How to Make a Charcuterie Board  (2024)

• Cured meats
• Cheeses
• Dried and/or fresh fruit
• Dips or spreads
• Nuts
• Other nibbles such as marinated olives, cornichon, or pickled vegetables
• Bread, crackers, or chips

• Salami: There are numerous types of salami but two widely available deli salamis that work well are Genoa salami and Soppressata. Genoa salami is seasoned with garlic, salt, black and white pepper, and red or white wine. It has a brightly acidic flavor and a softer texture than many other salamis. Soppressata is heavily flavored with either black peppercorns or spicy Calabrian chili peppers and features a coarse grind with a firm, slightly chewy texture.
• Prosciutto: This is aflavorful, delicately sweet and saltymeat, which traditional consists of just pork and salt. However, you can look for seasoned varieties with spices and herbs like black pepper, garlic, and rosemary, which give it a more unique, fragrant flavor.
• Coppa: This is a thinly sliced dry cured ham with a bold flavor and aroma. Available in mild and hot, it is often seasoned with black pepper and chili and can also include nutmeg and crushed red pepper flakes.

• Spanish chorizo
• Mortadella
• Jamon Iberico
• Deli meats
• Pepperoni

• Triple cream cheese (like Bourgogne from Costco)
• Gournay cheese/herb cheese spreads like Boursin (come in a variety of flavors)
• Cheese balls: Purchase in the deli department or make your own! MyBruschetta Cheese Ball, Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball, Mini Antipasto Cheese Balls, Hawaiian Cheese Ball are all wickedly delicious.
• Pimento Cheese: This is a classic Southern cheddar cheese and pimento pepper spread that’s luxuriously creamy, cheesy, tangy, and as-spicy-as-you-like. Pick it up at the store or this recipe is so easy to make with just a handful of ingredients in less than 10 minutes!

• Brie(my fav!): Double cream brie is the typical brie, but go for triple cream brie if you can. Triple cream adds additional cream to the cheese for a creamier, richer texture and butterier flavor. The brie rind is edible, so don’t cut it off. Remove the brie from the fridge about an hour before serving to come to room temperature and get creamy. Slice a wedge out of the brie to help get things started. You can also try this Brie in Puff Pastry with Pepper Jelly for extra decadence!
• Goat Cheese/Chèvre: While goat cheese logs can be served plain, look for elevated options in the deli such as garlic and herb or nut/berry crusted. My wildly popular Garlic Herb Cheese Log and Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log recipes are fabulous.
• Camembert: This cheese is similar to brie, but a little less buttery.
• Burrata: This unique cheese boasts a soft mozzarella shell and creamy interior, like thick cream, that flows out once sliced into. It pairs particularly well with ripe tomatoes, basil, and honeydew melon.
• Feta:This is a great option if you’re going with a Mediterranean theme. Purchase a block, then cube with toothpicks.
• Gorgonzola: Purchase in a block and cube or slice. It’s tasty with apples, dried fruit, crusty bread and walnuts.

• Gouda: This crowd pleaser boasts a buttery flavor infused with notes of caramel. Young Gouda has a mild flavor and becomes sharper as it ages. You can also choose smoked Gouda for complex smoky notes. Remove the gouda cheese from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Cut off the wax rind and slice into wedges or cubes.
• Havarti: Creamy, smooth, supple in texture, and ultra rich and buttery. It’s perfectly mild with a subtle sweetness. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
• Manchego: It’s mild, nutty, sweet, buttery and subtly tangy. Manchego is high in milk fat which translates to a rich and decadent mouthfeel. Take the Manchego cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Cut off the rind and slice into thin triangles.
• Cheddar: Choose from sharp cheddar or aged white cheddar. Cheddar makes a tasty addition because it’s a well-loved cheese with a nutty, sharp taste. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving. Cut into slices or cubes.

• Colby Jack
• Pepper Jack
• Muenster
• Asiago
• Gruyere
• Parmesan Reggiano

• Berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
• Grapes
• Apple slices
• Pear slices
• Melon (cantaloupe, honey dew, watermelon), balls, cubes or slices
• Pineapple chunks
• Orange or tangerine slices
• Peach slices
• Kiwi slices

• Dried apricots
• Craisins or dried cranberries
• Figs
• Dried cherries
• Dates

• Fruit preserves or jams
• Honey or hot honey(a must with brie!)
• Mustard
• Bacon jam
• Caramelized onion jam
• Pepper jelly
• Chutney
• Pesto
• Hummus
• Whipped Feta Dip
• Red Pepper Feta Dip

• Toasted French baguette slices: Brush the slices with olive oil, and bake at 400 degrees F for 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges.
• Artisan crackers: made with whole grains for a nutty flavor and crispy texture.
• Butter crackers: rich and buttery fabulous.
• Multi-grain crackers: made with various grains for an added depth of flavor. Crunchmaster makes fabulously crispy gluten free options.
• Flatbread crackers: often come baked with herbs and salt for a flavorful, crispy bite.
• Water crackers: light and airy to emphasize the meats, cheeses, and fruits.
• Pretzel thins or crackers: thin, salty, and crispy, these pair beautifully with both sweet and savory items.

• Olives(Castelvetrano, Kalamata, Liguria/Taggiasca, Pimento stuffed, etc.)
• Pickles or cornichon
• Pickled vegetables
• Pickled red onions
• co*cktail onions
• Roasted red peppers
• Artichoke hearts
• Capers

• Italian Charcuterie Board: Prosciutto + Genoa salami + Parmesan + mozzarella + crostini + olives
• Greek Charcuterie Board: Salami + feta + pita bread + hummus + tzatziki + roasted red pepper + pistachios
• Spanish Charcuterie Board: Serrano ham + Spanish chorizo + goat cheese + Manchego cheese + almonds + olives + figs
• French Charcuterie Board: Saucisson + Jambon de Bayonne + Brie + Comte + baguette slices + cornichons + fruit preserves
• Holiday themes: Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, birthday, etc.
• Dessert Charcuterie Board: Chocolate, strawberries, nuts, Rice Krispie Treats, candy bars, cookies, gummies, hard candy, etc.

• Step 1: Arrange the cheeses. Space out the cheeses on the board. Slice hard and semi-hard cheeses into squares, triangles, cubes, etc. and fan them out. Cut a few wedges into the brie. Softer cheeses like mozzarella balls and feta need to be placed in a dish.

• Step 2: Arrange the meats. Place the meats next the cheeses they pair well with, leaving space around the brie for nuts, berries and honey. Fold the meats in a variety of patterns (I fold in half, then in half again) or fan them out.

• Step 3: Add spreads and pickled items that require a dish. Add your pickled items, jellies, honey, spreads, dips, etc. to bowls and ramekins. Add them to the board next to items they pair well with (i.e. honey next to brie). Adding them now help you gauge the rest of the space.

• Step 4: Add fruit. Slice or cube the fruit and cut the grapes into portions so they are easy to grab. Place the fruit next to the fruit they pair well with. For example, grapes pair well with mozzarella and hard cheeses, berries pair well with soft cheeses, apples pair well with most cheeses, especially cheddar, Gouda and Manchego.

• Step 5: Add Nuts and Extra Nibbles. Add pistachios, pecans and/or walnuts around the brie or soft cheeses. Mixed nuts like peanuts can be placed in any spaces. Add any extras like chocolate squares.

• Step 6: Add crostini and crackers. Arrange the crackers andcrostini in any empty spaces. The platter is usually bursting at this point, but you can usually squeeze the crackers in around the borders of the platter.

• You don’t need a large board. Don’t limit your charcuterie board by the type and size of your serving platter. Use platters, cookie sheets, cutting boards, etc., and pair as many as you need to together.
• Choose a theme. This makes it easier to select the meats and cheeses you’ll need versus if you just go to the grocery store without a plan. You want the flavors and textures to all complement each other.
• Determine how many meats and cheese you need. As a rule of thumb, it’s nice to work in odd numbers for a beautiful presentation. I like five different cheeses, and three meats for a larger board. For a smaller board, three cheeses and a variety pack of meats works well.
• Remove the cheeses from the fridge. Remove the cheeses from the fridge 30 minutes ahead of time. Remove the brie one hour ahead of time so it can get nice and creamy.
• Label the board. Label the meats and cheeses to make it easy for guests to select the ones they like.
• Mix and match ingredients. A successful charcuterie board includes a variety of ingredients for a symphony of sweet, salty, savory, briny, crunchy, crispy, juicy, and creamy.
• Arrange things so they are easy to grab. Fan out the slices of cheese, fan out the apple slices, cut grapes into small segments, cut chocolate into squares, etc.
• Use ramekins and serving bowls. Place olives, cornichons, spreads, dips, soft cheeses, etc. in individual dishes for ease in serving and presentation. Place them on the board before the fruit, nuts, etc. so you can gauge the remaining space.
• Don’t forget the serving utensils. Add spoons, knives, mini forks, toothpicks, etc. to the spreads, honey, dips, olives, pickles, etc.
• Serve bread separately. If you can’t fit the bread and crackers onto the charcuterie board, serve them in a separate dish.
• Add ingredients to fit. If your board isn’t large enough to fit all of the items, add what you can, then restock as needed.
• Check your fridge! See what needs to be used up from your own fridge or pantry before heading to the store. Any leftover trail mix, dips, spreads, crackers, or sandwich fixings might work on your charcuterie board. Get creative!

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