An elegant and beautiful charcuterie board is a great addition to any dinner, party or get together! It’s the best party food, the perfect way to gather your guests around for some finger food and drinks before a dinner. You’ll be the talk of the town with this Instagram-worthy spread! Plus, it’s actually quite easy to put together! Use my simple, step-by-step guide on how to make a charcuterie board for your next party!

And check out my latest charcuterie board with hummus, too! 

Watch My Charcuterie Video!

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Variety is Key!

Making a great charcuterie board is all about variety, textures, and colors. I always add a nice variety of cheeses, cured meats, dry goods, crackers and fruit. A little something to please everyone! Use my ingredient list below as a shopping list!

Step 1: Start with a nice wooden board!

A good wooden cheese board or cutting board is a must for any charcuterie spread. I picked this olive tree board up at Home Goods – they usually have several, inexpensive options! Or, buy it online on Amazon here!

Step 2: Add the dry goods/base

Add a variety of crackers, nut crisps and thinly sliced baguette. I like to fan out the pieces, then arrange a little of each over the board, not crowding everything into one place. For this board, I went with butter crackers, cranberry nut crisps and baguette. Parmesan cheese crackers, cheese twists and cocktail bread are also great options.

Step 3: Add the sweet spreads

I absolutely love a good pepper jelly with a mild soft cheese! There’s something so delicious about the combination of spicy jelly with salty cheese! I like to add a variety of sweet spreads, including honey, fig jam and pepper jelly. I also added some apricot jam for this board.

Step 4: Time for the cheese!

The cheese is super important when making a charcuterie board! Make sure to add a variety of cheeses, something for everyone. I like to go with at least four varieties; here I used a mild blue cheese, breakfast brie cheese, smoked gouda, and aged white cheddar. Go for a variety of firmness, taste and texture! To make guests more comfortable with trying different cheeses, slice a few pieces of each variety to get the tasting started!

Step 5: Cured Meats

Just like with the cheese, it’s important to have a variety of cured meats to go along with the crackers and cheese. Use a variety of Italian cured meats such as prosciutto, salami, dry coppa and mortadella. Arrange the meats in between the different varieties of cheeses.

Step 6: Add some refreshments

Add a few different savory snacks to break up all that rich cheese! I like to include some olives, pickles, and even the colorful watermelon radish! You can also add vegetables, like baby carrots and cocktail cucumbers.

Step 7: Nuts and dried fruit

No charcuterie spread would be complete without some nuts and dried fruit! I recommend adding a few handfuls of mixed nuts to the board. I also love some good dried fruit, such as dried apricots, dried apples or even some dried cranberries!

Step 8: Fresh fruit and berries

And last but not least, the fruit! Berries and fruit are a great refreshment and they add tons of color to the cheese board. Add a few handfuls of raspberry, strawberry, grapes or even pomegranate.

And that’s it! Don’t forget to place a few spreaders, lifters, tongs and cheese knives on the board so guests can serve themselves. This set on Amazon is perfect for any charcuterie board lover!

More Recipes!

Enjoy this charcuterie board with more appetizers on the side! Check out some of my appetizer recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

• These mini ‘Spinach Panela Tartlets’ are always a hit at any party!
• Smoked Salmon Profiteroles – filled with creamy and fluffy smoked salmon filling!
• Avocado Chicken Egg Rolls – restaurant-style chicken and avocado stuffed rolls!
• The Ultimate Charcuterie Board – another amazing spread with hummus, cheese, salami and loads of goodies!

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