A relish tray is a great dish to add to the appetizer or dinner table. My mom’s recipe is super simple with veggies, olives, and pickles.
Holiday appetizers can get so complicated. We fool ourselves into thinking that we need to make a big froofroo spread before the bigger froofroo spread we call the holiday dinner.
Times have changed.
At least since I was a kid. Things were a bit simpler, less-Pinterest-centric, and a lot more relaxed.
The appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, amuse-bouches, snack, whatever you want to call them, were always a pretty simple affair when I was growing up. My mom was a fantastic hostess, even on the tight budget my parents lived on. She always prepped a huge meal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and often New Years, opening our home to whomever was in want of a holiday meal with family.
And she typically made just one thing on Thanksgiving for the pre-dinner bite: the relish tray.
The Classic Relish Tray
I’ve heard that the relish tray is perhaps a midwestern tradition. And likely it is. My mom (and her mom before her, and her mom before her) grew up in southeastern Minnesota. With roots going back at least 120 years, I’d say yes, the relish tray is likely midwestern.
To me, it says, “home.”
The relish tray was nothing fancy, just celery and carrot sticks, cut the old-fashioned way, as well as an assortment of olives, pickles, and maybe a few radishes. The cut-glass dish that held them, however, was very fancy. It’s probably smaller than I remember it, but it always exclaimed, “Special!” to me.
We children would snack on these little tidbits while the smell of roast turkey and stuffing drifted throughout the house. And yes, you should let the kids wear the black olives on their fingertips; it’s all part of the fun!
Later that cut-glass dish, replenished with more olives, would rest on the dinner table and perhaps be passed around so folks could add another tidbit or two to their plates.
It’s a sweet tradition that deserves a place on today’s table.
The word relish typically denotes a chopped mixture of pickled foods, such as sweet pickle relish that might go on a hot dog.
According to the New Pillsbury Family Cookbook, 1972, “relishes are a welcome addition to any meal as an accompaniment to meats. Some relishes also can be served as a salad or as an accent to many sandwiches.”
What goes on a classic relish tray?
A classic relish tray can hold true relishes, of course, but it also includes a variety of pickled foods, such as pickled cucumber, olives, and peppers, as well as celery and carrots.
Many of these ingredients are affordable and long-keeping, making them ideal additions to a holiday spread.
What is the difference between a relish tray and a veggie tray?
A relish tray focuses on pickled foods while a veggie tray usually features fresh vegetables. However, there’s no reason why there can’t be some overlap between the two.
What do you do with leftovers from a relish tray?
Should there be any leftovers on your relish tray, package them up and store in the refrigerator. Use within 4 days.
You may want to chop the olives into a tapenade and serve sandwiches to use up both the pickles and olive spread.
How to put together a relish tray on a budget:
Traditionally, like back in my mom’s childhood (and the women of generations prior) pickled foods were made in the home each summer as a way of preserving the harvest from the family garden. Today, not everyone is so well versed in preserving.
That said, making homemade pickles is a great thing to do!
Nowadays, pickles and olives and jarred peppers can cost a pretty penny. Consider these budget tips as you put together your relish tray:
- Shop the sales. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, you’ll find lots of sales on party foods, pickles and preserves included.
- Shop the clearance. You never know what you’re going to find on the clearance aisle. Keep your eyes peeled for good discounts.
- Buy generic. Generic foods are often made by the same manufacturers as brand labels. You can often save up to half the price by purchasing generic labels.
- Check out the salad/olive bar. Since you don’t need a lot of any one ingredient for a relish tray, check out the salad and olive bar at your local grocery store. You may be able to purchase quite an assortment for very little money.
With a little creativity, you can easily prep a delicious holiday meal on a budget.
If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
Easy, Affordable Relish Tray
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole black olives - try some different varieties from the olive bar at your local grocer's
- 1 cup assorted pickles - vary the choices from dill to sweet to spicy, maybe throw in some itty bitty cornichons, too
- 1 cup radishes or sliced turnip
- 4 carrots cut into sticks the old fashioned way if you wanna go retro
- 4 ribs celery cut into sticks
- 1 cup pepperoncini - try a few different colors and varieties like pickled cherry peppers, roasted red bell peppers, and fresh red, green or yellow bell peppers
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables as necessary.
- Arrange the various ingredients on a tray. Use a pretty, divided dish.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2011. It has been updated for content and relevancy.
Do you crave a simpler holiday season?
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This guide to planning the winter holidays provides creative ideas , time-saving tips, and budget-minded inspiration for making the most of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
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Anne
Did anyone else have watermelon pickles on their relish tray? My mom was from Iowa and we always had a relish tray on Thanksgiving with them and celery, radishes, green and black olives and sweet pickles. I live abroad now but will be making a relish tray for a small, Covid-distanced, American Thanksgiving potluck this year. Found a jar of said pickles last trip home and it gives me a happy feeling to share them with my friends. Putting money on it that at least two guests (adults) stick olives on their pinkies.
Jessica Fisher
Love it! Enjoy!
Chris
OMG, I’m having a ladies luncheon next Sunday and yup, pulled out the 3 section glass relish tray my mom gave me, ahhh way too long ago. After this post it is going back to the hutch and I’m pulling out 3 small fish bowl style glass bowls that will really perk up my table.
Thanks for all the tips!
Jessica Fisher
Have fun! A ladies luncheon sounds awesome!
kim fuller
I love the relish tray pictured with the recipe, love the little individual sections. Can you please tell me where you got it? Thanks.
Jessica Fisher
The one with the wood base? I got that last weekend at Ross.
Dianne Dedick
Dianne says
I am from Wisconsin so grew up with a “relish” tray! All holiday dinners had to have a variation of a relish tea. We are celebrating our 55th anniversary with a formal dinner but the only appetizers will be a rather large relish tray. It will include liver pate and pumpernickel bread. Loved all the ideas.
Jessica Fisher
How fun! Congratulations!
Kate
My Pennsylvania family always had a relish tray with both green and black olives, peppers (those round ones that aren’t too hot), pickles and celery stuffed with peanut butter and cream cheese. I’ve added marinated artichoke hearts to mine. Plus my kids and grandkids insist on a plate of deviled eggs to go with it.
Jessica Fisher
Sounds delicious!
Karen
My family had these too. Black and green olives….pickles. Then there was stuffed celery…filling was cream cheese and sliced olives and pimento. I thought we were so fancy when we got these special treats on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Clam and French onion dip with chips was another special indulgence. I grew up in Northern Maine. My Dad is of Scandinavian decent and my Mom well she was from Maine. I think this tradition came from my Dad’s side. He enjoyed pickled herring too. I have one of the dishes she served in from my childhood and it’s always nice to look at. Thanks for conjuring such lovely warm memories.
Heidi
Where did you purchase the relish tray pictured in this article?
Jessica Fisher
World market about 5 years ago.
Heidi
Thank you! 🙂
Rebecca Herrold
Having a small family gathering for Daddy’s 90th birthday this Sunday. Among his requests is a “relish tray.” I often put together a crudite tray, sometimes including olives and pickles. This one will be more pickled items.
My dad, nephew and I like hot/spicy items, and I often include those on another dish. So that “wimpy” eaters don’t accidently eat the spicy pickles, I usually make a sign or stand nearby to point out which ones they’ll like best.
I just got the idea to get a red glass relish dish to serve the spicy items. It’s too late for this Sunday, but I’ll be looking at Thrift stores and garage sales to find one for the next time. I saw many on line, so I know red relish dishes are out there waiting to be found by me!
Jessica Fisher
Relish trays are so fun! Check right after Valentine’s Day in stores. I bet there will be red cut glass out there next week!
Jackie
I said I would make a relish tray for dinner and my 46 year old son said How many kinds of relish are there? Apparently I went wrong somewhere.. Ha Ha
Jessica Fisher
Haha! Just send him here. We’ll set him straight. 😉
deborah
Never was there a party or special occasion in our family without a relish tray! I carry on the tradition and have several divided dishes that I use for relish trays. My family always served whatever home canned pickled items were on hand along with radishes, green onions, celery, carrots and olives (black & green). I have added to that list for my relish trays and also have shrimp cocktail, cheese balls with crackers, veggie dips and assorted veggies and deviled eggs. I carry on the family tradition and never have a dinner party or special occasion without a relish tray gracing the table!