A summer charcuterie board is the perfect dish to bring to any party this summer. There’s something for everyone on this board filled with fresh fruits, soft cheeses, your favorite crackers, and more.
A snack board is great for any occasion because they’re so versatile. You can fill your board with whatever your favorite fruits, meats, and cheeses are. Fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers market make this summer board such a crowd pleaser.
I love making this easy summer charcuterie board because the toppings are so vibrant. It’s similar to my Valentine’s day charcuterie board, my Christmas charcuterie board, and my Mexican charcuterie board.
A small charcuterie board or individual charcuterie boxes are perfect for a handful people but I love making a grazing table for large groups. There are so many different ways to make a good charcuterie board which is my favorite part about them. You can get as creative as you’d like!
I choose to make gluten free charcuterie boards but you can make a regular board or even a vegan charcuterie board. It’s super easy to accommodate for any dietary restrictions when making a snack board.
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Can you make a charcuterie board a day in advance?
No, it’s not a great idea to make a charcuterie board a day in advance because some foods could get soggy, stale, or brown. But you can make one 30-40 minutes in advance, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge before you serve. I recommend adding the crackers last minute so they don’t get stale or soggy.
You can also give this summer board a breakfast theme with our Pancake Charcuterie Board! And if you want a fun way to carry your board, check out our charcuterie cones.
What’s in a summer charcuterie board?
Adding a variety of cheeses, fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits, dried fruit, crackers, and meats is a great way to get a wide variety of options on your board. You can add more ingredients or omit any of the ingredients below.
Cheeses
I like to have different types of cheese spread out across the board. A variety of hard cheese and soft cheese is optimal for different textures and flavors. Goat cheese, soft brie cheese, blue cheese, ricotta and sharp cheese are some of my favorite cheeses.
Meats
I recommend having an assortment of meats on your board. Meats like prosciutto, genoa salami, sopressata, and sliced pepperoni are great options to choose from.
Crackers
Crackers make a great addition to any charcuterie board. I use gluten-free crackers and pretzels but you can use your favorite type of crackers/chips. Slices of bread, pita chips, flat pretzels, and regular crackers are on a typical charcuterie board.
Fruits and vegetables
Adding garden-fresh veggies and other summer produce is a fun way to add more color to your board. Apple slices, cherry tomatoes, fresh berries, dried fruits, and watermelon are common summer fruits and vegetables.
Jam/spread
I love adding dips like fig jam or date spread to my charcuterie board. You can dip fruit in the spread or mix it with cheese on crackers.
How do you assemble a great charcuterie board?
There is no wrong way to arrange a charcuterie board but these steps will help you get an aesthetic look.
Step 1: I like to cut a piece of wax paper to fit my board first then place large items like cheese wheels and wedges on the wooden 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
Pro tip: Cheese is best served at room temperature so be sure to take it out of the fridge a few hours before serving.
Expert tips and FAQs
Yes, adding watermelon to your summer cheese board is an easy way to fill up space, add color, and stay on theme. Feta or goat cheese would be the perfect complimentary cheeses for watermelon.
Cutting your sweet fruit into thin slices is the best way to make your board look layered and add depth. This way, you can stack fruit or easily arrange it in small spots on the board.
You can keep your perfect summer charcuterie board fresh by keeping it in a cooler environment or restocking ingredients. You can keep fresh ingredients in the fridge and restock them outside as needed.
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Summer Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh berries
- 1 small seedless watermelon sliced into triangles
- 8 ounces variety of cheeses
- 8 ounces variety of cured meats
- 6 ounces gluten-free crackers and pretzels
- 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
Kathleen H says
Hi Chandice,
I wish you would tell us which cheeses and meats you are using. They look inviting and it would give us a chance to try new varieties that we haven’t thought of.
Thanks.
Chandice says
Hi Kathleen, I am so sorry they aren’t specifically included in the recipe card. I did mention in the body of the text under cheese which ones I love. However, here I use ricotta, blueberry windsordale, blue cheese, edible flower topped goat cheese and vegan smoked gouda. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Tayler says
I had a movie night with my girls the other night and this recipe was a hit! Such a fun charcuterie board idea 🙂
LaKita says
Love and good charcuterie board and making this summer version is so perfect for this time of year!
Kim says
Love the addition of berries and watermelon for the summer touch! Huge charcuterie fans here and this is a perfect combination!
Enri Lemoine says
I’m in love with the tiers, how you arranged the meats and cheeses, and how you incorporate the flowers. This is one of the most beautiful charcuterie boars I’ve ever seen!
Chandice says
Awwww thank you so much!!
Jenny says
I love your choices. This recipe is on the list to make again. Many thanks!
Jamie says
This charcuterie board includes all of my favorite summer fruit! This is one of my favorite ways to serve guests during the summer. Thank you!
Allyssa says
Very fantastic idea of charcuterie! Will surely use this again and again for our gatherings! Thanks a lot for sharing your bright idea! Loved it!
Cathleen says
This is the most beautiful charcuterie board I have ever seen! I am definitely making this this summer again, pinned for others to make later too 🙂
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
This is beautiful and I can’t wait to make this again with all the fresh fruit! I have figs on the tree outside as we speak! They’ll be ideal for this!
Erin says
This looks so great for summer entertaining! There’s really something for everyone. I love the addition of chocolate. 😀