How To Make A Charcuterie Board

Holiday parties and potlucks are not complete without an overflowing Charcuterie Board. Loaded with meats, cheeses, fruit, nuts and spreads, it’s my go-to way to start a gathering. I love them to help tame hungry appetites while I pull together the rest of the feast.

Ingredients for a Charcuterie Board

If you’re looking for ideas on what goes on a classic charcuterie board, these are our go-to meats and cheeses that are always a huge hit. It’s the perfect blend of hard cheeses, soft cheese, and premium meats with a few accoutrements to round out the snacking choices.

• Hard Cheeses – Smoked gouda, Parmesan, Manchego and havarti are my favorites that are pretty universal.
• Soft Cheeses – Brie cheese, goat cheese, blue cheese, camembert, taleggio are all great choices for soft cheese.
• Prosciutto or other cured meats – I love Genoa salami, Capicola, cured ham and sometimes even bologna.
• Persimmon Slices – I love persimmon in the winter months but use seasonal fruit depending on the time of year. Green grapes and red grapes are my budget friendly go-to.
• Marcona Almonds – Buttery perfection, macrona almonds are a little bit fancy. You can use regular almonds for a more budget friendly option.
• Spreads – Jams, honey, mustard and balsamic vinegar are great options for your board toppings.

Round out the board with a selection of crackers, breadsticks and parmesan crisps.

Charcuterie Board Ideas

Cheese boards and charcuterie boards are like my favorite thing to make ever for game day and holidays. I made a budget charcuterie board years ago and while the photos could use a total refresh, the elements and “rules” are there for your to check out if you want. I used the same method for my Summer Charcuterie Board a few months ago and it turned out so fresh, fruity and perfect.

We, also, love making these mini PERSONAL Cheese Boards for parties so everyone gets their own board…..no germ-y hands touching all your cheese!

For the holidays, I like to add more elements that speak to the season like sliced persimmons and candied walnuts. You can really add just about anything you want to your cheese platter. 

We even branched out to the dessert boards era with our Halloween Dessert Board and my favorite Thanksgiving Turkey Dessert Board.

What is a Charcuterie Board

It’s a tricky word, charcuterie. And it’s pronounced “shahr-koo-tuh–ree”. 

Charcuterie is the art of preparing meats that are often smoked or cured, such as bacon, ham, sausages, terrines and pates, primarily from pork. People often use the term charcuterie to describe an assortment of meats that are paired with different accompaniments, such as toast, fruit, cheese, and condiments.

It’s, actually, more correct to say ‘charcuterie board’ if you’re presenting an arrangement of cheese and meats on a big board or platter at parties than just a blanket statement charcuterie.

A Charcuterie Board is a large display of those same meat products served alongside assorted accoutrements like pickles, cheese, olives and fruit. There are really not many rules to what you can add to your charcuterie plate but emphasis should always be on including fresh high quality products.

What To Put On A Charcuterie Board

The sky is the limit with your charcuterie tray and you’re only limited by your imagination. I like to include a variety of meats and cheeses on my charcuterie board so there’s a little something for everyone. I stick with whatever I can find at Trader Joe’s, one of my favorite places, or my local grocery store to make shopping easier.

You can come up with your own charcuterie board ideas to suit both your guests and your own preferences…..that’s why these are always a hit. They’re the perfect start to dinner parties.

How To Build a Charcuterie Board

Arranging your ingredients on the board artfully is an easy task, just be sure to find a board large enough to hold all your meats and cheeses. You can even use a pizza peel if storage space is a concern, this way it does double (or triple) duty.

If you don’t have a cutting board big enough to use as your cheese board display, you can just grab a standard sheet pan or a large serving platter and arrange everything on there. It works just as beautifully!

How To Calculate The Amount of Cheese for Your Board

You’ll also want to be sure you have enough nibbles for everyone at the party to enjoy so here’s a quick breakdown on how to calculate how much meat and cheese you’ll need for the perfect charcuterie board.

• Meats – Include a variety of textures and flavors when selecting your meat like  salami and proscuitto. And plan for 3-4 slices of meat per person at a minimum.
• Cheese – I like to include a sharp cheese like parmesan or cheddar, a soft cheese like goat cheese, a mild cheese like manchego and then a few extra favorites like cheddar or a buttery Butterkase to round out the cheese board. You’ll want to include enough for about 2 ounces of cheese per person at a minimum and be sure to slice the harder cheeses into different shapes because they’re easier to serve that way. Make sure your cheeses are room temperature for the best flavor when serving.
• Crackers and bread – Multigrain crackers or buttery crisps always go first so be sure to have a few extra but you’ll also want to include something seasonal like a fig crisp. I like to include thin, crispy bread sticks for a lighter option and visual interest.
• Fruit – Dried and fresh fruit work well on a charcuterie board and this is your chance to amp up the color. Think of bright, vibrant fruits, like persimmon, to add some much needed color to your spread.
• Nuts – I love to add nuts to my board and I usually just sprinkle a few around but if you have guests with allergies, it’s best to keep them in a separate bowl.
• Olives, dips, spreads – My go-to here is Spicy Marinated Olives and honey but you can also include small bowls of your tzatziki dip or pimento cheese spread.  An orange marmalade or fig jam is also amazing on your charcuterie board.

More Easy Appetizer Ideas

• Easy Fluffernutter Dip
• Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board
• Easy Goat Cheese Balls
• Antipasto Skewers
• Pecan Brie Phyllo Cups
• Brie Cranberry Pasty Bites