A gorgeous charcuterie board (pronounced shar-CUE-tah-ree) makes the perfect centerpiece for any holiday party. It may look intimidating, but crafting a really enticing one is just a matter of pulling together the right combination—a little salty, a little sweet, a little crunchy, and a little creamy—plus some holiday cheer.
While meat and cheeses may star in your charcuterie show, additional items—nuts, fruit, jams or honey, and of course, crackers and bread—add a variety of flavors, shapes, colors, and textures, offering guests something to suit everyone. Use our tips and steps to arrange a simply spectacular holiday charcuterie board in just a few minutes.
Holiday Charcuterie Board Tips
A little forethought and planning can turn your holiday charcuterie board from a bother to a breeze.
Low-Cost Doesn't Mean Low-Class
Just because "charcuterie" is a fancy French word that sounds like it should be expensive, it doesn't have to be. If you're on a budget, there's no need to strictly adhere to a specific list of components. Whether at the grocer's or a specialty shop, be flexible and look for items that are in season and/or on sale.
Swap pricey items with affordable choices. Meat and cheese are generally the priciest items on a charcuterie board, but you don't have to go top-of-the-line for guests to enjoy them. Instead of prosciutto, for example, use pepperoni and salami, which generally yield more slices per dollar. In place of gouda or gruyere, go for standard favorites like fresh mozzarella or Irish (white) cheddar.
Avoid pre-cut meats and cheeses in favor of buying by the log or block. It takes just minutes to slice them yourself, and you can do that well ahead of time.
Buy what you like and, if possible, in volume. In the off-chance you have leftovers, either before or after assembling your board, it's not economical if you end up throwing food away, regardless of the deal you got. Make sure your board items are something your family will enjoy after the party.
Thrift-shop your serving utensils. If this is your first rodeo—or charcuterie board—you're likely to not have a full complement of tiny tongs, baby spoons and forks, little skewers, or jelly spreaders lying about. You don't need a matching set to impress your guests, and it's not worth paying full retail if you only use them a once a year (or less frequently). Look for cute baby utensils at the second-hand shop and, while you're there, pick up some small bowls or ramekins for sauces, spreads, or olives.
Shape It for the Season
You don't have to limit the shape of your charcuterie to the board it's sitting on. If you're feeling creative, consider arranging board components in an easily recognized holiday shape like a turkey, wreath, or Christmas tree. For New Year's—if you're up for a challenge—see if you can shape items on your board into the numerals of the upcoming year.
Make It Ahead
If you're like most holiday party hosts, those last few pre-party hours are pretty hectic. Give yourself a break and start assembling your board early. Leaving off the crackers and nuts to place at the last minute, seal your partially assembled board in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead. At 30 to 60 minutes before serving, set the board out—so the cheese has time to come down to room temperature—and add the non-refrigerated items.
Personalize It
Technically, "charcuterie" isFrench for preserved meat products, but we've expanded its common use to meats plus cheeses, nuts, bread, fruits, and so on.If you're into bending rules, feel free to expand its use even further with these possibilities:
- Dessert charcuterie starring sweets of the season: mini cupcakes, chewy macaroons, fresh berries, and whipped cream and chocolate sauce for dipping
- Pie charcuterie featuring mini pies and pie bars interspersed with fresh fruit and cookies
- Vegan charcuterie swaps meat and cheese for roasted chickpeas, sliced veggies, olives, and a variety of breads for dipping into humus, tapenade, or Baba Ganoush
- Breakfast charcuterie, the perfect Christmas-morning offering with single-serving granola-yogurt bowls, jam or cream cheese to spread on mini bagels or waffles, with half-slices of bacon and fresh orange half-moons to fill in the gaps
You get the idea. Base your charcuterie on foods you and your guests love, how it fits into the rest of party menu, and the way you like to spread holiday cheer. Rule No. 1 is: There are no rules.
Don't Overstuff
Charcuterie is one of those things where more isn't necessarily better. Stacking up layers on your board means guests may not be able to see what's underneath.
Instead of piling everything you have the board at the start of the party, fill the board artfully and with restraint, expecting to refill it two or three times throughout the event. Once the board is sensibly laid out, it's easy to replenish items in their rightful places.
Creating a Holiday Charcuterie Board
Getting back to the basics, follow these easy steps for creating a standard charcuterie board. Use the same principles for other charcuterie creations, regardless of your board's food, theme, or occasion.
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Start With Cheese
It's generally the centerpiece of the board, so pick four to five cheeses—like blue, goat, Manchego, Humboldt fog, and softer cheeses like marinated mozzarella balls—aiming for about 2 to 3 ounces per person. Make it easy for guests to grab a slice or chunk by prepping the cheese in advance: Slice or crumble hard cheese, and cut soft cheeses in half to make them more inviting.
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Add Fruit and Nuts
Fill in spots around the cheese with fruit and nuts to add texture. Divide grapes into smaller bunches, slice apple wedges, and peel tangerines so it's easy for guests to grab a small serving. Don't forget dried fruits like dehydrated apples, candied citrus wheels, or apricots.
To make your board Christmas-y, include candied walnuts, sugared cranberries, dried figs, and pistachios. For a sweet spread, offer small jars or bowls of Nutella, raspberry jam, or honey.
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Arrange the Meat
Three to five different types of meat is the gold standard for a charcuterie. You can place individual slices of prosciutto in bundles around the tray, and fold rounded slices into fourths to create a rose-like shape to tuck into small spaces.
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Tuck in Crackers and Bread
Add vertical interest by corralling tall crackers or breadsticks in a jar, and fan out other crackers along the board. Quick breads offered as half-slices are especially welcome at the holidays, and don't forget about biscotti, pita, and flatbreads as options.
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Garnish With Holiday Cheer
A few sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, and spices like cinnamon sticks make the perfect finishing touch to a holiday charcuterie board. Fill in gaps with additional dried fruit and nuts, and don't stop with just edible garnishes. Consider incorporating pine cones, Christmas ornaments, or even twinkly lights on or around your board.
Fresh boughs of holly make a festive decoration, but best keep its leaves, and especially its berries, off the dining table—certainly off your charcuterie board—and out of reach of toddlers and pets. While not fatal, eating poisonous holly berries could cause some very un-festive symptoms like abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Christmas plants that are less toxic, poinsettia and mistletoe, may cause mild gastrointestinal problems if eaten. These are more appropriate than holly for a holiday tablescape, but we recommend keeping them off your charcuterie board as well.
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Provide Serving Utensils
Provide a few sets of tongs to make it easy for holiday revelers to grab exactly what they want. Include a small jam knife for each container of spread, and a spoon or fork for guests to serve themselves pickles, mozzarella balls, nuts, and the like.
