The keys to a great charcuterie board
- A variety of cheese (include hard and soft cheese)
- Nuts (almonds, cashews, and pistachios)
- Fruits (Choose based on the season, but berries, oranges, figs, and kiwis all add a variety of color and flavor)
- Dried Fruits (Try apricots, dried lemons or oranges, freeze-dried strawberries)
- Vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, celery, snap peas)
- Crackers (pretzel sticks, gluten-free crackers)
- Meats
- Olives
- Hummus, honey, dijon mustard, olive tapenade or other dips
Steps
Step 1) Arrange the board: Start by placing any bowls or ramekins on the table. Plan to use them for nuts, olives, fruits, dips, etc. Avoid placing them all close together and space them out so that they are easily accessible from along the table.
Step 2) Add cheese and place crackers nearby
Step 3) Add meat
Step 4) Add fruits and vegetables
Step 5) Fill in gaps with nuts or dried berries
Keep toothpicks near the board
Use a variety of container heights and sizes to arrange items. Height adds dimension.
Here are some cute options for charcuterie boards (click them for the links):
Looking for 4th of July Charcuterie Boards? I have a post for that here!
Here are a variety of beautiful board examples.
Happy hosting! If you’re hosting for the holidays, make sure to check out my dinner tablescape post here. Follow me on Instagram here.