus platter is a must make for the season. It contains the best, most flavorful hummus and all the fresh, delicious, produce of Spring.

If you make this platter, please leave a comment below.  I absolutely love to hear from you guys and your thoughts on my recipes. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or pin it on pinterest, cuz sharing is caring!

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Spring Hummus Platter

Course Appetizer

Keyword homemade hummus, spring platter, traditional hummus

Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Extra Creamy Hummus

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas skins removed*, drained but liquid from can preserved
• 1 15 oz can white bean drained
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon aquafaba liquid from chickpeas
• Juice of one lemon about 3-4 tablespoons
• 3-4 garlic cloves peeled
• 3/4-1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• Extra olive oil and lemon juice for topping
• 1 teaspoon Zataar for topping
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for topping

Spring Veggie Platter

• 1 piece of naan toassted torn into pieces*
• 3 rainbow carrots cut into sticks
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 4-5 radishes sliced

Instructions

1. In a food processor, add the chickpeas, white beans, tahini, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup aquafaba, lemon juice, garlic cloves, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cumin and blend until smooth and creamy.

2. If hummus is too thick, add extra tablespoon of olive oil and aquafaba to thin out slightly.

3. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (may need to add the extra 1/4 teaspoon salt).

4. Transfer the hummus to a bowl and top with olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley. The batch makes enough for 2 serving bowls so can save the second half for later if desired.

5. Place bowl on platter. Serve with naan and vegetables.

6. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

I recommend removing the skins from the chickpeas so the blend better. This is optional. You can skip this step (but hummus will not be quite as smooth and creamy).

For the naan, I drizzled it with olive oil and garlic salt and toasted it in a 350 degree oven for 4-5 minutes so it’s slightly toasted but still pillowy. 

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