Best Raw Veggie Kabobs

Finding easy, fresh appetizers for summer gatherings can feel like a real headache. Between the hot weather making cooking feel like a chore, and trying to keep things light and healthy for guests who might be watching what they eat, it’s tempting to just grab a bag of chips and call it a day.

That’s where these raw veggie kabobs come to the rescue: they’re cool and crisp, super quick to put together, and perfect for customizing based on whatever produce looks good at the farmer’s market or grocery store.

What Kind of Vegetables Should I Use?

For veggie kabobs, you can mix and match from both tender and crisp vegetables to create interesting texture combinations. Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and squash varieties are great “starter” vegetables since they’re easy to cut and thread onto skewers, plus they add beautiful colors to your presentation. When choosing your produce, look for vegetables that are firm and fresh – soft spots or wrinkled skin usually mean they’re past their prime. For the best results, try to cut your vegetables into similar-sized pieces (about 1-inch chunks works well) so they look uniform on the skewer and are easy to eat. If you’re making these ahead of time, stick to heartier vegetables like peppers, carrots, and celery, since softer vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers can release moisture when cut and stored.

Options for Substitutions

One of the great things about these veggie kabobs is how easy it is to mix and match ingredients based on what you have:

• Bell peppers: Any color bell pepper works great here – red, yellow, orange, or green. You can also try mini sweet peppers for a fun twist.
• Cherry tomatoes: Any small tomato variety will work – grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or even small cocktail tomatoes. Just make sure they’re firm enough to stay on the skewer.
• Summer squash: Yellow squash and zucchini can be used interchangeably. You could also try patty pan squash cut into chunks.
• Snap peas: Snow peas or green beans make good alternatives. Just look for ones that are fresh and crisp.
• Dips: The dill and avocado ranch dips can be swapped with any favorite veggie dip. Try hummus, ranch dressing, tzatziki, or even a simple Greek yogurt-based dip.
• Additional vegetables: Feel free to add or substitute with cauliflower, mushrooms, jicama, or even blanched asparagus pieces. Just make sure pieces are cut to similar sizes for easy eating.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when assembling veggie kabobs is not considering the size and texture of your vegetables – cutting pieces too large or uneven can make them awkward to eat and less visually appealing, so aim to cut everything into similar 1-inch chunks. Another common mistake is overcrowding the skewers, which makes them difficult to handle and dip – leave a small space between each vegetable to keep things neat and easy to manage. For the crispiest results, avoid preparing these too far in advance, as cut vegetables can become limp and lose their crunch if they sit out too long – instead, assemble them no more than 2-3 hours before serving and keep them covered in the refrigerator. To prevent your wooden skewers from splintering while threading firmer vegetables like carrots, soak them in water for 30 minutes before use.

What to Serve With Veggie Kabobs?

These colorful raw veggie kabobs make a perfect appetizer or party snack, but they can easily become part of a larger spread! The fresh, crunchy vegetables pair really well with protein-rich dips beyond the ones included – try serving them with classic hummus, tzatziki, or a creamy white bean dip. If you’re hosting a barbecue or casual gathering, these kabobs fit right in alongside grilled meats like chicken skewers or burgers. For a light lunch spread, serve them with pita bread triangles, a quinoa salad, or some cheese and crackers on the side.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These colorful veggie kabobs will stay crisp and fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I recommend laying them flat and placing a paper towel underneath to absorb any excess moisture. The dips should be stored separately in their own containers.

Make Ahead: You can prep these kabobs up to 24 hours in advance for your party or gathering. Just keep them covered in the refrigerator, and add any cut cucumbers or tomatoes right before serving since they tend to release water over time. The dips can be made 3-4 days ahead and stored in sealed containers in the fridge.

Serve: Take the kabobs and dips out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving – they taste best when not ice-cold. If you notice any condensation, just pat them dry with a paper towel before arranging them on your serving platter.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	0-0 minutes
Total Time	15-20 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 300-350
• Protein: 6-10 g
• Fat: 15-20 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-45 g

Ingredients

• snap peas
• dill-flavored vegetable dip
• radishes
• yellow cherry tomatoes
• carrots
• yellow bell peppers
• orange cherry tomatoes
• broccoli florets
• spicy avocado ranch vegetable dip
• green bell peppers
• zucchini
• cucumbers
• orange bell peppers
• red bell peppers
• celery stalks
• yellow squash
• grape tomatoes

Step 1: Gather and Prepare the Vegetables

Select a variety of fresh vegetables in vibrant colors—red, orange, yellow, and green.

Some options include grape tomatoes, red peppers, radishes, carrots, orange peppers, orange heirloom cherry tomatoes, yellow peppers, yellow zucchini, yellow heirloom cherry tomatoes, snap peas, celery, green peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, and zucchini.

Thoroughly wash all the vegetables to remove any dirt or residue.

Step 2: Cut the Vegetables

Once washed, cut the vegetables into suitable shapes for threading onto skewers.

This might include strips, slices, wedges, and florets.

For denser vegetables like carrots, cut them into thin strips to ensure they will fit well on the skewer and be easier to eat.

Step 3: Assemble the Vegetable Kabobs

Prepare skewers for threading.

Begin with a broccoli floret, then add a cucumber slice, followed by two green pepper strips, a celery stick, and a snap pea pod.

Next, thread three yellow pepper strips, two carrot sticks, two red pepper strips, and finish with a grape tomato.

Repeat this process for each additional kabob, ensuring a balance of colors on each one to create a visually appealing presentation.

Step 4: Arrange and Serve

Arrange the finished vegetable kabobs on a large platter.

Include one or more containers of Marzetti® Veggie Dip on the side for dipping.

Be sure to place a small serving spoon in each dip container for easy serving.

Enjoy these colorful and refreshing kabobs as a healthy appetizer or snack!