Charcuterie Board

Let me show you how to create a charcuterie board your guests will love! Just gather your favorite cheeses, meats, fruits, crackers, and nibbles for the best party appetizer.

Why You’ll Love This Charcuterie Board

If you’re a visual person like me, building a charcuterie board from scratch is always such a fun and creative process. And I love that there’s no one right or wrong way to make it! Plus, it’s super easy to make, delicious, and guaranteed to be the star of any appetizer spread. While this particular cheese board has a fall/winter theme (I was preparing it for the holidays), it’s endlessly customizable for any season or celebration. Here’s why you’ll love making my version:

• Exact quantities: I list out exactly what you’ll need for a 15 to 18-inch board, with enough leftovers to refill throughout the night. But you can adapt the quantities to fit a smaller or larger board.
• Very customizable: I have tips for swapping in different cheeses, meats, and nibbles based on what’s in season. For Thanksgiving or Christmas, add candied pecans or candied orange peel. For Easter, add fresh veggies and a ranch dressing dip. I’ve got more ideas below!
• Satisfies hunger. With a variety of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats, it will tide your guests over for several hours until you serve your main course.
• Always gets people excited: Just like my deviled eggs and guacamole, this charcuterie board is always a crowd favorite for a holiday gathering.

Charcuterie Board Ingredients

• Cheeses: Choose a variety of soft and hard cheeses that you and your guests personally enjoy! Today, I’m including sharp cheddar, smoked Gouda, Monterrey Jack, fromage blanc, and Brie cheese. But you could also chèvre, Boursin, or Mascarpone (for soft cheeses), Havarti, Gruyère, or Muenster (for semi-soft cheeses), and Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano (for hard cheeses). And if you’re adventurous and love blue cheese, use Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or Stilton.
• Meats: Choose a variety of meats with mild, bold, and/or smoky flavors. I love a mix of salami, prosciutto, and summer sausage. But you could also use soppressata, chorizo, smoked ham, coppa, bresaola, and more!
• Savory and briny things: For a savory crunch, I’m adding raw cashews, though almonds, pistachios, and other nuts all work great. For some brininess, I love pitted Castelvetrano olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and stone-ground mustard.
• Sweet things: This is where fruits come into play! I have a fall seasonal theme with green grapes, apples, pears, and dried apricots. I’ve also added a side of honey and an apricot raspberry jam to drizzle on the cheese.
• Crackers: Use any of your favorite crackers or flatbreads! Just opt for different flavors, shapes, and textures. I listed the exact ones I’m using in the recipe card notes!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

How To Make A Charcuterie Board

First, select your board and place your cheeses. Choose a large cutting board (round, rectangular, or square) or platter. Then, arrange your cheeses spread out across the board. I recommend 5 different types of cheese for a large board like mine. For a smaller board, choose 3 cheeses. Odd numbers are great to add visual interest to the board! Try mixing textures and flavors, and slice a few pieces of cheese ahead of time so they’re easy for guests to grab.

Second, add the sliced meats. Place the meats next to the cheeses. Fold the salami in half or quarters, roll the prosciutto so it’s easy to pick up, and fan out the sausage. Again, these different folds, rolls, and slices add texture and visual appeal to the board.

Third, add small bowls for extras. Fill a few bowls with savory and sweet items like olives, artichoke hearts, mustard, or honey, and tuck them in between the cheeses and meats. Spread them out to create balance.

Fourth, add the crackers. Fan out a variety of crackers around the board. Mix shapes, textures, and flavors. I’ve listed my favorite crackers in the recipe card below!

Lastly, place the fruit and nibbles. Add the grapes, apple slices, and pear slices. Fill any remaining gaps with dried apricots (or other dried fruit), nuts, or other small bites. Your board is ready for serving!

More Ways To Customize

• Choose a theme. Try a Mediterranean board with olives, hummus, feta, and roasted peppers. Or even a brunch board with smoked salmon, soft cheeses, and fresh cut vegetables.
• Lean into whatever’s in season. Think berries and fresh herbs in summer, figs and grapes in fall, or citrus in winter.
• A simple homemade touch goes a long way. Think quick-pickled onions, cranberry sauce, a fruit compote, or even a small bowl of marinated olives. It instantly makes the board feel a little more “you!”
• Offer a variety of dips and spreads. Stone-ground mustard, whipped ricotta, or even a flavored honey all add depth. Place them in small bowls so there’s a little something for every palate.
• Give pairing suggestions. Pair meats with specific cheeses or sweet items to help guests make sense of the board. Here are a few pairings I love:
  • Prosciutto + Brie + honey
  • Salami + sharp cheddar + mustard
  • Summer sausage + smoked Gouda + pickles
  • Peppery salami + creamy goat cheese + fruit jam

More Appetizer Ideas

• Antipasto skewers: A charcuterie board on a skewer!
• French Onion Dip: The caramelized onion is so good.
• Stuffed Mushrooms: A holiday classic.
• Cowboy Caviar: A must for summer parties.
• Or give these other appetizer recipes a try!

Behind The Scenes

I was very fortunate that my mom came down to visit me a day after filming this recipe, otherwise I would have had to enjoy ALL of these nibbles by myself. But instead, we were able to enjoy it over the weekend in between movies, errands and catching up. As luck would have it, it couldn’t have been more perfect as I just stored these items in individual containers in the fridge, then my mom was able to grab what she wanted, mixing and matching when she got a bit hungry!