Christmas Tree Relish Tray

by Nancy

This festive Christmas tree relish tray made with celery, carrots, olives and more, is as much fun to make as it is to eat.

What better way to create an edible work of art than by using fresh colorful fresh vegetables.

Here’s a festive way to make a holiday relish tray for kids of all ages.

What fun it is to decorate a Christmas tree when you can eat pieces of it as you go along.

About the Ingredients

The ingredients include celery, carrots, green and black olives, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms and cucumbers.

But the best part is that the “decor” on this tree is highly customizable so feel free to change up the vegetables.

It can be customized to include the vegetables of your choice.

This relish tray can be made ahead of time and is the perfect appetizer to bring to a party.

It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Let’s check out the ingredients.

Celery, carrots, green bell pepper, cucumber, red and yellow cherry (or teardrop) tomatoes, black olives, large green olives with pimentos, red radish and crimini (or cremini) mushrooms

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

A printable recipe with the measurements and instructions is located at the bottom of this post.

Celery:

Cut the celery into sticks (various sizes are fine).

On a large flat plate, lay out about 8 celery sticks in the shape of the treetop.

Make sure to leave enough room for the tree top decoration.

Continue to lay the celery sticks on the plate to form the entire tree.

Then fill in the tree with celery sticks.

Lay out the celery so some have the light-colored sides up and others have the dark sides up.

Carrots:

Cut the carrots in quarters lengthwise.

If the carrots are large you may need to cut them into 5 pieces instead of 4.

To make the carrot garland, lay out the carrots about 2 inches from the bottom of the tree in a zigzag direction.

The bottom string of carrot garland should take about 6 pieces of the cut carrots.

Next, about two inches above the first string of carrot garland, lay out about 4 pieces of carrots in a zigzag shape to form the second string of garland.

Then about two inches above the second string of carrot garland, repeat to make the third string of garland up towards the top of the tree.

Red Tomatoes:

Cut the tomatoes in half widthwise.

Then add the cut tomatoes smooth side up to the tree to make ornaments (if you have enough tomatoes, an option is to use the non-stem half only, which looks prettier as an ornament).

Green Bell Pepper:

Next, cut a quarter piece off of a whole green bell pepper and cut about 12 very thin pieces that are about 3 inches long.

Lay out 4 rows of the thin pieces of bell pepper in between each strand of carrot garland to make the bell pepper garland.

The green bell pepper garland can be laid out straight rather than in a zigzag direction.

Yellow Tomatoes:

Lay the yellow cherry tomatoes on the tree as ornaments (no need to cut them).

Mushrooms:

Next, cut the mushrooms in quarters.

Then add 6 quartered pieces to the bottom of the tree to form the trunk.

Cucumbers:

Cut cucumber slices about an inch thick (with the skin on).

Then cut each slice into quarters to form 4 triangles.

Lay out the triangular pieces of cucumber on the tree as ornaments.

Green Olives:

Then cut the green olives into about 1/2 inch thick slices and lay them on to the tree as ornaments.

Black Olives:

Next, cut the black olives in half lengthwise and lay them cut side down on to the tree as ornaments.

Radish:

Lastly, make a rosette out of the radish and use it to top the tree.

Serve with your favorite dip.

Thank you so much for stopping by CCC!

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Christmas Tree Relish Tray

This festive Christmas tree relish tray made with celery, carrots, olives and more, is as much fun to make as it is to eat.

5 from 2 votes

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Yield: 4 Servings

Prep: 35

Total: 35

Ingredients

1 bunch of celery cut into sticks (various sizes are fine)
4 peeled baby carrots each carrot cut into 4 stick shapes (lengthwise quarters)
1/4 of a green bell pepper cut in 12 very thin pieces that are about 3 inches long
3 thick slices of cucumber with the skin on (regular or Hothouse (English) cucumber); each slice cut into quarters in the shape of a triangle
8 red teardrop or cherry tomatoes cut in half widthwise
6 whole yellow cherry tomatoes
5 black olives cut in half lengthwise
3 large green olives with pimentos cut into 1/2 inch thick widthwise slices
1 medium to large size radish
2 crimini mushrooms cut into quarters in the direction from the top of the mushroom to the stem

Instructions

For the Radish Rosette Tree Top Decoration - Out of a large size radish, make a rosette and add it to a small bowl of ice water so it will open up. Set aside.
Please refer to this post for directions on how to make the rosette "Pumpkin Head Relish Tray".
For the Tree - On a large flat plate or platter, lay out about 8 celery sticks in the shape of the treetop. Make sure to leave enough room for "ornament" that goes on the top of the tree.
Continue to lay the celery sticks on the plate to form the entire tree.
Then fill in the tree with celery sticks. Lay out the celery so some have the light colored sides up and others have the dark sides up.
For the Carrot Garland - Lay out the carrots starting about 2 inches from the bottom of the tree in a zigzag direction.
The bottom string of carrot garland should take about 6 pieces of the cut carrots.
Next, about two inches above the first string of carrot garland, lay out about 4 pieces of carrots in a zigzag shape to form the second string of garland.
Then about two inches above the second string of carrot garland, repeat to make the third string of garland up towards the top of the tree.
For the Green Bell Pepper Garland - Lay out 4 rows of the thin pieces of bell pepper in between each strand of carrot garland to make the bell pepper garland.
For the Tree Decor - Add the cut red tomatoes cut side-down to the tree to make ornaments (if you have enough tomatoes, an option is to use the non-stem half only which looks prettier as an ornament).
Lay the whole yellow cherry tomatoes on the tree as ornaments. Cut the mushrooms in quarters. Then add 6 of the cut pieces to the bottom of the tree to form the trunk.
Lay out the triangular pieces of cucumber on the tree as ornaments.
To the tree, lay the green and black olives (rounded smooth side up) on the tree as ornaments.
Lastly, to the top of the tree, add the radish rosette.
Serve with your favorite dip.