35 Gorgeous Charcuterie Board Recipe Ideas (original) (raw)

I'll never turn down one of these epic party platters

large wooden cutting board topped with charcuterie meat, cheese and fruit

The Modern Proper

A charcuterie board is a go-to for hosts—and a fan favorite of guests—for good reason. While “charcuterie” technically means a range of different cured meats, these platters go beyond salami and prosciutto, typically featuring various cheeses, crackers, spreads and produce. But why are they so popular? For starters, they’re extremely flexible: You can adjust the ingredients for different preferences, scale the portions up or down (shoutout jarcuterie) based on the number of guests and make them as affordable (or high-end) as you’d like. You can even tie them to a certain theme, like a color, geographic region or season. But perhaps the main reason they’re a must for entertaining is that they require zero culinary skills to assemble.

That said, there is an art to making a charcuterie board look as impressive as the ones you’ve seen on Instagram and Pinterest. I love these picks because they’re easy enough for beginners to tackle, endlessly riffable and guaranteed to impress. In case you’re in need of inspiration, here are 35 wow-worthy recipes and charcuterie board ideas for your next potluck gathering or holiday party.

How to Create a Charcuterie Board

Believe it or not, you don’t need to be artistically inclined to make a memorable charcuterie board (although it definitely doesn’t hurt). It’s a pretty formulaic process that’s as simple as breaking the board up into categories, then choosing complementary ingredients for each one.

how to assemble a charcuterie board: step one, fill with meats like prosciutto

Katherine Gillen

how to assemble a charcuterie board: step two, add hard cheeses like cheddar

Katherine Gillen

how to assemble a charcuterie board: step three, add soft spreadable cheeses

Katherine Gillen

how to assemble a charcuterie board: step four, add complementary snacks and garnishes like crackers, fruit, nuts and herbs

Katherine Gillen

The Best Types of Cheese to Use for a Charcuterie Board

Manchego, cheddar, Brie, havarti, Swiss, comté—there's no limit to what cheeses you can use. Just try to include a variety of textures on your board, meaning some cheese for slicing, some for spreading and perhaps even some warmed or baked. (Brie is prime for that.)

The Best Types of Meat to Use for a Charcuterie Board

Salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, capicola, chorizo, mortadella, jamón Ibérico and sopressata are all fair game. If you make a themed board, there are of course other options (for instance, bacon on a breakfast spread or steak on a fondue board).

The Best Types of Bread and Crackers to Use for a Charcuterie Board

Go with what you like, but try to have some variety. For instance, I use soft bread, seeded crackers and crispy breadsticks for a visually intriguing board and to give my guests a range of textures to choose from.

Ready to Get Started? Read on for 35 Charcuterie Board Ideas You’ll Love:

charcuterie board recipes: fall charcuterie board with black pepper honey brie, figs and rosemary

1. Fall Charcuterie Board with Black Pepper–Honey Brie, Figs and Rosemary

Who doesn’t love zhuzhing up a store-bought item? Here, an easy honey drizzle (plus plenty of seasonal garnishes) will impress without much effort on your part. "If you can’t find fresh figs, try dried or use another seasonal fruit," suggests PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen. "I chose sour cherry preserves, but apricot or fig would be just as lovely."

charcuterie board recipes: prosciutto and fig salad board

2. Prosciutto and Fig Salad Board

The tough part about serving anything in a bowl? All the toppings (read: the best part) fall to the bottom. Using a fancy cutting or charcuterie board solves that problem.

charcuterie board recipes: fruit charcuterie board

3. Fruicuterie Board

If there are vegetarians at the party, build an epic cheese board sans-meat. Here, five types of cheese meet an array of fresh fruits (kiwi! peaches! figs! berries!) that give the app a naturally stunning appearance.

charcuterie board recipes: ultimate cheese plate with roasted grapes

4. Ultimate Cheese Plate with Roasted Grapes

Every charcuterie board should have something unexpected on it, like herb-kissed roasted grapes. They turn sweet and jammy after a trip in the oven.

charcuterie board recipes: presidential cheese board

6. Presidential Cheese Board

Treat your guests like VIPs. All of the board's components are inspired by past presidents' favorite foods, including figs, fresh butter, cherries and honey.

charcuterie board recipes: wanderlust cheese board

7. Wanderlust Cheese Board

Nosh your way around the globe with a melange of cheeses, nuts, dips and accoutrements, including smoked salmon and artichoke hearts. Wanna start with the roasted beet hummus?

charcuterie board recipes: charcuterie two ways

8. Charcuterie Board, Two Ways

Plant-based eaters on the guest list? The first board is for meat and cheese lovers, but the second puts hummus, tapenade, nuts and crudités front and center for your vegan friends.

charcuterie board recipes: summer charcuterie snack board

9. Summer Charcuterie Snack Board

Bruschetta, roasted red peppers, eggplant caponata—this charcuterie board is worthy of being a last meal. Go ahead and munch away on the patio with a glass of vino in hand.

charcuterie board recipes: antipasto charcuterie board

10. Antipasto Appetizer Cheese Board

This starter has a little something for everyone. The star of the show is the pearl mozzarella marinated in olive oil, herbs and spices, but the marinated artichoke hearts are a close second.

charcuterie board recipes: maple cream and apple baked brie board

11. Maple Cream and Apple Baked Brie Board

That crostini bar, though. This autumnal beauty has holiday cocktail hour written all over it. Make a second batch of maple cream (or maple butter) for spreading on bagels, pancakes and everything in between.

charcuterie board recipes: meat and cheese platter

13. Meat and Cheese Platter

You’ll love the addition of sweet caramelized pecans, since they cut through the saltiness of the cheese, meats and olives beautifully.

charcuterie board recipes: cheese and charcuterie board

14. Cheese and Charcuterie Board

No one could judge you for having just this for dinner. If you want to go the extra mile by using homemade sourdough bread instead of store-bought, feel free.

charcuterie board recipes: winter cheese board

15. Winter Cheese Board

Between the persimmons, pomegranate arils and kumquats, this spread is destined for your Christmas tablescape. Finish the board with a flourish of fresh thyme, pomegranate arils and pistachios.

16. Sweet-and-Salty Fruicuterie Board

A halved pomegranate can make any dish look gorgeous. Here, it's paired with fresh berries, grapes, pretzels (both plain and yogurt-covered), mini marshmallows and goji berries.

charcuterie board recipes: charcuterie board-inspired flatbread with burrata and prosciutto, sliced into three pieces on a piece of parchment

18. Charcuterie Board Flatbread

If you're only serving a few people, there's no need to craft a massive charcuterie board. Try these individual prosciutto-burrata flatbreads instead (your wallet will thank you). "The ingredients here are merely suggestions," asserts Gillen. "If you prefer another meat, like soppressata or speck, cheese (mozzarella would be nice) or garnish (a balsamic drizzle?), by all means, switch it up."

charcuterie board recipes: charcuterie board with bacon onion jam

19. Charcuterie Board with Bacon-Onion Jam

Trust that it's easier than it looks. For instance, the bacon-onion jam is made almost entirely from pantry staples. (If you don't eat meat, try a vegetarian onion jam on for size instead.)

charcuterie board recipes: dinner worthy charcuterie board

21. Dinner-Worthy Charcuterie Board

This spread is hearty enough to play the role of main course. Your guests will fall in love with the homemade basil-artichoke tapenade (which can easily be made ahead, BTW).

charcuterie board recipes: the lighter cheese board

22. The Lighter Cheese Board

This pick features cheeses that are lower in fat—perfect for the warmer months—along with seeded crackers, fruit and olives. (Wait until you try the prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe.)

charcuterie board recipes: cheese fondue board

23. Cheese Fondue Board

The only thing better than a board of sliced cheese? A pot of dippable melted cheese, of course. Choose between white wine-Swiss and beer-cheddar fondues (or heck, make both).

charcuterie board recipes: the ultimate burrata cheese board

24. The Ultimate Burrata Cheese Board

Forget the guests—you can totally tackle the whole tray solo. The hardest part will be choosing which flavor of burrata to have first: balsamic, pesto or truffle.

charcuterie board recipes: smoked salmon platter

25. Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

Creamy labneh and briny feta hold down the fort on the cheese front, while tender slivers of smoked salmon take over for cured meats. Serve with fresh toast or warm pita.

charcuterie board recipes: mediterranean mezze platter

26. Mediterranean Mezze Platter

Want to take this Greek-inspired app over the top? Start by making your own hummus. (Try a spicy avocado variety in the summer and sweet potato in the fall, although you can never go wrong with the O.G.)

charcuterie board recipes: midwest charcuterie board

27. Midwest Charcuterie Board

It's equal parts unconventional, unexpected and delicious. Think venison sausage, mini cheeseballs, Ritz crackers and red pepper jelly over cream cheese for dipping.

charcuterie board recipes: the ultimate breakfast board

28. The Ultimate Breakfast Board

The key to a killer brunch board is making minis of the mains, like silver dollar pancakes, French toast sticks and bite-sized quiches. Instead of cured meat, sub bacon and sausage. As for cheese, try pairing either mascarpone, ricotta or a mini wheel of Brie with fresh fruit.

charcuterie board recipes: serving platter with spring produce and assorted cheeses

29. Spring Cheese Board

Between the baby carrots, watermelon radishes, assorted berries and fresh mint, this cheese board couldn't get more spring-inspired if it tried. A varied quartet of cheeses—Brie, gorgonzola, Colby Jack and aged gouda—ensures that there's something for everyone on the platter.

charcuterie board recipes: cutting board with vegan cheeses, nuts and fruit

30. Vegan Charcuterie Board

Who knew vegan cheese and deli meat could look so convincing? Pair a few of each with your choice of nuts, pickles, crackers and produce, plus spreads all your guests can get behind (like hummus, jam or vegan cream cheese). Finish the platter with sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary and your work is done.

31. Chocolate Charcuterie Board

Hey, not every board needs cheese! In fact, dessert charcuterie is a welcome addition to any party, especially when it includes popcorn and nougat. Watch this video to see how it's done.

charcuterie board recipes: candy land charcuterie

32. Candy Land ‘Jarcuterie’

Jarcuterie, aka single-serve charcuterie served in glasses or mason jars, took over social media in 2020. This sweet take on the trend stars yogurt-covered pretzels, fun-size candy bars, lollipops and lots of gummies. "When assembling a jar, place studier ingredients on the bottom to hold any skewered items securely," suggests Gilen. "Soft ingredients can go on top, and thin, soft items (like sour candy belts) can be affixed to bamboo skewers for height."

charcuterie board recipes: winter bruschetta bar

35. Winter Bruschetta Bar

Not much is cozier than hunkering down with a generous spread of meats, cheeses and accoutrements. This bruschetta board is winterized with pomegranate seeds, sliced pears and herbs, but get creative with the exact cheeses and charcuterie meats you serve.

What Is the 3-3-3-3 Rule for Charcuterie Boards?

If you’re still stressed about assembling the charcuterie board of your dreams, lean on this simple rule from Broma Bakery: Start with three cheeses, three meats, three starches (as in crackers and breads) and three accompaniments (as in fruits, nuts, spreads or sweets, like chocolate truffles), and you'll get a drool-worthy board every time.

Choose diverse components for each category to ensure that your guests’ tastes are all accounted for, or focus on a single color scheme, season or flavor profile when selecting your ingredients. Either way, your board will be delicious and photogenic.

purewow author

Freelance PureWow Editor

taryn pire

Food Editor