31 Drop-Dead-Gorgeous Charcuterie Board Recipe Ideas
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 what exactly makes them so popular? For starters, they're extremely flexible: You can adjust the ingredients for different preferences, scale the portions up or down 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. Don't worry—we're here to give you some wow-worthy recipes and charcuterie board ideas for your next gathering or holiday party.
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How to Create a Charcuterie Board
EasyPx/Getty Images
Believe it or not, you don't need to be artistically inclined to make a memorable charcuterie board (though it definitely doesn't hurt). It's actually a pretty formulaic process that's as simple as breaking the board up into categories, then choosing complementary ingredients for each category.
The Formula for a Great Charcuterie Board
Choose soft, pre-sliced meats (like pro (like prosciutto or jamón Ibérico), and a couple harder meats that require cutting (like a log of salami or soppressata).
Place harder cheeses, like a block of sharp cheddar or Manchego, alongside harder meats.
Add at least one spreadable cheese (like chèvre) or a dip (like tzatziki or hummus).
Weave in some complementary snacks. We're talking crackers, jam, bread, pickles, fruit, honeycomb and whatever else you fancy.
Dress it up. Beyond serving it on a pretty wooden butcher block or a marble cutting board, consider working in other decorative elements Tiny label tags are cute and helpful, while little bowls and plates to hold preserves or fruit add color and dimension to the spread.
Ready to Get Started? Read on for 31 Charcuterie Board Ideas We Love:
1. Prosciutto and Fig Salad Board
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, no cook
The tough part about serving salad from a bowl? All the toppings (read: the best part) fall to the bottom. Using a fancy cutting or charcuterie board solves that problem.
2. Fruicuterie Board
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30-minutes, crowd-pleaser, no cook, vegetarian
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 gives the app a naturally stunning appearance.
3. Ultimate Cheese Plate with Roasted Grapes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Every charcuterie board should have something unexpected on it, like herb-kissed roasted grapes. They turn uber sweet and jammy after a stint in the oven.
4. Spanish Tapas Board
Kylie Mazon-Chambers/Share + Savor
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
If you're having trouble nailing down your cheese board's elements, choosing a specific theme can help. This pick boasts Spanish favorites like heirloom pan con tomate, patatas bravas with saffron aioli, manzanilla olives, marcona almonds and Serrano ham.
5. Presidential Cheese Board
The Modern Proper
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, special occasion-worthy
Treat your guests like VIPs. All of the board's components are inspired by past presidents' favorite foods.
6. Wanderlust Cheese Board
A Cookie Named Desire
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, special occasion-worthy
Nosh your way around the globe with a melange of cheeses, nuts and dips. Shall we start with the roasted beet hummus?
7. Charcuterie Board, Two Ways
Ambitious Kitchen
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegan
The first board is for meat and cheese lovers. The second puts hummus, tapenade, nuts and crudités front and center for your vegan friends.
8. Summer Charcuterie Snack Board
What's Gaby Cooking
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
We’d have this for our last meal, Gaby Dalkin. Catch us munching away on the patio with a glass of vino in hand.
9. Antipasto Appetizer Cheese Board
Damn Delicious
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, no cook
This starter has a little something for everyone. Our favorite part is the pearl mozzarella marinated in olive oil, herbs and spices, but the marinated artichoke hearts are a close second.
10. Maple Cream and Apple Baked Brie Board
How Sweet Eats
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
That crostini bar, though. This autumnal beauty has Thanksgiving cocktail hour written all over it.
11. Brunch Board
Life Made Sweeter
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Trade usual suspects like capicola and salami for crisp bacon and smoked salmon. Then, dress them up with waffles, fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, pancakes or even homemade doughnut holes.
12. Meat and Cheese Platter
The Defined Dish
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, no cook, crowd-pleaser
BRB, stuffing our faces. We love the addition of sweet caramelized pecans, since they cut through the saltiness of the cheese beautifully.
13. Cheese and Charcuterie Board
So Much Food
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Yep, we’ll just have this for dinner. And we're going the extra mile by using homemade sourdough bread instead of store-bought.
14. Winter Cheese Board
Damn Delicious
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Between the persimmons, pomegranate arils and kumquats, this spread is destined for your Christmas tablescape.
@recipes fruitcuterie year😋🍓🫐🍇 #WeirdPets #Wee #charcuterieboard #charcuterie #fruitcuterie #cheeseboard #easyrecipes #tiktokrecipe #tiktokfood #foodtok ♬ original sound - ANavaroli13
15. Sweet-and-Salty Fruicuterie Board
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, no cook, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
A halved pomegranate can make any dish look gorgeous. It's paired with fresh berries, grapes, pretzels (both plain and yogurt-covered), mini marshmallows and goji berries.
16. Easy Spanish-Inspired Cheese Board
Averie Cooks
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Manchego cheese, smoked chorizo and jamón Ibérico? This calls for a fiesta. We'll bring the sangria.
17. Simple Charcuterie Flatbreads
Spoon Fork Bacon
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
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.
18. Charcuterie Board with Bacon-Onion Jam
Lexi's Clean Kitchen
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy
Trust us, 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 our vegetarian onion jam on for size instead.)
19. Butternut Squash Cheeseball and Cheese Board
How Sweet Eats
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
You only *think* cheeseballs are outdated. This modern take infuses cream cheese with Parmesan, butternut squash, brown butter and herbs.
20. Dinner-Worthy Charcuterie Board
Snixy Kitchen
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Hearty enough to play the role of main course. Our favorite part is the homemade basil-artichoke tapenade (which can easily be made ahead, BTW), hands down.
21. The Lighter Cheese Board
Half Baked Harvest
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
This pick features cheeses that are lower in fat, perfect for the warmer months. (P.S., we love you, prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe.)
22. Cheese Fondue Board
Half Baked Harvest
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
The only thing better than a board of sliced cheese? A pot of melted cheese, of course. Choose between white wine-Swiss and beer-cheddar fondues (or heck, make both).
23. The Ultimate Burrata Cheese Board
Plays Well with Butter
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, kid-friendly
Forget the guests—we're betting we can tackle the whole tray solo. The hardest part will be choosing which burrata to have first: balsamic, pesto or truffle.
24. Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter
The Mediterranean Dish
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, pescatarian, <30 minutes
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.
25. Mediterranean Mezze Platter
Dinner at the Zoo
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
Want to take this Greek-inspired app over the top? Start by making your own hummus. (We're partial to spicy avocado hummus in the summer and sweet potato hummus in the fall, but you can never go wrong with the O.G.)
26. Midwest Charcuterie Board
Culinary Hill
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, high protein
Think venison sausage, mini cheeseballs, Ritz crackers and red pepper jelly over cream cheese for dipping.
27. The Ultimate Breakfast Board
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
When it comes to making a killer brunch charcuterie spread, the key is making minis of the basics, like silver dollar pancakes, French toast sticks and bite-sized quiches. Instead of cured meat, use bacon and sausage. As for the cheese, we'd pair either mascarpone, ricotta or a mini wheel of Brie with fresh fruit.
28. Chocolate Charcuterie Board
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Hey, not every board needs cheese! In fact, dessert charcuterie is (almost) our favorite kind, especially when it includes popcorn and nougat. Watch this video to see how it's done.
29. Candy Land ‘Jarcuterie’
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
Jarcuterie, aka single-serve charcuterie served in glasses or mason jars, took over social media in 2020. Our sweet take on the trend stars yogurt-covered pretzels, fun-size candy bars, lollipops and lots of gummies.
30. Dessert Board with Cranberry Chocolate Truffles
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
First, cranberry-cinnamon goat cheese and cream cheese are whipped until smooth. Then, the mixture is sweetened, spiked with graham cracker crumbs, rolled into truffles and dunked in melted chocolate.
31. Dessert Charcuterie Board with Cheesecake Dip
Owlbbaking
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, no cook
Bring on the cookies, candied nuts, caramels, marshmallows and fresh fruit. Cheese still makes its way onto the board in the form of cheesecake dip.
Additional reporting Alexandra Hough
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Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
