Medusa Curls Party Platter (Printer-Friendly)

Visual platter with creamy dip center, curled meats, bell peppers, and olives offering festive appeal.

# What You Need:

→ Central Dip

01 - 1 cup whipped cream cheese, softened
02 - 1/2 cup sour cream
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
07 - Salt to taste

→ Curls

08 - 6 ounces prosciutto or deli ham, thinly sliced
09 - 6 ounces Genoa salami, thinly sliced
10 - 1 large red bell pepper
11 - 1 large yellow bell pepper
12 - 1 large green bell pepper
13 - 1 small English cucumber
14 - 1/2 cup pitted black olives

→ Garnishes

15 - Fresh dill or parsley sprigs
16 - Crushed red pepper flakes

# Steps:

01 - Combine cream cheese, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Shape into a mound on a large serving platter.
02 - Cut bell peppers into long, thin strips. Optionally, use a julienne peeler or spiralizer to curl the peppers and cucumber for added texture.
03 - Roll slices of prosciutto and salami into loose spirals or curls for presentation.
04 - Arrange the meat and vegetable strips radiating outward from the dip mound, alternating colors and types to mimic serpentine curls.
05 - Place a black olive at the end of each curl to represent snake heads.
06 - Decorate the platter with fresh dill or parsley sprigs and sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately with crackers or fresh vegetable dippers.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent twenty-five minutes throwing together beautiful ingredients.
  • Everyone at the table becomes a photographer the moment this hits the table, guaranteed.
  • No cooking required means you can actually enjoy your own party instead of being stuck by the stove.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't soft enough, the dip will have lumps that catch the eye for all the wrong reasons, so let it sit on the counter for fifteen minutes first.
  • The moment you finish plating, this is best served immediately because the vegetables begin releasing water and the visual impact softens over time, so plan to plate right before guests arrive.
03 -
  • If you want to make this ahead, prepare the dip and store it in an airtight container for up to two days, then plate it fresh about thirty minutes before serving.
  • Use a spiralizer on peppers and cucumbers if you have one, because the extra dimension of those curls makes the whole platter feel more intentional and visually dynamic.
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