How to Make a Charcuterie Board
Learn How to Make a Charcuterie Board that’s stunning, stress-free, and perfect for any occasion. From cheese and meats to crackers and fruit.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- 1 wooden or glass cutting board
- small bowls or ramekins
- mini tongs
- mini spoons
- cheese knives
- 1 sharp knife or wire cheese knife
Ingredients
- 3-5 cheeses soft, semi-soft, firm, hard, and blue.
- 3-5 meats salami, prosciutto, pepperoni, or other cured meats.
- 3-5 fruits and veggies grapes, berries, sliced apples, carrots, snap peas, or bell peppers.
- 3-5 sweet and savory accompaniments nuts, dried fruit, chocolates, pretzels, crackers, baguette slices, or mini breadsticks.
- 3-5 nuts, dried apricots, cherry tomatoes, or mini pickles
Instructions
- Choose your board. Pick a wooden board, cutting board, baking sheet, or serving platter large enough to hold a mix of cheeses, meats, fruit, and accompaniments.
- Place your small bowls first. Add ramekins or small cups for items like olives, pickles, jams, honey, or anything juicy that needs containing.
- Select your cheeses. Aim for 3–5 cheeses in different textures—soft, semi-soft, firm, hard, and blue. Cut them into a mix of wedges, slices, cubes, or rustic chunks to add variety.
- Arrange the cheeses on the board. Spread them out around the bowls, leaving space in between for meats and accompaniments.
- Add the meats. Fold, roll, or fan salami, prosciutto, pepperoni, or other cured meats and place them near the cheeses they pair well with.
- Layer in fresh fruit and veggies. Fill open spaces with grapes, berries, sliced apples, carrots, snap peas, or bell peppers for color, sweetness, and crunch.
- Add sweet and savory accompaniments. Scatter nuts, dried fruit, chocolates, pretzels, crackers, baguette slices, or mini breadsticks throughout the board.
- Fill in the gaps. Tuck small items—like nuts, dried apricots, cherry tomatoes, or mini pickles—into empty spaces to make the board look full and abundant.
- Add finishing touches. Place cheese knives, mini tongs, and small spoons on the board. Let everything sit at room temperature for the best flavor before serving.
- Serve and enjoy. Set out extra crackers or bread on the side if you run out of space, and let guests help themselves to a variety of flavors and textures.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Assemble most of the board up to 24 hours in advance, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Add crackers and anything that gets soggy right before serving, and let the cheeses come to room temperature for the best flavor.
- Storage Instructions: Transfer leftover meats and cheeses to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. Crackers should be stored separately in a sealed bag or container to keep them crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving
