Holiday Relish Tray: 15 Retro Nibbles Grandma Set Out Before Every Big Dinner

A holiday relish tray was the first thing on Grandma’s table long before the turkey came out of the oven. It usually sat in a sparkling cut-glass dish with little divided sections, filled with cream cheese stuffed celery, olives, crunchy pickles, ruby pickled beets and radishes carved into roses. Kids sneaked black olives onto their fingertips, uncles hovered near the sweet gherkins, and the whole family nibbled while the gravy finished. Retro food posts like this one keep pulling big crowds online because almost everyone remembers that glass tray. The good news is that it is one of the easiest holiday appetizers you can make, and nearly everything can be prepped the day before. Here are 15 classic nibbles to fill your own tray this Thanksgiving and Christmas, each with a short shopping list and simple steps..

The Classic Holiday Relish Tray in a Cut-Glass Dish

The heart of every holiday relish tray is the dish itself. Most families had one long cut-glass or pressed-glass tray with three to five sections, often a wedding gift that only came out of the china cabinet in November and December. The sections kept wet pickles away from crisp celery and made the tray look full and generous. If you do not have Grandma’s dish, look for one at a thrift store or antique mall, where they are still easy to find and cheap. Fill it with color: green, red, black and white..

You will need: 1 divided glass relish dish or a large platter with small bowls, celery, olives, pickles, pickled beets, radishes, carrots, cream cheese, paprika, fresh parsley for tucking in.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the dish so the glass sparkles. 2. Plan the sections by color so no two similar items sit side by side. 3. Fill the wet items (pickles, beets, olives) last, drained well, and tuck parsley into the gaps.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Celery for Your Holiday Relish Tray

Stuffed celery is the one item nobody leaves behind. Grandma filled the hollow of each crisp rib with softened cream cheese, smoothed it with a butter knife and dusted it with paprika so it looked festive. Some families mixed in chopped olives, walnuts or a spoonful of pimento for color, and fancier cooks piped the filling with a star tip. The trick is to use the tender inner ribs, string the outer ones with a peeler, and keep everything cold so the celery snaps and the filling stays firm on the tray.

You will need: 1 bunch celery, 8 oz cream cheese softened, 2 tbsp milk or sour cream, 1 tbsp chopped chives, 2 tbsp chopped walnuts or green olives (optional), paprika, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Trim the celery, peel any stringy ribs and cut into 3 inch pieces. 2. Beat the cream cheese with milk, chives and the optional mix-ins until smooth. 3. Spread or pipe into the celery, dust with paprika and chill until serving.

Pimento-Stuffed Green Olives

A small heap of green olives with bright red centers was a must, and many cooks bought them already stuffed with pimento. Today you can buy pitted green olives and stuff them yourself with strips of roasted red pepper, almond slivers, bits of blue cheese or garlic for a homemade twist. They hold well for days in their brine, so they are the easiest section of the whole tray. Drain them on paper towels before you spoon them in, otherwise the brine runs into the celery and turns it soft.

You will need: 1 jar (about 10 oz) large pitted green olives, 1 small jar roasted red peppers, a handful of blanched almonds or a small wedge of blue cheese (optional), toothpicks.

How to make it: 1. Drain the olives and pat them dry. 2. Cut roasted pepper into thin strips and push one into each olive, or use an almond or a bit of cheese. 3. Chill in a covered bowl and drain again before adding to the tray.

Black Olives Kids Wore on Their Fingertips

Ask anyone who grew up with a holiday relish tray what they remember, and many will say black olives on all ten fingers. Large pitted ripe olives were mild, salty and fun, and they disappeared fast. For a grown-up version, warm them in a little olive oil with orange zest, garlic and a sprig of rosemary, then let them cool before serving. Put them right beside the green olives for that classic black and green contrast, and keep a small dish nearby for toothpicks so little hands are not the only tool.

You will need: 1 can (6 oz drained) large pitted ripe olives, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 strip orange zest, 1 garlic clove sliced, 1 small sprig rosemary (optional).

How to make it: 1. Drain and rinse the olives. 2. For the warm version, heat the oil with zest, garlic and rosemary for 2 minutes, add the olives and toss. 3. Cool completely, drain and spoon into the tray.

Crunchy Dill Pickle Spears

Every tray needs something sour and crunchy, and dill pickle spears do the job. Grandma often used her own crock pickles from summer, cut into long spears so they were easy to grab. Half-sour pickles are bright green and fresh tasting, while full-sour dills are darker, softer and stronger. Put out a few of each and let guests pick a favorite. A quick refrigerator pickle made two days ahead tastes just as good as a long canning project, and it keeps the cucumbers extra crisp for the party.

You will need: 6 small pickling cucumbers, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 3 garlic cloves, a large handful of fresh dill, 1 tsp mustard seeds.

How to make it: 1. Cut the cucumbers into spears and pack into a jar with garlic and dill. 2. Boil vinegar, water, salt, sugar and mustard seeds, then pour over the cucumbers. 3. Cool, cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.

Sweet Gherkins and Baby Pickles on the Holiday Relish Tray

Tiny sweet gherkins were the treasure of the holiday relish tray. They are small whole cucumbers pickled in a sweet and tangy brine, and their size makes them perfect for one bite. Many families also tucked in pickled baby corn, which looks festive next to the gherkins and adds a soft yellow color. If you love retro party food, you will also enjoy these retro appetizers from the 1950s to the 1970s, which share the same old-school spirit. Drain the gherkins well and pile them up high so they look abundant.

You will need: 1 jar sweet gherkins or cornichons, 1 jar pickled baby corn (optional), small serving fork.

How to make it: 1. Drain the gherkins and baby corn and pat dry. 2. Cut any larger pickles in half lengthwise so they match in size. 3. Pile them in one section, mixing the green and yellow for color.

Ruby Pickled Beets

Pickled beets gave the tray its deep jewel red, and in many homes they came from jars put up in late summer. They are sweet, sour and gently spiced with cloves and cinnamon. Crinkle-cut slices look especially pretty, and they sit nicely in a glass section where the color shines through. Homemade beets are easy with roasted or boiled beets and a quick brine. Give them their own section with a tiny spoon, because the juice stains, and keep them away from the white cream cheese celery so nothing turns pink.

You will need: 4 medium beets cooked and peeled, 3/4 cup cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, 4 whole cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 small onion thinly sliced (optional).

How to make it: 1. Slice the cooked beets, using a crinkle cutter if you have one. 2. Simmer vinegar, water, sugar, spices and salt for 5 minutes and pour over the beets and onion. 3. Cool, cover and chill overnight.

Spiced Watermelon Rind Pickles

Watermelon rind pickles are a true old-fashioned treat from Southern and Midwestern kitchens, made by cooks who never wasted the white part of the melon. The rind is peeled, cubed and simmered in a sweet syrup with cinnamon and cloves until it turns clear and glossy. The result tastes a little like a spiced candied fruit with a pickle tang. They were saved for special days, so seeing a section of them on a holiday relish tray felt fancy. Make them in late summer or use a store jar.

You will need: Rind from half a small watermelon (about 4 cups cubed, green skin and pink flesh removed), 2 tbsp salt, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp whole cloves, 1 lemon sliced.

How to make it: 1. Soak the rind cubes overnight in salted water, then rinse and simmer in fresh water until just tender. 2. Boil sugar, vinegar, water, spices and lemon, add the rind and simmer until translucent, about 45 minutes. 3. Cool in the syrup and refrigerate in jars.

Radish Roses for a Pretty Holiday Relish Tray

Radish roses were Grandma’s party trick. With a small paring knife she cut thin petals around each radish, then dropped them in ice water, where they slowly opened like little flowers. They make any holiday relish tray look handmade and special, and they add a peppery crunch next to the sweet pickles. Choose round, firm radishes with fresh tops. Carved radishes keep in ice water in the fridge for up to two days, so this is a perfect make-ahead job for a quiet evening before the big dinner.

You will need: 1 to 2 bunches round red radishes, a sharp paring knife, a bowl of ice water.

How to make it: 1. Trim the root and stem, leaving a little green on top if you like. 2. Cut 4 to 5 thin petals around the sides, stopping before the base, then a second row inside. 3. Soak in ice water in the fridge for at least 2 hours so the petals open.

Carrot Curls and Sticks

Carrot sticks gave the tray its cheerful orange, and carrot curls were the fancy version. To make curls, shave long thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler, roll them up and hold them with a toothpick in ice water until they set. Rainbow carrots in purple, yellow and white look stunning on a modern table. Keep sticks short so they fit the sections, and serve a small bowl of ranch or onion dip on the side if your family likes to dunk. They are the healthy-looking corner of the tray that disappears anyway.

You will need: 1 lb carrots (orange or rainbow), a vegetable peeler, toothpicks, a bowl of ice water, dip of choice (optional).

How to make it: 1. Peel the carrots and cut half of them into 3 inch sticks. 2. Shave the rest into long ribbons, roll each and secure with a toothpick. 3. Chill sticks and curls in ice water for at least 1 hour, then remove toothpicks and drain.

Old-Fashioned Pickled Eggs

Pickled eggs were a tavern and farmhouse favorite, and plenty of grandparents set a few halves on the holiday table too. Peeled hard-boiled eggs soak in a spiced vinegar brine for a few days and take on a tangy flavor. Add a little beet juice and they turn a beautiful magenta that looks amazing next to the green olives. Always keep homemade pickled eggs in the refrigerator, use them within a week or two, and only set them out for a couple of hours at the party.

You will need: 8 hard-boiled eggs peeled, 1 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pickling spice, 1 small onion sliced, 1/2 cup beet juice (optional for pink eggs).

How to make it: 1. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices to a boil, then cool slightly. 2. Pack the eggs and onion in a clean jar, add beet juice if using, and pour over the brine. 3. Refrigerate 3 days before serving, halved, on the tray.

Sweet Corn Relish

Corn relish is a bright spoonable classic that many Midwestern families canned every summer. Sweet corn kernels, red pepper, onion and celery are cooked in a sweet vinegar brine with mustard and celery seed, then cooled into a colorful relish. On the tray it adds a sunny yellow section and goes perfectly with crackers, cold turkey or ham. Relish itself has a long history as a tangy condiment, as you can read in this overview of relish around the world. A quick stovetop batch is ready in 30 minutes.

You will need: 3 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen), 1 red bell pepper diced, 1 small onion diced, 1 celery rib diced, 3/4 cup cider vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp mustard seed, 1/2 tsp celery seed, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. 2. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring, until the liquid is slightly syrupy. 3. Cool, refrigerate up to 2 weeks and spoon into a small glass bowl for the tray.

Chow Chow, the Southern Holiday Relish Tray Favorite

Chow chow is the Southern and Pennsylvania Dutch relish made from end-of-garden vegetables like green tomatoes, cabbage, peppers and onions. It is tangy, a little sweet and often tinted golden with mustard and turmeric. In many Southern homes the holiday relish tray was not complete without a bowl of it, ready to spoon onto black-eyed peas, beans or a slice of ham. Every family recipe is different, some fiery and some mild, which is why so many people still ask for their grandmother’s version every year.

You will need: 2 cups chopped green tomatoes, 2 cups chopped cabbage, 1 green and 1 red bell pepper chopped, 1 onion chopped, 2 tbsp salt, 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp mustard seed, 1/2 tsp turmeric, pinch red pepper flakes.

How to make it: 1. Toss the vegetables with salt and let stand 4 hours, then rinse and drain well. 2. Boil vinegar, sugar and spices, add the vegetables and simmer 10 minutes. 3. Cool and refrigerate overnight before serving.

Deviled Ham Spread on Celery and Crackers

Deviled ham spread was the savory surprise on many retro holiday tables. Grandma ground leftover baked ham with mayonnaise, mustard, a little sweet pickle relish and a pinch of cayenne, then spread it on celery boats and round crackers. It is a smart way to use the end of a holiday ham, and it tastes far better than anything from a can. Put a small bowl of the spread in the middle of a plate with the stuffed celery and crackers around it, and it will vanish before dinner is called.

You will need: 2 cups cooked ham chopped, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tbsp grated onion, pinch cayenne, celery sticks, round crackers, parsley.

How to make it: 1. Pulse the ham in a food processor until finely ground. 2. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, relish, onion and cayenne, and chill for 1 hour. 3. Spread on celery and crackers just before serving and garnish with parsley.

How to Set Your Holiday Relish Tray the Day Before

The best part of a holiday relish tray is that almost all of it can be done a day early, which frees up the oven and your hands on the big day. Store celery and carrot sticks standing in jars of cold water, keep radish roses in ice water, and drain olives, pickles and beets into covered containers. You can even fill the glass tray with the wet items, wrap it tightly and chill it. Stuff the celery in the morning, then assemble everything in five minutes when the first guests ring the bell.

You will need: Covered containers or jars, plastic wrap, paper towels, ice water, your filled relish dish.

How to make it: 1. The day before, prep and chill each item separately, with vegetables in cold water and pickles drained. 2. On the morning, stuff the celery and make the deviled ham. 3. Thirty minutes before guests arrive, drain everything on paper towels, fill the tray and garnish with parsley.