Garden Vegetable Spread (Printer-friendly)

Creamy spread loaded with fresh garden vegetables, herbs and a zesty lemon touch. Perfect for snacking.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy & Base

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
02 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 small carrot, finely grated
04 - 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped

→ Seasonings & Flavorings

09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and Greek yogurt. Stir with a spatula until smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Add the grated carrot, chopped bell pepper, cucumber, spring onions, parsley, and chives to the bowl.
03 - Fold in the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
04 - Taste the spread and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to balance the flavors.
05 - Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
06 - Transfer to a serving dish and accompany with crackers, toasted bread, crudités, or use as a sandwich spread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns random vegetables into something luxurious without any cooking at all.
  • The lemon zest wakes everything up in a way that makes people ask what the secret ingredient is.
02 -
  • Skipping the chilling step means the flavors will taste flat and separate, so be patient even if you are hungry.
  • Squeezing the grated cucumber in a paper towel before adding it prevents a pool of water at the bottom of your bowl.
03 -
  • A microplane grater turns the carrot and garlic into near paste, which distributes their flavor more evenly than chopping ever could.
  • Letting the cream cheese warm up fully before mixing is the single step that separates a lumpy spread from a silky one.

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