Pointillism Dot Matrix Art (Printable)

A colorful display of pureed vegetables and carefully placed garnishes creating an artistic plating experience.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetable Purees

01 - 3 oz beetroot, cooked and pureed
02 - 3 oz carrot, cooked and pureed
03 - 3 oz green peas, cooked and pureed
04 - 3 oz yellow bell pepper, roasted and pureed

→ Sauces & Creams

05 - 2 oz Greek yogurt
06 - 1.4 oz crème fraîche
07 - 1 tbsp basil pesto
08 - 1 tbsp red pepper coulis
09 - 1 tbsp balsamic reduction

→ Garnishes & Accents

10 - 0.7 oz pickled red onions, finely diced
11 - 0.7 oz microgreens
12 - 1 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
13 - 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
14 - Edible flower petals (optional)
15 - Sea salt flakes, to taste
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Blend each vegetable separately with a pinch of salt and a few drops of olive oil until smooth. Transfer each puree to a small piping bag or squeeze bottle.
02 - Place Greek yogurt and crème fraîche into separate piping bags. Place basil pesto, red pepper coulis, and balsamic reduction into separate squeeze bottles.
03 - Arrange dots and small mounds of each puree, sauce, and cream on each serving plate in a scattered, non-touching pattern across the surface, varying sizes and colors to create a pointillist visual effect.
04 - Sprinkle diced pickled red onions, microgreens, toasted black sesame seeds, pomegranate seeds, and edible flower petals (if using) over and around the dots to add texture and color.
05 - Finish with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately to preserve visual appeal.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a complete sensory experience—each spoonful combines different textures and flavors because you're sampling dots of contrasting colors and tastes simultaneously
  • The visual drama alone will make your guests feel like they're dining somewhere special, even in your own kitchen
  • It comes together quickly once everything is prepped, so the hands-on plating takes just minutes but feels like an accomplishment
02 -
  • The most common mistake is making your purees too thick—they should be the consistency of soft hummus, thick enough to hold their shape but fluid enough to pipe smoothly. If they're stiff, add olive oil one teaspoon at a time until they flow.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning in each puree before piping; once everything is on the plate, you can't go back inside to fix it. The yogurt and crème fraîche will dilute flavors slightly, so your purees should taste slightly more intense than you'd normally want.
  • If you pipe dots too close together or too many on one plate, it becomes chaotic rather than composed. White space is as important as color on the plate—restrain yourself and let the eye rest between elements.
03 -
  • Make all your components ahead of time—purees can be piped into bags and refrigerated for up to two days, sauces in squeeze bottles keep for days. The actual plating only takes five minutes once you're ready, which means less stress when guests arrive and more presence during the meal.
  • If you want to serve this at a dinner party, plate each dish in the kitchen rather than at the table—your guests deserve the full visual impact all at once, and you avoid the awkward moment where everyone stares while you're still piping. Bring all four plates to the table together, and the effect is magnified.
Go Back