Learn How to Make a Charcuterie Board in 7 Simple Steps

Essential elements of a charcuterie board

Charcuterie boards look like complex works of art that take hours to put together, but they are quite simple once you learn the seven steps for making a charcuterie board. Let’s take a look at all of the things you’ll need to get started. 

A sturdy solid tray

Wooden cutting boards or trays with a slight rim are popular. They are both practical and provide an excellent neutral background on which to build your charcuterie board.

Several small bowls or dishes

Exactly how many of these small dishes you need depends on how many foods you have that require them. You can put dips, sauces, fresh olives, nuts, dried fruit, and honey in these. They don’t have to match each other, so feel free to use dishes you already have on hand, even if they vary in color and style.

A variety of meats

You will want about three to four ounces of meat per guest, so if you’re serving up to ten people, you could get a half-pound of each of four types of meat and have enough. Some cold cuts that are great for charcuterie boards include pancetta, hard salami, prosciutto, pepperoni, bacon, and mortadella. 

A variety of cheeses

The rule of thumb for cheese is to have one to two ounces of cheese per person. Choose unique cheeses with at least one hard cheese, one soft cheese, and one blue cheese. Brie, Aged Cheddar, Gouda, Goat cheese, and Camembert are great options. 

A variety of crackers

Have at least two types of crackers, breadsticks, or crusty breads. You should expect that each guest will eat three to five pieces. 

Some fresh produce

Fresh fruits and vegetables are the perfect contrast to salty meats and rich cheeses. Expect guests to eat two to four pieces of produce. Sweet mini bell peppers, radishes, cucumber slices, baby carrots, and spinach leaves add color to your charcuterie board. For fruits, grapes, figs, pear slices, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and dates are excellent accompaniments to the meats and cheeses.

Grab it now on Instacart:

Zatarain's Pitted Olives (8 oz)

Bergin Fruit & Nut Company Roasted & Unsalted Almonds (per lb)

Valued Naturals Apricots, Jumbo (9 oz)

Anna's Honey, Blackberry (12 oz)

Président Imported Brie Soft Ripened Cheese, La Brique (7 oz)

2 Year Aged Cheddar Cheese (1 lb)

Smoked Gouda ()

Chavrie Goat Cheese, Original (5.3 oz)

Seven simple steps to assembling a charcuterie board

Putting together your charcuterie board isn’t complex once you know these six easy steps. There’s no right or wrong way to put it together, so don’t overthink the placement of foods. 

1. Start with a platter

First, you need a platter or tray that’s appropriate for the number of guests you feed. If the charcuterie board is one of several appetizers or finger foods, then you can make it smaller. You can err on the side of caution and use a smaller board, and plan to replenish it as needed. In that case, have everything ready, and in separate containers, so it’s convenient to add to it as needed. 

2. Add small bowls for dips

The first thing to put on your board is the dishes with dips, nuts, olives, and dried fruits. You don’t need to include all of these but consider using just one or three because it looks better with an odd number of items.

3. Place the cheese on the board

Make sure the hard cheese is sliced thin or cut into wedges, cubes, or sticks. Soft cheeses can be placed on the board whole and with a small spreader. As you put the cheese on the board, keep each type of cheese together, but don’t cluster all of the cheeses together in one area. 

4. Add meat to the board

Next, it’s time to add the meat. For larger cuts of thinly sliced meat like ham or turkey, loosely roll them up and pile them up like a pyramid. Denser meats, like a hard salami or sausage, can be sliced or cut into smaller wedges. As with the cheese, place the meats in different areas on the board. 

5. Nestle the crackers between

By now, your board is looking a bit crowded. No worries! This helps keep crackers in place. If you have pretzels or hard breadstick crackers, you may be able to stand them upright, adding some height to the board. 

6. Fill in gaps with fresh produce

Finally, it’s time to fill up the remaining gaps with fresh fruits and veggies. You might need to split up foods to fill in all the space. For example, you might put grapes in two places on opposite sides of the board. Do what you feel looks best. Again, there’s no “wrong” way to do this. 

7. Set your charcuterie board out for guests

Congratulations! Your charcuterie board is done and looks fantastic. Now it’s time to get ready to serve it. The foods on the board are best served at room temperature, so if you aren’t serving it right away, do take it out 30 to 45 minutes before guests arrive. Take care not to leave it out too long, especially in hot weather, to avoid the risk of food spoiling. When in doubt, put fewer items on the board and refill as needed. 

How to make a charcuterie board for two

A small charcuterie board for two is the perfect appetizer or snack for an at-home date night. They also make fun snacks for both kids and teens, though you might vary the type of meats and cheese to suit their palates better. To make a charcuterie board for two, use the steps listed above, but in smaller amounts.

Simple Charcuterie Board for Every Occasion

Recipe by InstacartCourse: RecipesCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

340

kcal

An easy checklist to make sure your charcuterie board is a true crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

• Sliced deli meats of your choice (ham, prosciutto, salami, etc.)

• Choice of nuts such as almonds or walnuts

• Cheese of your choice (Brie, Cheddar, Mozzarella, etc.)

• Dips of your choice (olive oil, hummus, cheese dip, etc.)

• Crackers or bread of your choice

• Fresh produce such as grapes, apple slices, and melon

Directions

• Start with a platter sized for your number of guests.
• Add small bowls for dips, and space them around the board and on the table.
• Slice and place the cheese on the board, spread out in different sections.
• Add the meat to the board by loosely rolling them up and piling them in a pyramid.
• Nestle crackers between the meats and cheeses.
• Fill in any gaps with your fresh fruit.
• Serve and enjoy!

Order foods for your charcuterie board 

By now, you know that you need a number of foods for your charcuterie board. If the thought of going shopping for all of it is draining, let someone else do it. When you order groceries with Instacart, a professional shopper will gather up everything you want and deliver it to your door. That leaves you with more time and energy for planning and creating your charcuterie board. 

Instacart

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.