HomemakingThis post is sponsored by Stella® Cheese but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Charcuterie boards don’t have to be complicated, time-consuming, or even expensive. I hope that this post on how to make a super simple charcuterie board will give you the confidence to take one to your next gathering!
Charcuterie boards are all the rage these days. And why wouldn’t they be? They are cute, are full of delicious foods, are perfect to take to a party, and they are incredibly easy to assemble!
I think my favorite part on the list above is the ease!
I’ve been making charcuterie boards for years and didn’t even realize it. I called them snack plates.
Charcuterie sounds so much fancier, doesn’t it?
All you need to assemble a charcuterie board is a nice wooden cutting board and a mix of finger foods.
The key to making a charcuterie board look amazing is to vary the different flavors, colors, and textures of the food on the board.
I recommend including at least one each from the following list.
A Super Simple Charcuterie Board Includes:
1. Meats
Charcuterie connoisseurs recommend including a mix of both pre-sliced and sliceable meats (paired with a small knife for the consumer to cut the meat).
But I say to just use whatever is easiest and available to you.
Some meats you can include on your board are pepperoni, rolled up deli meats, sausages, salami, and prosciutto.
On a charcuterie board I made for my children the other night, I included rolled-up uncured deli ham. They loved it!
2. Cheeses
I must admit: The cheese is absolutely my favorite part of charcuterie boards. I’ve never tried a cheese that I didn’t love, and I confess that I usually sample every single cheese whenever I’m at a party with charcuterie boards!
It’s best to vary your cheeses and include both a hard cheese and a soft cheese. Some cheeses that come to mind include a cream cheese, a cheese ball, blue cheese, fresh mozzarella, and sharp cheddar.
On a charcuterie board I made for my children the other night, I included slices of Stella Cheese’s Italian sharp cheddar. Yum!
3. Veggies
Here’s where you can really boost the variety of flavors, colors, and textures on the board. The more color the better!
Some of my favorites include baby pickles, pickled carrots, sliced cucumbers, and julienned peppers.
My girls’ favorite veggie is cucumbers, so I included that on the board I made for them the other night.
4. Fruit
Fruit is another way to spice up the variety of your board. My favorite fruits to include are berries because they are easy for you to pick up, and they also pair nicely with a plethora of cheeses.
Olives are another favorite for charcuterie boards. I included olives on the board I made the other night because my youngest daughter loves them and begs to eat them!
5. Seeds and Nuts
Seeds and nuts really add to the texture of a charcuterie board, but I will say that these should be optional, as so many people these days are allergic to nuts.
Before taking a charcuterie board with seeds and nuts to a party, it would be polite to inquire if that is safe for everyone invited.
Seeds and nuts should be large enough to be scooped easily, or, better yet, include a small bowl with a spoon on the board for your nuts or seeds.
Pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, and walnuts are some of my favorites to include. Something salted and spiced would be fun during the holidays!
6. Bread or Crackers
Toasty sourdough slices, petite artisan rolls, or even multi-seed crackers are all wonderful options for the bread or cracker portion of your charcuterie board.
Our family prefers gluten-free crackers, of course.
These are really not optional. Your guests will want some kind of carb to pair with all the wonderful meats and cheeses!
7. Sweets
These are optional but oh-so-yummy. Dark chocolate, a jar of honey, or a jelly spread over a cream cheese are all ways to add some sweetness to your charcuterie board. Some people even include fondue on their boards–with both cheeses and chocolate.
Along with the foods, be sure to include toothpicks to pick up the finger foods and knives and spreaders for the cheeses.
As you can see, variety is the name of the game when it comes to making charcuterie boards. But they don’t have to be complicated or take a long time to make.
A charcuterie board can really be the easiest appetizer to put together!
What are your ideas on how to make a simple charcuterie board? Have you ever made one?
This post is sponsored by Stella® Cheese but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Brandi
When I first heard of a charcuterie board, I felt the same way, like I have been doing this all along for my kids! Lol! But I LOVE the idea of the big board that everyone shared from! These are great ideas for foods to include!