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    Home » Party Food

    Easy Affordable Relish Tray (67 cents/serving)

    Published: Nov 16, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.
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    overhead view of a relish tray on a black background with a text overlay.

    A Relish Tray is a great dish to add to the appetizer or dinner table. It can be super simple with veggies, olives, and pickles or more elaborate, depending on what you want to include. Above all, it can be an easy and affordable addition to a festive meal.

    A type of fresh and marinated vegetable platter featuring olives as well, a Relish Tray is a great addition to The Ultimate Snacky Dinner. It’s perfect party food that you can easily replenish throughout the night.

    front view of relish tray including celery, carrots, olives, pickles, and marinated peppers. this …

    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. Boy! Have times changed.

    At least since I was a kid. Things were a bit simpler, less-Pinterest-centric, and a lot more relaxed.

    The appetizer plate, 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. Even if we weren’t blood relatives.

    And she typically made just one thing on Thanksgiving for the pre-dinner bite: the relish tray.

    Why Make This

    It’s easy! The relish tray was nothing fancy, just celery and carrot sticks cut the old-fashioned way, as well as an assortment of olives and pickles — and maybe a few radishes.

    It’s fun. We children would graze on the Relish Tray, aka the Olive Tray, snacking 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!

    It moves with the meal. The Relish Tray, replenished with more olives, can follow you to the dinner table and perhaps be passed around so folks can add another tidbit or two to their plates. It’s a sweet tradition that deserves a place on today’s table.

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you’ll need to assemble a classic Relish Tray:

    basic ingredients for a relish tray laid out on a black work surface.

    Feel free to mix and match the items on your Relish Tray, being sure to shop the kitchen to see what you have on hand. Here are the basic ingredients:

    olives – Include both green and black olives if you can. A Relish Tray is very much an olive plate embellished with pickled foods. Try some different varieties from the olive bar at your local grocer’s.

    pickles – As the budget allows, vary the choices from dill to sweet to spicy, maybe throw in some itty bitty cornichons, too. Remember that pickles is a broader term to include other pickled or marinated vegetables as well, such as marinated mushrooms, marinated artichoke hearts, dilly beans or giardiniera.

    pickled peppers – Pickled peppers can range from sweet to spicy to downright hot. Easy to find options, such as pepperoncini or pickled red cherry peppers are great to add to the relish tray.

    radishes or sliced turnip – Long keeping and packing a bit of a bite, radishes or turnip slices are a classic addition to the Relish Tray. You’ll find 1960s cookbooks recommend that you carve radish roses.

    carrot and celery sticks – Round out your Relish Tray with easy to make carrot and celery sticks.

    Variations

    To make this gluten-free, be sure to read the labels on any processed items. The above shouldn’t contain gluten, but you want to be doubly sure.

    To make this vegan, everything on this list is naturally vegan. Unless you buy cheese-stuffed olives, a relish tray should be appropriate for vegan eaters. Be sure to read the packaging to be absolutely certain there are no animal products included.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    overhead view of relish tray near a red checked cloth with wine glasses and a white candle.
    1. Prepare the vegetables as necessary, cutting carrot and celery sticks.
    2. Arrange the various ingredients on a tray. Use a pretty, divided party tray or several small dishes, depending on what you have.

    Storage

    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 leftover olives into a tapenade or olive bruschetta and serve sandwiches to use up both the pickles and olive spread.

    FAQs

    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.

    Is relish the same as pickles?

    The word relish typically denotes a chopped mixture of pickled foods, such as sweet pickle relish that might go on a hot dog. This is where the confusion between relish and cucumber pickles comes in. 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.”

    Why is it called a relish tray?

    It’s called a relish tray because it contains flavorful condiments that can be eaten with the meal to help you enjoy it, or relish it, more.

    Recipe Costs

    Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

    • olives – $1.23
    • pickles – $2.47
    • radishes – $0.98
    • carrots – $0.45
    • celery – $0.98
    • pickled peppers – $1.98

    While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $8.09 for a basic Relish Tray, about $0.67/serving.

    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.

    overhead shot of a different holiday table with a relish tray in a white divided dish with fresh and pickled vegetables, fall flowers and a bowl of crackers.

    More Great Appetizers

    • Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches
    • Cranberry Chicken Salad
    • Pear Salad with Blue Cheese
    • Spicy Candied Almonds

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    overhead shot of the relish tray near a stack of toothpicks on a holiday table.
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    5 from 8 votes

    Easy, Affordable Relish Tray

    A relish tray is a great dish to add to the appetizer or dinner table. It is super simple and totally affordable to make with select veggies, olives, and pickles.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Total Time10 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 31kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $8.09
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 can whole black olives – try some different varieties from the olive bar at your local grocer's
    • 1 can green olives
    • 2 to 3 jars assorted pickles – vary the choices from dill to sweet to spicy, maybe throw in some itty bitty cornichons, too
    • 1 bunch radishes or sliced turnip
    • 4 carrots cut into sticks the old fashioned way if you wanna go retro
    • 1 head celery cut into sticks
    • 1 jar pickled or roasted peppers – try a few different colors and varieties like pickled cherry peppers, roasted red bell peppers, and fresh red, green or yellow bell peppers
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Prepare the vegetables as necessary.
    • Arrange the various ingredients on a tray. Use a pretty, divided dish.

    Notes

    Should there be any leftovers on your relish tray, package them up and store in the refrigerator. Use within 4 days.
    Variations: consider adding a variety of pickled vegetables and olives according to your preferences, including: marinated mushrooms, marinated artichoke hearts, asparagus, dilly beans, giardiniera, and pickled peppers.
    Depending on what you serve, you may want to provide toothpicks, cocktail forks, and cocktail plates.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3537IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    This post was originally published in November 2011. It has been updated for content and clarity.

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    Comments

    1. Anne

      November 16, 2020 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 16, 2020 at 2:22 pm

        Love it! Enjoy!

        Reply
      • tiffany

        November 10, 2021 at 1:06 pm

        5 stars
        I grew up with pickled watermelon rind on the relish tray at Thanksgiving. My mother did it, which she got from her mother. This was in Lexington, KY.

        Reply
    2. Chris

      November 07, 2020 at 12:43 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 07, 2020 at 1:19 pm

        Have fun! A ladies luncheon sounds awesome!

        Reply
        • Eva Lyons

          November 23, 2022 at 4:18 am

          5 stars
          We always add stuffed celery to the Thanksgiving relish tray- some stuffed wirh peanut butter and some with cream cheese. Our youngest grandchild just got diagnosed with a peanut allergy so the pb will be off the menu this year. Any suggestions for a replacement?

    3. kim fuller

      November 03, 2019 at 7:43 am

      I love the relish tray pictured with the recipe, love the little individual sections. Can you please tell me where you got it? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 03, 2019 at 6:06 pm

        The one with the wood base? I got that last weekend at Ross.

        Reply
    4. Dianne Dedick

      October 17, 2019 at 12:41 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        October 17, 2019 at 2:47 pm

        How fun! Congratulations!

        Reply
    5. Kate

      November 17, 2018 at 12:38 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 18, 2018 at 10:51 am

        Sounds delicious!

        Reply
    6. Karen

      November 22, 2017 at 4:49 pm

      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.

      Reply
    7. Heidi

      July 06, 2017 at 6:38 pm

      Where did you purchase the relish tray pictured in this article?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        July 07, 2017 at 8:02 am

        World market about 5 years ago.

        Reply
        • Heidi

          July 07, 2017 at 8:44 pm

          Thank you! 🙂

    8. Rebecca Herrold

      February 09, 2017 at 1:00 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        February 10, 2017 at 8:49 am

        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!

        Reply
    9. Jackie

      November 16, 2016 at 8:10 pm

      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

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 16, 2016 at 8:19 pm

        Haha! Just send him here. We’ll set him straight. 😉

        Reply
    10. deborah

      April 07, 2015 at 10:41 am

      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!

      Reply
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