Appetizers are so fun to make! Veggie Pizza Appetizer is a dish that pleases a lot of people. It is easy and quick to make and it looks beautiful. The variety of vegetables you use can bring the whole thing up a level in its presentation.
Veggie Pizza Appetizer is made in a sheet pan. Once everything is baked and assembled you can cut the pieces as large or small as you want. Cutting the pieces small enough to pick up with your hand but big enough to get a couple of bites out of it, is my favorite!
How to Make Veggie Pizza Appetizer
1. Start with two tubes of premade crescent roll dough. Open the packages and unroll the dough lengthwise on a cookie sheet. Use your fingers to push the dough together to fill the bottom of the pan. There is enough grease in the rolls that you do not need to grease the pan.
It is possible to buy crescent roll dough without the perforations that divide it into individual rolls. I do not mind using my fingers to push the dough together and sealing the everything together.
During the holiday season, you can find crescent rolls in a 5 roll pack at Costco. I love purchasing these boxes since I have several recipes that use crescent roll dough. I will place the links to these recipes at the bottom of the post.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the dough for 10-12 minutes until there is a golden brown color all over the top. You really want to bake this dough until it is done.
3. While the dough is baking mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream together. Add all the spices and the Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning as well. Mix well.
I like to purchase the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing in a large container. I keep it in my spice cupboard and use it in so many recipes. I like how inexpensive it is and easy to use when I get it in bulk. Usually you can find it at Costco, but I have given a link if you want to order it on Amazon.
4. When the dough is done baking take it out of the oven and cool completely. With the cream cheese and mayonnaise going on the crust next, you want to make sure the dough is cool and doesn't melt everything.
5. While the crust is cooling, prepare the veggies you will be using on your appetizer.
Cut the large stem off one head of broccoli florets. Break apart the smaller parts and keep cutting off the stem and breaking each into smaller pieces. I like the broccoli to be in very small pieces. It looks so pretty on the Veggie Pizza and makes it easy to fit in your mouth.
Bell peppers are so fabulous on this appetizer. I like using yellow, orange and red peppers depending on what other vegetables I put on. If I do not put tomatoes on this appetizer, red pepper is my favorite. If I do put tomatoes on it, yellow is my next favorite color of pepper to use.
Cut the top off the pepper and pull out the seed ball from inside and throw it away. Cut the pepper in half and then slice small, thin strips from top to bottom of the pepper. Turn a quarter turn and slice across these strips to make very small cubes of pepper.
6. Grate cheddar cheese on the small side of a box grater. You can use grated cheese you have purchased. I do not like the powder, manufactures use, to coat the cheese to keep it from sticking to each other. I prefer to grate my cheese so it is fresh.
7. Now we need to assembly the Veggie Pizza Appetizer. Spread the cream cheese/mayonnaise mixture on the baked crust. You can drop spoonfuls on the crust and spread with an offset knife or a rubber spatula. You can also put the cream cheese/mayonnaise mixture in a plastic bag, cut off a corner and squeeze it out evenly all over the crust and then spread evenly.
Sprinkle on the cheese, then the carrots, peppers and last the broccoli. Feel free to use any veggies you like. You can even add, cauliflower, tomatoes, bacon, green onions, red onions and anything else your family loves to eat.
Use your hands to push everything down into the cream cheese/mayonnaise mixture. You want to make sure the vegetables are secure in the cream cheese mixture to anchor them onto the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
8. Cut the veggie pizza into 2 by 2 inch pieces. Place on a platter and serve.
Let me know on Instagram or Pinterest if you make this. Post a picture and then tag me @dinasdiner. I want to know how it turns out.
Veggie Pizza Appetizer
2 Pkg. Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
2 - 8 oz. Cream Cheese Packages
3/4 Cup Mayonnaise
1/4 C. Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Seasoning
1 tsp. Dill
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1 Carrot
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Head of Broccoli
1. Open packages of crescent roll and spread onto a cookie sheet.
2. Spread, using fingers, to fill the bottom of the pan. Seal all the perforations of the individual rolls to make a sheet of dough.
3. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
4. Let crust cool completely.
5. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and spices together until creamy.
6. Grate the cheddar cheese and prepare vegetables. Peel and grate the carrot. Cut the pepper into small pieces and separate the broccoli into very small florets.
7. Spread cream cheese/mayonnaise mixture evenly onto the cooled crust.
8. Sprinkle on cheese, carrots, peppers and broccoli.
9. Use your hands to smash the vegetables into the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until ready to eat and then cut into squares and serve.
