From full charcuterie tables to seasonal cheese boards, get inspiration for your next get-together with these unique charcuterie board ideas.
Putting a creative spin on delicious flavors is making charcuterie boards a popular party staple, particularly among millennials and younger generations. Instagram influencers are turning charcuterie platters into big business. Alura Berry started her charcuterie design business after building boards for family gatherings for years. Her eye-catching and tasty designs have been featured in numerous magazines, and she built an empire on Instagram with more than 259,000 followers. Marissa Mullen, a popular Instagram charcuterie designer, debuts her second book on cheese, “That Cheese Plate Wants to Party,” in April.
The sale of deli meats and cheese dipped when consumers stayed home and stopped packing lunches following the pandemic outbreak. Charcuterie sales helped bolster the industry, and deli sales are continuing to gain ground, according to IRI, a global technology, analytics, and data provider. Inflation is prompting many consumers to entertain at home, fueling charcuterie sales.
Unique charcuterie board ideas are also cropping up on restaurant menus across the country. The National Restaurant Association added charcuterie to its list, “What’s Hot: Culinary Forecast of 2023.” More than 500 chefs weighed in on culinary trends, and charcuterie ranked number three on the list, which also included fried chicken sandwiches, globally-inspired salads, and southeast Asian flavors.
Charcuterie Basics
Building charcuterie boards is an art, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. To build a beautiful platter, start with the right board. A wooden cutting board or large, flat marble platter works best. Make sure to use a few different bowls on your platter to create depth. Traditional charcuterie platters need to include several types of cheese, with at least one hard cheese and one soft cheese. After you put on the meats and cheese, accent the board with fruits, veggies, and herbs for color.
Charcuterie Inspiration
Now that you’ve mastered the basics of charcuterie design, it’s time to unleash your creative spirit. We compiled a list of unique charcuterie board ideas to give you some ideas to get started.
Spring Is in the Air Charcuterie. As the temperature outside gives us a glimmer of springtime and the daffodils start to bloom, get in the mood for warmer weather by serving a springtime charcuterie at your next gathering. Pair fresh spring vegetables with cheeses and dried fruit, such as figs or apricots. The nutty flavors of an aged cheddar complement spring’s bounty of asparagus, artichokes, and sugar snap peas. Add creamy goat cheese to the board for freshness.
St. Patrick’s Day Charcuterie.Bring the flavors of St. Patrick’s Day to your next charcuterie. Pair Irish soda bread and pretzels with a variety of meats and cheeses. Pastrami tastes nice with our smoked provolone and smoked Swiss. We recommend accenting the board with green peppers and green grapes to get in the festive spirit. Don’t forget the mustard!
Hot and Spicy Board. Light the spark at your next happy hour by serving guests a spicy charcuterie board. Cheese Brothers has a line of cheeses that kick it up a notch. Our Hot and Spicy Pack features Honey Siracha Gouda, Three Amigos Spicy Gouda, El Diablo Scorpion Pepper Gouda, and Mango Habanero Gouda. We recommend adding carrots and cucumbers, and a small bowl of cool ranch dip to round out the spiciness of the cheese on this platter.
Easter Charcuterie Board. The impact of any Easter charcuterie comes from serving it in the shape of a bunny head. Rolling the cured meats and cubing the cheese gives the board depth and helps the ears take shape. Deviled eggs are a nice touch, as well as a few candy eggs or jelly beans.
Breakfast Charcuterie. It’s never too early to serve a charcuterie board. While the pot of coffee brews, layer a large platter with small slices of ham, sharp cheddar, hard-boiled eggs, mini muffins, and fruit.
Keto Charcuterie Board. If your guests are keeping their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight alive, serve a keto-approved charcuterie for a show-stopping low-carb appetizer. We recommend adding three kinds of Keto friendly cheese, such as gouda, gruyere, and cheddar. Skip the crackers, but add olives, marinated artichokes, pickles, and salami.
Kid-approved Snacking Board. Kids love finger foods. When picking options to add to a kid-friendly charcuterie, stick to tried-and-true favorites like mozzarella or cheese curds. Pile on buttery crackers, clementines, baby carrots, and cucumber slices. If you want to include meat, it’s best to stick with traditional deli favorites like sliced turkey or ham to appeal to picky palettes.
Burger Board. Surprise your family for dinner with a burger board. Sliders are a good choice because of their smaller size. Top the burgers with our Smoked Bacon Gouda and include all the fixings, like lettuce, tomato, sauteed onions, ketchup, mustard, and pickles, on the platter.
Budget Board. Don't skimp on flavor if you started a budget after the holiday season. Charcuterie is a budget-friendly treat. In addition to one of our signature cheeses, add cream cheese topped with pepper jam. Our Adelheid Alpine-Style Cheese is cold-smoked with hickory and applewood to deliver maximum flavor. Pepperoni, olives, and pickles are affordable add-ons.
Dessert Charcuterie.No one will complain when you place a dessert charcuterie on the table after dinner. Decorate a large board with several kinds of cookies, chocolate squares, sliced apples, strawberries, and cheese. Both blue cheese and gouda pair nicely with chocolate. Our Bourbon Gouda is made with real Kentucky bourbon and is creamy and smoky, with hints of vanilla and caramel.
Share the Love of Wisconsin Cheese
Cheese Brothers can help you get started if building your own board is intimidating. In addition to unique charcuterie board ideas, we offer charcuterie board delivery to make party planning a breeze. Our Deluxe Charcuterie Pack includes six blocks of Wisconsin cheese, four blocks of our reserve cheeses, two black peppercorn garlic salamis, one jar of cheery lavender jam, one jar of mustard, and a box of crackers.
