Charcuterie board

A charcuterie board is a selection of cured meats, cheeses and other savory snacks that is typically served as an appetizer. The word “charcuterie” is French for “pork products,” and the tradition of putting together a board of cured meats dates back to the Middle Ages.

Charcuterie boards were originally created as a way to preserve meats before the invention of refrigeration. Curing meats involves using salt, spices and sometimes smoke to keep them from going bad. The process of curing meats was developed by the Ancient Romans, and it was later perfected by the French.

Today, charcuterie boards are often served as part of a larger meal, but they can also be enjoyed on their own as a light snack. They’re a perfect way to entertain guests, and they can be customized to suit any taste.

Advice

Making a charcuterie board can be a fun, creative and tasty way to entertain. Start by choosing a variety of cured meats such as salami, prosciutto and mortadella. Then pick a few cheeses that pair well with the meats, such as sharp cheddar, brie and blue cheese. For added flavor and texture, include olives, grapes, nuts, and crackers. Lastly, incorporate a few pickled vegetables, such as pickles, onions, and peppers. Arrange the items on a large cutting board or tray and have fun creating a visually pleasing presentation. Be sure to include a few sweet items, such as jams and honey, to balance out the savory flavors. With these tips, you can make a beautiful and delicious charcuterie board that will impress your guests.

Questions

What should be on a charcuterie board?

1. Assorted cured meats such as salami, prosciutto, and sopressata 2. Assorted cheeses such as cheddar, brie, and blue cheese 3. Fresh fruits such as grapes, strawberries, and figs 4. Roasted nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews 5. Artisan breads and crackers 6. Pickled vegetables such as peppers, onions, and olives 7. Honey, jam, and other condiments 8. Dried fruits such as apricots and figs

What are 5 tips to making a charcuterie board?

1. Choose a variety of meats, cheeses, and other accompaniments: When creating a charcuterie board, it's important to select a variety of meats, cheeses, and other accompaniments that will provide a range of flavors and textures. Consider adding cured meats such as prosciutto, salami, and chorizo, as well as hard and soft cheeses like cheddar, brie, and blue cheese. 2. Include pickled vegetables, olives, and nuts: To add more flavor and texture to your charcuterie board, include pickled vegetables such as giardiniera and cornichons, olives, and nuts like almonds, cashews, and pistachios. 3. Provide a variety of breads and crackers: Having a variety of breads and crackers to choose from is essential. Try to include a mix of crunchy, buttery, and wheaty textures. 4. Add fresh fruits and vegetables: To add a pop of color and sweetness to your charcuterie board, include some fresh fruits and vegetables like grapes, apples, and bell peppers. 5. Don't forget the condiments: No charcuterie board is complete without a

What is traditionally on a charcuterie board?

A charcuterie board traditionally includes cured meats, such as prosciutto, salami, and soppressata; various cheeses, such as brie, cheddar, and blue cheese; pickled vegetables, such as olives, cornichons, and peppers; nuts, such as almonds and cashews; dried fruits, such as figs, dates, and apricots; and crackers and/or bread.

How do you pronounce charcuterie board?

The correct pronunciation of charcuterie board is "shar-koo-tuh-ree bohrd".

What not to put on a charcuterie board?

You should not put anything that is not edible on your charcuterie board. This includes decorations, such as flowers or other non-edible items.

How many cheeses should be on a charcuterie board?

It really depends on the size of the board and the preferences of the guests, but a good rule of thumb is to include three different types of cheese on a charcuterie board.

Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights

Recipes

  /public/nytimes-logo.svg

Charcuterie Board

  • WHIPPED RICOTTA
  • olive oil
  • ricotta cheese
  • salt
  • BOARD
  • bread
  • block quince
  • cured meat
  • radish
  • medjool date
  • olife
  • marcona almond
  • smoked whitefish
  • spreadable paté
  /public/tastes-better-from-scratch-logo.svg

Charcuterie Board

  • briny
  • dark chocolate chocolate
  • veggy
  • cured meats like prosciutto
  • fruit apricot
  • fruit
  • hard cheeses manchego
  • nuts almond
  • pita cracker
  • savory dip
  • cheese brie
  • sweet spreads fig butter
  • baguette
  /public/foodnetwork-logo.svg

Charcuterie Board

  • jams assortment
  • olives assortment
  • buffalo pimento cheese
  • candied pecan
  • salt
  • bread
  • cinnamon
  • ginger
  • salt
  • baguette
  • egg white
  • light brown sugar
  • sharp yellow cheddar
  • onion powder
  • smoked paprika
  • celery
  • sugar
  • blue cheese
  • mayonnaise
  • smoked ham
  • salami
  • cayenne pepper
  • hot sauce
  • pecan
  • cream cheese
  • pimento
  • cracker
  /public/love-from-the-oven-logo.svg

Christmas Charcuterie Board

  • black olife
  • cherry tomato
  • green grape
  • green olife
  • colby jack cheese
  • purple grape
  • pretzel
  • pepperoni
  • cheddar cheese
  • colby cheese
  • mozarella ball
  • pepper jack cheese
  • salami
  • crackers serve
  /public/love-from-the-oven-logo.svg

Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board

  • candy cane
  • caramel
  • cooky
  • flavor syrup
  • hot chocolate bomb
  • hot chocolate marshmallow
  • hot chocolate
  • macaron
  • malt ball
  • marshmallow
  • marshmallow twist
  • peppermint puff
  • pirouette cooky
  • vanilla meringue
  • wafer cooky
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board

  • hot chocolate
  • chocolate chip
  • chocolate
  • marshmallow
  • marshmallow
  • chocolate covered pretzel
  • cinnamon
  • peppermint meringue
  • white chocolate pretzel
  /public/foodnetwork-logo.svg

Charcuterie Board with Dutch Influences

  • quince jam
  • hard
  • cow' milk cheese
  • hard cheese edam cheese
  • cured sausage
  • prosciutto
  • chicken liver pate
  • duck liver pate
  • logs goat cheese
  • wheels cow' milk cheese epoiss
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Christmas Dessert Charcuterie Board

  • baton wafer cooky
  • biscotti cooky
  • chocolate covered peppermint cooky
  • chocolate nut cluster
  • chocolate orange
  • christmas tree cooky
  • gingerbread man
  • chocolate sauce
  • dark chocolate candy cane pretzel
  • peppermint meringue
  • present browny
  • mint chocolate
  • molasses cooky
  • orange cranberry scone
  • pomegranate
  • red chocolate covered cherry
  • strawberry
  • waffle cooky
  • white chocolate peppermint bark
  • white chocolate peppermint kiss
  • wrapped caramel
  • wrapped chocolate ball
  /public/family-style-food-logo.webp

Easy Charcuterie Board

  • green grape
  • red grape
  • log goat cheese
  • garlic
  • mastro® genoa salami
  • mastro® hot genoa salami
  • san daniele® prosciutto
  • wedge jalapeno gouda cheese
  • apricot
  • cracker
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Halloween Charcuterie Board

  • green olife
  • blueberry vanilla chèvre
  • double cream brie
  • green goddess gouda
  • apricot jam
  • pesto
  • merlot bellavitano
  • italian salami
  • prosciutto di parma
  • blackberry
  • black grape
  • blueberry
  • apricot
  • honey
  • pistachio
  • smoked gouda
  • strawberry
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Football Charcuterie Board

  • carrot
  • celery
  • cheddar cheese
  • cheese ball
  • crostini bread
  • hummus
  • parmesan cheese
  • pepperoni
  • pretzel
  • ranch dip
  • ruffles chip
  • salami
  • cucumber
  • stone bread
  • triscuit triangle
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Veggie Charcuterie Board

  • bell pepper
  • beet hummus
  • broccoli
  • cauliflower
  • celery
  • cherry tomato
  • cucumber
  • hummus
  • sweet pepper
  • radish
  • carrot
  • sugar snap pea
  • veggie dip
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Breakfast Charcuterie Board

  • banana
  • belgian waffle
  • blackberry
  • blueberry
  • cookie butter
  • maple syrup
  • bagel
  • pancake
  • nutella
  • raspberry
  • sweet chocolate chip
  • strawberry
  • whipped cream
  • white chocolate chip
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Turkey Charcuterie Board

  • blackberry
  • toscano cheese
  • pear
  • pepperoni
  • pumpkin cranberry cracker
  • pumpkin joe joe
  • raspberry
  • red wine salami
  • salami
  • buffalo cheddar cheese
  • strawberry
  • almond
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Hocus Pocus Charcuterie Board

  • bellavitano merlot cheese
  • wheels brie
  • blackberry
  • black licorice
  • blueberry
  • candy eyeball
  • cheese
  • chocolate candy eyeball
  • mango
  • fall leaf cooky
  • fig
  • food coloring
  • frosting
  • grape
  • halloween oreo
  • lindor truffle
  • miniature reese
  • orange chocolate dipped pretzel
  • oreo
  • pistachio
  • pull apart strawberry twizzler
  • pumpkin gummy
  • pumpkin seed
  • rice krispie treat
  • strawberry
  • uncured pepperoni
  • cracker
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Simple Charcuterie Board

  • cracker
  • wheel double cream brie
  • wedge english cheddar
  • wedge cheddar
  • apricot
  • blueberry
  • italian salami
  • strawberry
  • grape
  • honey
  • jam
  • pistachio
  • pomegranate
  /public/40-aprons-logo.svg

Hocus Pocus Charcuterie Board

  • wheels brie
  • bacon jam
  • blackberry
  • chorizo
  • parmesan cheese
  • cordial cherry
  • cornichon
  • oreo
  • fruit snack
  • green grape
  • gummy worm
  • hot honey
  • green olife
  • marinated mozzarella
  • nutella
  • orange
  • pepperoni
  • pickled okra
  • purple wrapped truffle
  • raspberry
  • rosemary
  • salami
  • strawberry
  • candy eye
  • spellbook browny
  • stuffed red pepper
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Valentine's Charcuterie Board

  • cherry
  • cinnamon heart
  • conversation heart
  • red grape
  • brick sharp cheddar
  • blueberry
  • chocolate heart
  • herb boursin
  • italian salami
  • raspberry
  • strawberry
  • wedge wensleydale
  • grape jam
  • goat cheese
  • lindor chocolate truffle
  /public/the-recipe-critic-logo.svg

Fall Charcuterie Board

  • beemster cheese
  • blackberry
  • blueberry
  • cranberry goat cheese
  • toscano cheese
  • dutch kaa
  • green apple
  • italian salami
  • peppered salami
  • proscuitto
  • pumpkin cranberry crisp
  • pumpkin dip
  • pumpkin sandwich cooky
  • pumpkin spice baton
  • red globe grape
  • strawberry
  /public/40-aprons-logo.svg

Perfect Keto Charcuterie Board

  • goldenberry
  • keto chocolate bar
  • starfruit
  • cornichon
  • keto chocolate
  • nut
  • blueberry
  • cranberry
  • mustard
  • cucumber
  • radish
  • bacon chip
  • cheese crisp
  • cheddar cheese
  • blue cheese
  • brie
  • parmesan cheese
  • goat cheese
  • keto jam
  • manchego
  • herb dip
  • keto cracker
  • pepperoni
  • prosciutto
  • salami
  • fruit
  • flower
  • herb
  • cured meat
  • dip
  • sprout

Ingredient Breakdown

 
strawberry
salami
blueberry
cracker
blackberry
pepperoni
cheese
cured meat
fruit
italian salami
raspberry
radish
salt
baguette
celery
cornichon
green grape
green olife
cheddar cheese
marshmallow
apricot
pistachio
parmesan cheese
cucumber
nut
bread
cinnamon
blue cheese
cherry tomato
pretzel
hot chocolate
peppermint meringue
prosciutto
pomegranate
red grape
honey
carrot
hummus
nutella
toscano cheese
condiment
hard cheese
wheels brie
grape
oreo
goat cheese
olive oil
block quince
ricotta cheese
medjool date
olife
marcona almond
smoked whitefish
spreadable paté
briny
dark chocolate chocolate
veggy
cured meats like prosciutto
fruit apricot
hard cheeses manchego
nuts almond
pita cracker
savory dip
cheese brie
sweet spreads fig butter
jams assortment
olives assortment
buffalo pimento cheese
candied pecan
ginger
egg white
light brown sugar
sharp yellow cheddar
onion powder
smoked paprika
sugar
mayonnaise
smoked ham
cayenne pepper
hot sauce
pecan
cream cheese
pimento
cherry preserve
butter
fontina cheese
black olife
colby jack cheese
purple grape
colby cheese
mozarella ball
pepper jack cheese
crackers serve
candy cane
caramel
cooky
flavor syrup
hot chocolate bomb
hot chocolate marshmallow
macaron
malt ball
marshmallow twist
peppermint puff
pirouette cooky
vanilla meringue
wafer cooky
chocolate chip
chocolate
chocolate covered pretzel
white chocolate pretzel
quince jam
hard
cow' milk cheese
hard cheese edam cheese
cured sausage
chicken liver pate
duck liver pate
logs goat cheese
wheels cow' milk cheese epoiss
baton wafer cooky
biscotti cooky
chocolate covered peppermint cooky
chocolate nut cluster
chocolate orange
christmas tree cooky
gingerbread man
chocolate sauce
dark chocolate candy cane pretzel
present browny
mint chocolate
molasses cooky
orange cranberry scone
red chocolate covered cherry
waffle cooky
white chocolate peppermint bark
white chocolate peppermint kiss
wrapped caramel
wrapped chocolate ball
log goat cheese
garlic
mastro® genoa salami
mastro® hot genoa salami
san daniele® prosciutto
wedge jalapeno gouda cheese
blueberry vanilla chèvre
double cream brie
green goddess gouda
apricot jam
pesto
merlot bellavitano
prosciutto di parma
black grape
smoked gouda
cheese ball
crostini bread
ranch dip
ruffles chip
stone bread
triscuit triangle
bell pepper
beet hummus
broccoli
cauliflower
sweet pepper
sugar snap pea
veggie dip
banana
belgian waffle
cookie butter
maple syrup
bagel
pancake
sweet chocolate chip
whipped cream
white chocolate chip
pear
pumpkin cranberry cracker
pumpkin joe joe
red wine salami
buffalo cheddar cheese
almond
bellavitano merlot cheese
black licorice
candy eyeball
chocolate candy eyeball
mango
fall leaf cooky
fig
food coloring
frosting
halloween oreo
lindor truffle
miniature reese
orange chocolate dipped pretzel
pull apart strawberry twizzler
pumpkin gummy
pumpkin seed
rice krispie treat
uncured pepperoni
wheel double cream brie
wedge english cheddar
wedge cheddar
jam
bacon jam
chorizo
cordial cherry
fruit snack
gummy worm
hot honey
marinated mozzarella
orange
pickled okra
purple wrapped truffle
rosemary
candy eye
spellbook browny
stuffed red pepper
cherry
cinnamon heart
conversation heart
brick sharp cheddar
chocolate heart
herb boursin
wedge wensleydale
grape jam
lindor chocolate truffle
beemster cheese
cranberry goat cheese
dutch kaa
green apple
peppered salami
proscuitto
pumpkin cranberry crisp
pumpkin dip
pumpkin sandwich cooky
pumpkin spice baton
red globe grape
goldenberry
keto chocolate bar
starfruit
keto chocolate
cranberry
mustard
bacon chip
cheese crisp
brie
keto jam
manchego
herb dip
keto cracker
flower
herb
dip
sprout

Insights