Everything you need to know to make a simple Charcuterie Board. It is an easy way to serve snacks and appetizers in a festive and eye-catching way. Find food ideas and tips for assembling and displaying your charcuterie board for any season or occasion.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: charcuterie board, easy recipe, game day, healthy recipe, holiday recipe, party food
How Much Food to Plan Per Person for a Charcuterie Board?
I plan on about 3-4 ounces of meat and cheese per person. Those seem to always be the most items consumed. Then I try and have 5-7 other snacking items that they can enjoy; planning that they will have approximately an ounce of each item.While it will depend on what time of day you are serving your guests, this is a good rule of thumb.When assembling the charcuterie board, start with the bowls and jars first. Then place your meats and cheeses around them. Lastly, fill in the smaller spaces with fruits, crackers, and breads.
Charcuterie Board Visual Appeal
The easiest way to create a visually appealing display is to change up the shapes and sizes of the items on display and add color.Adding pops of color with fresh or dried fruit is a great option. It will just pull the entire look together in the end. Great options are apple slices, red and green grapes, strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
Other Food Options for this Food Display
While I often see the salami and cheese combination tray, I have also seen very pretty displays for fruit and veggies too.Switch it up and be creative.Vegetable charcuterie: Serve bite-sized vegetables with a variety of dips. Vegetable ideas: cucumber, carrots, olives, mini bell peppers, green onions, pea pods, celery, pickled beets, and pickles.Dessert charcuterie: Serve homemade quick breads with some fun dipping sauces, fruit, and snacking sweets. Make a peanut butter and chocolate dipping sauce. Surround these with strawberries, bananas, apples, oranges, kiwi, grapes, pretzels, marshmallows, graham cracker sticks, and mini cookies. If served during the Holiday season, create a Christmas charcuterie: Serve your homemade Holiday candies, bars, and snacks in the shape of a wreath. Peppering bits of color throughout.