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Fresh Outdoor Summer Entertaining Snack Board

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Print Recipe

A simple, fresh, and colorful snack board perfect for summer yard parties, featuring a mix of fresh vegetables, cheeses, marinated olives, nuts, fruits, and crackers.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 5 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup seedless grapes, washed
  • 2 ripe peaches or nectarines, sliced
  • Dried apricots or figs (optional, for natural sweetness)
  • 1 cup (225g) cottage cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
  • Pinch of flaky sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 ounces (115g) aged cheddar, cut into chunks
  • Fresh mozzarella balls, drained and patted dry
  • 1 cup (150g) mixed olives
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 crushed garlic clove
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup (30g) raw almonds or marcona almonds
  • Sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds
  • Small dill pickles or cornichons
  • Crusty baguette slices
  • Whole grain crackers
  • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • Fresh herb sprigs (basil, mint) for garnish
  • Pinch of flaky sea salt for finishing

Instructions

  1. Prepare the herbed cottage cheese spread: In a mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, dill, chives, flaky sea salt, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Chill while prepping other ingredients.
  2. Marinate the olives: Toss mixed olives with lemon zest, crushed garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to infuse flavors.
  3. Slice vegetables and fruits: Halve cherry tomatoes, slice cucumber into rounds, cut bell pepper into strips, thinly slice radishes, slice peaches or nectarines, and wash grapes.
  4. Prepare cheeses and nuts: Drain and pat dry mozzarella balls. Cut aged cheddar into bite-sized chunks. Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
  5. Arrange on the serving board: Place small bowls with cottage cheese spread and marinated olives first. Arrange veggies, fruits, cheeses, nuts, and pickles around the bowls. Add bread and crackers last, fanning slices for easy grabbing.
  6. Garnish and finish: Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over cheese and veggies, sprinkle flaky sea salt, and tuck in fresh herb sprigs for aroma and color.

Notes

Marinate olives for at least 15 minutes to enhance flavor. Blend cottage cheese until ultra-smooth for best texture. Serve at room temperature for optimal flavor. Keep cheeses and spreads chilled until just before serving. Replenish fresh veggies and fruits during long parties. For dairy-free options, substitute cottage cheese with hummus or avocado spread. For gluten-free, use gluten-free crackers and bread. Toast nuts just before serving for best crunch.

Nutrition

Keywords: summer snack board, outdoor entertaining, fresh snack board, yard party snacks, easy snack board, herbed cottage cheese spread, marinated olives, fresh vegetables, cheese platter

Find it online: https://milaspoon.com/fresh-outdoor-summer-entertaining-snack-board-ideas-for-yard-parties/