Serve guests only the best charcuterie board with these simple and easy tips and ideas!
Charcuterie boards are moveable feasts of colors, textures, and flavors! Make a signature meat and cheese board with a variety of bread, crackers, fruit, nuts, olives, and tasty spreads!
The tips below will ensure your next party platter is the talk of the event!
This post is sponsored by Walmart and SheKnows Media.
What is a Charcuterie Board?
- It’s pronounced charcuterie ‘shahr-koo-tuh–ree’ and means the art of preparing meats. Most meats and cheeses come pre-sliced so arranging them is easy!
- Invite a few friends over and make a DIY charcuterie board (or two!) and then admire and enjoy your edible work of art with a glass of wine!
- Guestimate about 3-4 slices of meat and 1-2 ounces of cheese per person. Everything else is up to the artist!
- Prepare mini-charcuterie boards and wrap them in plastic wrap with a festive bow as a special delivery hostess gift or a Christmas party gift exchange!
- Any shape or size of wood board can be used as a serving platter for the charcuterie! Large, small, round, or square boards are can become a place for all kinds of edible ideas! Change it up and fill cups instead!
Charcuterie Board Ideas
Meats – Choose a variety of meats that are easy to eat with your fingers. Rolled-up slices of genoa salami and thin slices of artfully piled ham, prosciutto, or pancetta curled into rose shapes add structure and visual interest.
Cheese – Buy a range of orange, yellow, and white cheeses that range from mellow to sharp (like gorgonzola) in flavor. Slice them or cut blocks into cubes.
I do like to include a variety of hard cheeses (like parmesan) and soft cheeses (like burrata, brie, or goat cheese). You can also add in a creamy dip or two.
Bread & Crackers – Crostini, water crackers, grain crackers, or thin slices of toasted baguettes are perfect for spreading and scooping!
Fruit & Nuts – Fresh fruit like grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or even pear or apple slices add color and freshness. Dried apricots or other fruits are sweet and add a different texture. Nuts should be shelled and salted, try a salted mixture, pisctachios, or candied walnuts .
Sweet – I add an element of sweetness with either pepper jelly, fig jam, or a little bit of honey. Add a few chocolate-covered raisins, chocolate truffles, or chocolate almonds to satisfy a sweet tooth!
Pickles, Olives, & Dips – Small bowls of black, green, and kalamata olives, cornichons (baby dill pickles), banana peppers, or other pickled vegetables and cranberry relish, some whole grain mustard, garlic aioli, or quick & easy tapenade.
How to Make a Charcuterie Board
Let your inner foodie out and arrange the ingredients in any interesting manner that inspires you! The best charcuterie boards are piled high with various foods, but they all mix and match together. There’s really no wrong way to assemble a great meat and chees board!
- Start with small bowls filled with jams/fruits/dips etc. and arrange the meats and cheeses around them.
- Create patterns or use cookie cutters to cut cheese into initials, letters or a shapes.
- Vary the way cheeses are sliced/cubed/cut and the way meats are layered, rolled and twisted.
- Garnish with thin slices of oranges and sprigs of rosemary or basil.
Think outside of the box… or should I say the board and try making charcuterie cups or put them in little bowls! The possibilities are endless.
Can you Make Charcuterie Ahead of Time?
Assemble a charcuterie board up to a day in advance and keep it covered and chilled until ready to serve. Dips and spreads should be in small covered containers until ready to arrange on the board in small bowls for easy access.
Got Leftovers?
- Sandwiches: Fill buns or bread the next day for an easy lunch.
- Breakfast: Add the meat and cheese to scrambled eggs, a frittata, or an omelette for a post-party brunch.
- Mac & Cheese: Use the cheese for cheese sauce, chop up the meats, and toss it with elbows to a new creative spin on baked mac and cheese.
- Pasta Salad: Chop it all up and toss with pasta and bottled Italian dressing for an easy pasta salad.
More Crowd Favorites
What do you add to your Charcuterie Board? Let us know in a comment below!
How to Make a Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
Marinated Mozzarella Cheese
- 8 oz mozzarella balls, bocconccini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Other Cheeses
- 6 oz sliced pepper jack cheese or another variety of flavored cheese
- 6 oz sliced sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 oz manchego or Gruyere Cheese
- 6 oz parmesan, gouda or asiago
Meats
- 8 oz peppered salame
- 8 oz salami
- 8 oz prosciutto
- 8 oz ham
Crackers/Bread
- 1 French Baguette sliced and toasted
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 cups Pretzel Crisps
- 2 cups Artisan or Seeded Crackers
Other
- 1 cup Roasted Assorted Nuts
- ¼ cup Fig Jam, Onion Dip, or Grainy Mustard
- 1 small bunch Grapes
- ½ cup Black Olives, Artichokes, or Pickles
- Dried Fruits optional
Instructions
- Combine cheese, oil, and Italian seasoning. Let marinate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Slice the baguette and brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for 6-8 minutes or until crisp. Remove from the oven and rub with a whole peeled garlic clove.
- Slice cheeses, wash and dry grapes.
- Place small bowls on the charcuterie board and fill then with dips, olives or any wet ingredients.
- Arrange meats, cheeses, and crackers around the board.
- Finally, add in the fruit for color. Add fresh herbs for a pop of color if desired.
Notes
- 4 slices of meat (about 3 oz total)
- 2 oz cheese per person
- a variety of crackers and bread
- a tablespoon or two of something pickled or briney
- fruits, nuts, and herbs for color and texture
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Party Food
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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I am excited to have partnered with Walmart & SheKnows Media to bring you this post. While I was compensated, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Working with great brands I love allows me to keep bringing you the great recipes you love!
Very informative and useful tips with excellent presentation. Looking forward to lots more articles about it. Thanks for sharing ideas and such an informative article.
I Love Your Charcuterie Board ingredients. My Daughter in Law and I, both Love to make them for gatherings.(I always add Havarti Fill cheese to my tray. Thanks for all your recipes and ideas. I’ll be making your Feta pinwheels next, Bon Appetit!
A work of art!!!!! So much fun!
Your board looks very appetizing and thank you for the ideas. I would have separate cheese and charcuterie boards as most vegetarians wouldn’t want to eat cheese form a board that has meat on it
Wow, glad my friend shared with me
Love your recipes!
I’m so glad I came across this beautiful eye candy display. Taking the cheese & fruit board to a whole new level to satisfy the appetite & eye . Where can b enjoyed sitting in the lounge area ,relaxing around the coffee table with a beverage, great company & of course a great play list.
I’M IN HEAVEN just thinking about it.
THANKS for your share.
It is so beautiful and just as delicious, we agree Joan!
Your charcuterie board looks amazing! I’m thinking about making something similar for my wedding. About how much do you think it would cost for about 100 people?
Thanks so much Joselyn! Congrats! I think the price would vary on what you are including.
About $400
Thank you for sharing this info on a Charcuterie board and how to fill it! I was becoming overwhelmed looking at a lot of these boards but none showed the basic info on how to fill one. Your post is so informative and greatly appreciated!
Thanks Julie! We love a good charcuterie board, have fun making yours!
Beautiful presentations! I often prepare a charcuterie board for holidays with cheese and fruits for vegetarians in the family. Most times my family prefers a variety of “boards” to a regular heavy meal. Thanks for the many ideas for presentations.
So happy we could help Vicki! Making beautiful charcuterie boards is one of our favorites around the holidays too.
5 stars all the way!! Charcuterie has replaced our Friday pizza~it’s sufficient for a complete meal, imho! Thank you for sharing some new additions to try out
That’s such a fun Friday meal. They are so pretty, yet filling and delicious!
So happy I found you! I love this! Thank you!
Welcome Linda! We are so happy to have you.
Love this site
Thank you Heidi!
Thank you
You’re welcome Chris! Enjoy!
My family did our first real Charcuterie board for Christmas day as a snack between a big breakfast and a big dinner; opening presents is hard work. ;-) I had asked everyone (15 of us) if they had any particular things they wanted and most thought I was overdoing it. We had 6 cheeses, 3 meats, a nut sampler, Granny Smith apples (awesome with sharp cheese), red and green grapes, a veggie tray, 4 types of crackers (forgot to cut up the baguette), two types of olives and a sample pack of various spreads (9 flavors, lots of fun).
I did my best to make it look like your board, a pleasant mixture of yumminess, but had to split it onto three different platters. It was all a huge success! I spent 4 months sampling cheeses (a labor of love) to find the best and they were the center of attention. And surprisingly few touched the veggie platter (except the 4 year old, he mostly ate plain cucumbers, it was amazing to see!), may cut that down next year and do more fruit instead.
I had some leftovers and made a simplified version for the much smaller New Years group. A big hit again!
I have officially been charged with making a Charcuterie board every Thanksgiving and Christmas day (which means, I don’t have to do dishes!). I’m thinking of adding berries, honeycomb and maybe little caviar next year; plus a bit of dark chocolate to juxtapose the super sharp cheddar I found.
Your post took the intimidation factor away. Thank you so much for the tips and inspiration!
You’re so welcome! Thank you for sharing your great success with the charcuterie boards! I’m so happy to hear that you have a new job for the holidays :)
This looks WONDERFUL but I have a question.
What can I make for my gluten-free vegan company that looks this good? They come about once a month to my house. I am stuck about what to make next.
Please help.
Elaine
A cheese board is a great option for your GF guests! Fruits, nuts, cheeses, meats and GF crackers are great options. I would suggest double checking the packages of items you purchase to ensure they’re Gluten Free.
There are lovely vegan cheeses made with nuts. Check out Whole Foods or other health food store. They will likely be by the “alternative meats”. Cashew cheeses are creamy and delicious and are on the softer side like a thicker ricotta! (there are great recipes to make them yourself too!).
As for charcuterie meats, you may have to just stick with other savory umami flavors like olives.
Love to entertain and enjoy appetizer recipes.
I love this idea so much, I posted a link to it on my own blog as a must try! Thanks for sharing this!
I am glad you enjoyed it Samantha!
Great esthetic- one of those “almost looks too good to eat” occasions. How do you prevent lots of fingers touching lots of things on the periphery of what is taken, esp with nuts and berries which can’t efficiently be speared, scooped, or picked with tongs?
I’m sending this link to my husband now!! Great post thank you!
I hope you enjoy it!