Spring Vegetable Basket with Spinach Dip

Springtime gatherings call for something fresh, colorful, and a little bit fun—and this veggie basket with spinach dip checks all the boxes. I've made it a few times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser, doubling as both a centerpiece and a tasty appetizer your guests will keep coming back to.

The creamy spinach dip is packed with flavor, thanks to a blend of sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, green onions, garlic, and a touch of sweetness from finely diced carrots. Chilled until perfectly cool and creamy, it pairs wonderfully with a variety of crisp, vibrant vegetables like radishes, cucumbers, blanched asparagus, and cherry tomatoes.

For a festive touch, the dip is served inside a hollowed-out green bell pepper and arranged in a basket lined with leafy kale—the Easter Bunny himself couldn't have done much better than this!

Of course, if you’d rather skip assembling the full basket, the dip stands perfectly well on its own. Serve it with crackers or potato chips for an easy, delicious snack for any occasion. Either way, it’s a fresh and flavorful way to celebrate the season.

How do you keep the spinach dip from being watery?

Make sure the frozen spinach is fully thawed and very well-drained. Squeezing out excess liquid before adding it to the rest of the ingredients is key to achieving a thick, creamy dip.

Can you make this vegetable basket with dip ahead of time?

Absolutely. You can make the spinach dip up to two days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The vegetables for dipping can be prepped one day ahead: peel the carrots, blanch and pat dry the asparagus, and slice the radishes, cucumbers, celery, and mini peppers, then store each vegetable separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The basket can be assembled up to three hours before serving. Cover the vegetables with damp paper towels to keep them from drying out, then wrap the basket tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.