This easy charcuterie board is a great way to serve a large group of people. A simple recipe that makes the perfect appetizer for special occasions, family events, or holiday parties.
Grab your favorite cured meats, cheeses, crackers, and more to arrange this beautiful charcuterie board in minutes. There's no limits on possible variations so you can make this recipe your own!
One thing I love about a simple charcuterie board is that they're so easy to customize to your liking. Guests with dietary restrictions or picky eaters easily pick and choose what they want to snack on.
For small events, my small charcuterie board is always a big hit. You can even turn a small cheese board into an individual charcuterie box for the perfect on-the-go snack.
The charcuterie board ideas are endless. There's so many ways to adapt to different occasions. For example, I love making this Thanksgiving charcuterie board, Valentine's day charcuterie board, our charcuterie cones, and Mexican charcuterie board to spice up a party.
What do you need for a basic charcuterie board?
A basic charcuterie board will have a variety of cheeses, dried fruits, deli meat, fresh fruit, fresh herbs, hummus and dips, etc. What you put on your cheese board is up to personal preference. See the list of ingredients for more ideas and suggestions.
Ingredients for easy charcuterie board
The perfect charcuterie board is one that's tailored to your preferences. Use this list below and the recipe card as guidelines and customize as needed.
Various cheeses
I like to have a combination of soft cheese and hard cheese on my charcuterie board. Blue cheese, goat cheese, brie cheese, and fresh mozzarella are great options for softer cheeses.
Meat
Similar to the cheeses, you want a variety of cured meats. I like Italian dry salami, cured chorizo, cured wagyu beef, and pepperoni but you can use harder meats if desired. Another kind of meat to add is summer sausage.
Crackers
Adding crackers, pretzels, baguette slices, bread sticks, and/or pita chips is the perfect way to add crunchy texture to your epic charcuterie board.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are great for you, but they also add a nice pop of color to a charcuterie board. My favorite fruits are fresh berries, apple slices, dried apricots, and raisins. As for vegetables, carrots, broccoli, and celery are good options.
Jams and spreads
I like putting jams, honey, chocolate, and other dips into small bowls on my charcuterie board. You can spread these on various cheese, crackers, and fruit.
Herbs
Adding herbs for aesthetic helps your charcuterie board look put together. Fresh rosemary, basil, and thyme are my favorite herbs.
How to make an easy charcuterie board
There's only five steps to making an easy charcuterie board. See the recipe card for full detailed instructions.
Step 1: Place large items like cheese wheels and wedges on the board
Step 2: Add dips and small fruits to small bowls and place them around the board.
Step 3: Add the cured meats, crackers, fruits and veggies.
Step 4: Add all the yummy treats! Charcuterie board cookies and chocolate covered strawberries are perfect here.
Step 5: Finish by adding in the green herbs to give it a live, effervescent look
Pro tip: Add cheese knives and spreading knives around the board so guests can easily help themselves.
Expert tips and FAQs
Yes it's significantly cheaper to make your own charcuterie board rather than buying one pre-made or catering one. Plus, you get to control the ingredients when making your own!
I like to cut cheeses into different shapes to add variety onto the board. Harder cheese is easier to cut while spreadable cheeses might be easier to leave as is. Cutting cheese into small triangles or cubes is my favorite way to "cut the cheese."
The general rule of thumb is that you should have a wooden base for your board but other than that, it's up to you. The size of tray you choose will depend on the number of guests and how much those guests will be eating. A 9x13 board is standard.
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Easy Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 8 ounces variety of cheeses (I recommend parmesan, smoked gouda, goat cheese, and a blue)
- 8 ounces variety of cured meats (I recommend dry salami, cured chorizo, cured wagyu beef and pepperoni)
- 6 ounces crackers and pretzels
- 6 ounces fresh berries
- 6 ounces fresh veggies
- 3 ounces chocolate
- 2 small jars of jam or spread
- 1 cup olives
- fresh herbs for aesthetic
Instructions
- Step 1: Place large items like cheese wheels and wedges on the board
- Step 2: Add dips and small fruits to small bowls and place the small bowls around the board wherever you see fit
- Step 3: Add the cured meats, crackers, fruits and veggies (I love adding olives to this board!)
- Step 4: Add all the yummy treats! Charcuterie board cookies and chocolate covered strawberries are perfect here
- Step 5: Finish by adding in the green herbs to give it a live, effervescent look
Natalia says
Charcuterie boards have always overwhelmed me, so I was excited to find a recipe for an easy charcuterie board. And....I did it! I was so excited and please with how it turned out and it wasn't hard at all! All of my friends were impressed and I loved how tasty it was.