Neon Night Pickled Platter (Printable)

Brightly colored pickles, beet-dyed eggs, and fresh fruits arranged on a dramatic black board.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pickles

01 - 1 cup mini cucumbers, sliced
02 - 1 cup rainbow carrots, sliced on the bias
03 - 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup white vinegar
06 - 1 cup water
07 - 2 tablespoons sugar
08 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt
09 - 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
10 - 1 teaspoon peppercorns

→ Beet-Dyed Eggs

11 - 6 large eggs
12 - 1 medium cooked beet, peeled and sliced
13 - 1 cup apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 cup water
15 - 1 tablespoon sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fruits

17 - 1 cup fresh blueberries
18 - 1 cup fresh blackberries
19 - 1 cup kiwi, peeled and sliced
20 - 1 cup mango, peeled and sliced
21 - 1 cup dragon fruit, cubed

→ Garnishes

22 - Microgreens or edible flowers
23 - Flaky sea salt

# How to make it:

01 - Combine white vinegar, water, sugar, kosher salt, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in a saucepan. Heat until sugar and salt dissolve completely.
02 - Place sliced cucumbers, carrots, radishes, and red onion in a heatproof container. Pour the hot pickling liquid over vegetables, allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
03 - Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Boil eggs for 8 to 9 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath and peel once cooled.
04 - In a jar, combine sliced beet, apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Submerge peeled eggs in the mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until eggs attain a vibrant color.
05 - Arrange pickled vegetables, halved or sliced beet-dyed eggs, and fresh fruits artfully on a large black serving board.
06 - Top with microgreens or edible flowers and sprinkle flaky sea salt. Serve chilled as an appetizer.

# Recipe Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours on it but comes together in under an hour, making you look effortlessly impressive.
  • Every element can be prepped ahead, so you're actually relaxing while your guests arrive instead of stressed in the kitchen.
  • The colors are so vivid and varied that people naturally gather around it, turning food into a conversation starter.
02 -
  • If your pickled vegetables taste too vinegary after a few hours, you can rinse them briefly under cold water—this isn't cheating, it's adjusting for your own palate.
  • The beet dye works best on room-temperature eggs; ice-cold eggs won't absorb color as readily because the pores are too tight.
  • Arrange everything as close to serving time as possible, because some of the moisture from the pickled vegetables will weep onto the board and soften the fresh fruits if given too long.
03 -
  • Make your pickling liquid the night before and store it separately; this way you can taste it cold and adjust the balance of sweet and sour before committing to your vegetables.
  • Eggs dye faster and more evenly if you score the shells lightly with a knife before adding them to the beet brine—the vinegar creeps into those tiny cracks and creates beautiful patterns.
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