Small Charcuterie Board Ideas
Throw sharing out the window and create these easy Small Charcuterie Boards for your next party! Perfect for one person and keeps the party flowing without everyone congregating around one snack board. Personalize cheese boards with your favorite cheese, seasonal fruit, salami, nuts and more!
Small Charcuterie Board
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With summer on the horizon, backyard parties are on my mind. And every party deserves an epic cheese board or charcuterie platter to keep your guests satisfied. But the usual charcuterie board is a little too shareable and cozy for some and so……enter the single serve Charcuterie Board!
I came up with this idea for our neighborhood gathering and it’s always a hit! I try to mix it up with different charcuterie tray ideas sometimes using a paper plate for a more disposable option or my favorite stainless steel Burger Trays to help keep everything on the board.
The burger tray option is great for traveling if you have to transport your cheese board to another location or if your guests are standing around at the party. Or if you have too much wine.
But feel free to get creative with your own cheese board starting point….we love these mini wooden boards, too. Or give these slate boards a try, although they’re a little heavier.
Another thing I love about making each guest their very own Charcuterie Board is you can customize it to accommodate any dietary restrictions and food allergies such as nuts, dairy or whatever it may be.
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 board or platter at parties than just a blanket statement charcuterie.
A Charcuterie Board is commonly thought to be a large display of those same meat products served alongside assorted accoutrements like pickles, cheese, olives and fruit. But, really, it can be any size you want it to be.
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.
Ingredients You Will Need
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.
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.
- Smoked Gouda
- Prosciutto
- Seasoned Goat Cheese (I like to roll mine in Everything Spice Blend)
- Fontina
- Manchego
- Salami
- Pumpkin Seeds or almonds
- Strawberries or other seasonal fruit
- Honeycomb
- Summer Sausage
If you’re looking for some cheese board inspiration, check out this Summer Charcuterie Board we made for our pool party!
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 your 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 because they’re easier to serve that way.
- Crackers and bread – Hearty 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 cherries, oranges or berries, 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, you can substitute with crispy chickpeas or pumpkin seeds.
- Olives, dips, spreads – My go-to here is an olive medley and honey but you can also include bowls of your favorite cheese dip or savory spread. A light marmalade or fig jam is also amazing on your charcuterie board.
Divide all the ingredients up evenly among the trays and maybe keep some things in the kitchen for those that would like to freshen up their cheese tray.
If you’re building a larger board instead of the individual charcuterie boards, be sure to check out THIS easy Charcuterie tray we made for the holidays.
More Easy Party Starters
- We love these Antipasto Skewers for another grab and go snack.
- Can’t beat these Strawberry Caprese Skewers for single serve options.
- Easy Satay Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce is another great snack that’s quick and easy.
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Get the Recipe: Personal Charcuterie Board Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Cheddar Cheese
- 1/2 lb Prosciutto
- 4 oz Goat Cheese
- 1/2 lb Manchego
- 1/2 lb Butterkase
- 1 lb berries
- 1/4 cup Almonds
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 1 cup Dried Fruit, such as cranberries, raisins or apricots
- 1 cup Olives
- 1 Honeycomb, if desired
- Assorted Crackers
Equipment
- cheese board
Instructions
- Using food safe boards or line with parchment paper before arranging your charcuterie board.
- Arrange the cheeses on the boards and slice hard cheeses for easier serving.
- Fan out the meats and arrange around the cheeses on the boards.
- Wash and pat dry fruit. Cut into bite sized pieces, if necessary. Place the fruit in the spaces remaining on the boards.
- Sprinkle the almonds and apricots around the boards or place in small bowls (cupcake wrappers work well for a disposable option) on your boards. You can also fill with olives, nuts, honey and dips.
- Place the crackers around the boards.
- Fill in any open spots with proscuitto pieces twisted into little piles.