This easy charcuterie board is the perfect appetizer for the upcoming Holiday Season. The key to making the best charcuterie board is using variety and to create a balance of flavors and textures. Best of all, you can customize this easy charcuterie board to accommodate any food allergy.
Keep reading to find out more about this wildly popular appetizer.
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What is a Charcuterie Board?
Pronounced (shar-koo-tuh-ree), it's a French term that means cured meats, or the process of curing. A charcuterie board is basically a display of cured meats. These boards have gained popularity in recent years and now include displaying meats, cheeses, and flavorful accompaniments such as fruits, olives, nuts, crackers, and spreads.
Find the perfect board for your display HERE (paid Amazon link).What to Put on a Charcuterie Board?
MEATS
Any cured meat will work for this easy charcuterie board. Some examples include summer sausage, salami, prosciutto, calabrese salami, ham, chorizo, etc. These can all be found at your local grocery store. Many brands now carry gluten, and dairy-free, meats. Check the labels and ingredients carefully.
CHEESE
Using a variety of cheeses for your board is a great way to incorporate flavors and textures. The cheeses can be displayed in cubes, slices, or wedges. Some examples include cheddar, swiss, provolone, gouda, blue cheese, brie, or goat cheese. Note: These brands make dairy-free cheese slices, and/or wedges, Follow Your Heart, Treeline, Kitehill, Daiya, and Miyoko.
Find your favorite charcuterie board cheese knife set HERE (paid Amazon link).
ACCOMPANIMENTS
Try using fresh fruits such as apples, grapes, and berries, or dried fruits such as apricots, dates, and mangos.
Olives, crackers, and bread are great additions to a charcuterie board.
If you are able add nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pistachios.
Also add dips or fruit spreads like ranch dip, honey mustard, hummus, or jams. Try my Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce with this charcuterie board recipe.
Check out these Ramekins (paid Amazon link) for an easy way to display your dips and spreads.
Chocolates are also a wonderful way to add flavor to your charcuterie board. My favorite is Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mega Chunk Chocolate Chips (paid Amazon link).
How to Build a Charcuterie Board
- Choose your ingredients.
- Select your board based on your ingredients and the number of people you plan to serve.
- Choose any ramekins for any dips or sauces if needed and place them on the board.
- Assemble the board starting with your meats.
- Add the cheese and then fill in the gaps with crackers, chocolates, nuts etc.
- Place the fruits and finally garnish with fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Serve and enjoy!
Uniquie Charcuterie Board Ideas
There are so many unique possibilities when making an easy charcuterie board. Try a themed board such as a Halloween charcuterie board, a fall board, or a Christmas board. Other ideas include a summer board or even just making an easy charcuterie board for dinner one night.
To create a themed board, incorporate sweet, savory, salty, and/or spicy ingredients using seasonal foods. That's it. Get as fancy or casual as you want.
If you like this recipe try my Crunchy and Satisfying Gluten-Free Granola.
Easy Charcuterie Board
Equipment
- Large serving tray or board
- 4 oz Ramekins or mini bowls
- Cheese knife set
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 7 ounces Meats used: Salami
- 6 ounces Cheese used: Goat cheese
- Fresh fruit: Honeycrisp apple slices and red grapes 2 large apples and 1 lb grapes
- Gluten-free crackers
- Apple Butter spread
- Fresh herbs (garnish) Rosemary and thyme
Instructions
- Choose your ingredients.
- Select your board based on your ingredients and the number of people you plan to serve.
- Choose any ramekins for any dips or sauces if needed and place them on the board.
- Assemble the board starting with your meats.
- Add the cheese and then fill in the gaps with crackers, chocolates, nuts, etc.
- Place the fruits and finally garnish with fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
★Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below in the comments!★
Blessings, Laura xo
