Green Goddess Veggie Dip Cups ~ healthy snacks to keep in the refrigerator for when the munchies strike, or super cute portable appetizers for your next party — and let’s just say that the dreaded communal dip bowl is now a thing of the past.
I was put on appetizer duty for a friend’s barbecue today. She wanted to solve the problem of the appetizer table that sits untouched while all her guests spread out around the yard talking and drinking. She asked me to come with something more portable that people could take with them instead of being tethered to a table.
I came up with these little veggie dip cups. I love them. They’re colorful and healthy, and they completely avoid the whole communal dip in the sun issue. I hate that. Everybody gets their own personal, portable, appetizer which makes for happy guests who are free to mingle…your parties just got 100% better.
I started with a dip version of my homemade Green Goddess Dressing. I layered it at the bottom of each cup.
Then I julienned the most colorful bunch of veggies I could find. Rainbow carrots, peppers, jicama, thin asparagus, English cucumber…anything that was crunchy and long enough to stack in the cup. For vegetables like asparagus and green beans I blanched them in boiling water for just about 30 seconds to take the raw ‘edge’ off, and then put them into ice water to stop the cooking and keep their bright color. Pop cherry tomatoes on the end of long toothpicks.
TIP: Anchovy paste comes in a tube and lasts forever in the fridge. It doesn’t taste ‘fishy’, and gives the dip a wonderful flavor. The paste and the tarragon are key to the Green Goddess experience.
Tips for making Green Goddess Veggie Dip Cups ~
- Use plastic cups with high sides so your veggies stay put. The shape should flare out for easy noshing.
- Make sure to layer enough of the dip at the bottom, you don’t want your cup to run dry before all the veggies are gone.
- Make sure your veggies are fresh and cut thinly.
- Pay attention to color, and use a variety.
Green Goddess Veggie Dip Cups ~ healthy snacks to keep in the refrigerator for when the munchies strike, or super cute portable appetizers for your next party --- and let's just say that the dreaded communal dip bowl is now a thing of the past.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup parsley leaves
- 1/3 cup fresh dill fronds
- 1/3 cup tarragon leaves
- 1/3 cup chives
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup soft goat cheese
- 1-2 tsp anchovy paste (optional but I recommend it)
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 8 oz clear plastic party tumblers (mine were about 3 1/2 inches high)
- assorted colorful veggies:
- asparagus
- green beans
- rainbow carrots
- jicama
- bell peppers
- English (or Persian) cucumber
- skinny green onions
- sugar snap peas
- cherry tomatoes to put on the end of long toothpicks
- whatever else you like
Instructions
- To make the dip --- rinse your herbs well and put them in the bowl of a small food processor. Run the machine until the herbs are finely mined, scraping down the sides as you go to get all the herbs completely processed. This is going to give your dip that lovely pale green color.
- Add the lemon juice, garlic, and mayonnaise and continue processing until everything is blended well and there are no larger pieces of herbs left. You will still have to scrape down the sides.
- Add the yogurt, sour cream, goat cheese and anchovy paste. Process until blended.
- Taste the dip, and add the salt and pepper. Add extra lemon if needed.
- To assemble the cups --- peel and slice the veggies into sticks. Cut them to a length where they will just peek out from the tops of your cups when stacked.
- For tough vegetables like the beans and asparagus, plunge them in a pot of boiling salted water for about 30 seconds to a minute after it comes back to a boil. Then put them directly into a bath of ice water to stop the cooking and retain their bright color.
- Layer a little dip on the bottom of each cup. Then arrange an grouping of vegetable sticks on top. Keep cold and covered with a damp paper towel until ready to serve.
Make it your own ~
- Make it with your favorite dip. Use your favorite salad dressing, hummus, or guacamole.
- Make it ahead. If you slice up your veggies ahead of time, wrap them in damp paper towels to keep them from drying out.
19 Comments
Renee
August 23, 2018 at 9:45 amWhere did you find your cups?
Sue
August 24, 2018 at 5:42 amI find mine in my regular grocery store, Renee, and if you have a party store near you they’re great sources for all shapes and sizes of plastic cups. Amazon will have them as well.
Dara
October 30, 2016 at 1:57 amLove the idea. Where did you get the tumblers. I have not been able to find this size.
Sue
October 30, 2016 at 5:43 amThis is an old post, Dara, so I don’t recall exactly where I got them,but I’ve seen them in other large grocery stores a lot. Any medium, slightly flared cup should work.
Kylee @KyleeCooks.com
May 10, 2016 at 9:03 amI would SO love to see these on a table at a party. I’d be grabbing 2 just for me!
Something so cool about individual cups of deliciousness. Easy to get your veggies in when you make it looks so pretty!
Camilla
May 10, 2016 at 8:56 amI’ve never seen this idea before and absolutely love it, a great way to get kids to eat healthy veggies:-)
Kelly @ Mostly Homemade Mom
May 10, 2016 at 8:34 amI’ve seen the veggie cups like this before, but I’m LOVING the asparagus spears and green goddess dip you’ve used here! I’m thinking these would be perfect for my son’s birthday party in July!
Sue
May 10, 2016 at 8:40 amThanks Kelly, they really do work well for parties, especially outdoors.
Sandi (@fearless_dining)
May 10, 2016 at 8:25 amWhat a fun way to get kids to eat the rainbow :-)
Sue
May 10, 2016 at 8:30 amI think it’s ideal for kids — put some ranch dressing at the bottom!
Sue
May 10, 2016 at 8:39 amI agree, just put some ranch dressing at the bottom!
Liz @ I heart vegetables
May 10, 2016 at 8:23 amThese are so cute! My mother in law did something like this for our wedding reception but it was with hummus! That dressing sounds AWESOME so this would be so yummy!
Sue
May 10, 2016 at 8:39 amI’m planning a hummus version next!
Kay flesher
August 14, 2015 at 8:25 pmHow many cups will this dressing recipe fill?
Michele
July 6, 2015 at 2:19 pmAbsolutely LOVE this beautiful idea — perfect fresh summer party fare!
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)
May 24, 2015 at 7:20 amWhat a great idea! And so pretty! Happy Holiday.
Linda Sepiol
May 22, 2015 at 10:40 amI love it! Such a fabulous idea! It’s colorful and easy to handle!
It would be fun to try with fruit & yogurt too!
Alisa Rhinehart
July 28, 2013 at 5:28 amLove this idea! I’ll try this at our next family gathering or party! Thanks for sharing! :)
MsElaineous
July 27, 2013 at 5:30 pmTHIS IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! thanks very much.