11 Gorgeous Charcuterie Board Ideas

Spice Up Your Next Charcuterie Board with These 11 Ideas

If you are looking for a midnight snack, hosting an informal get-together, or just looking to impress your significant other, then a luxury charcuterie board might just be what you need to do the trick. A charcuterie board is an appetizer, usually served on a wooden board or tray, that features a range of foods such as cheese, preserves, and cured meats. These days variations include candy, ice cream, and more! But, for those who are looking for some inspiration, we’ve got a few ideas you are going to love and stick to for years to come.

1. Prosciutto and Fig Salad

Arguably one of the most elite boards out there. You’ll need prosciutto, fig, blue cheese, spinach, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and of course, some extra virgin olive oil. For this one, opt for a rectangular board as it will be much easier to display all the ingredients. This selection screams opulence, but not only that, the flavor combinations are delicious and a guaranteed winner! Some people substitute prosciutto with another cured meat, and that is acceptable. There are so many cured meats out there, with some of them being on-trend for 2022, including gin-cured duck breast – we are salivating just at the thought of it.

2. Fruit galore

Because humans are so diverse, we just needed to include a spread consisting of fruit and some vegan cheese! In the past, creating anything with fruit would prove difficult as most fruits are seasonal; now, however, you can go to town. For this board, opt for a tray with some depth so that your elements won’t roll onto the floor. Right, up next is your fruit choice. Look out for bright, vibrant fruit; think of oranges, strawberries, grapes, peaches, grapefruit, raspberries, and mangoes. These fruits work well together, and their colors are gorgeous. You can add any vegan cheese of your choice. 

3. The deconstructed sandwich

We don’t have to stick to tradition here; in fact, it’s encouraged to break all of the rules. With this board, select your favorite sandwich ingredients and display them strategically. One of our favorites includes sourdough bread slices, pastrami, fig jam, blue cheese, and grapes. To guide your guests, create a slice and put it on display on your board. 

4. Spanish tapas

Who doesn’t like Spanish tapas? It pretty much is understood that tapas are adored the world over. Sometimes choosing the theme of your board can help you to create something extraordinary. Right, for this board, you will need serrano ham, chorizo (best charcuterie board ingredient ever!), olives, Manchego cheese, jam, dates, almonds, salt, pepper, olive oil, and anchovies. 

5. Cheese and meat

The combination of cheese and meat is one that we love and will continue to love for years to come. Here you can get creative. Select three of your favorite cheeses and three of your favorite cured meats, and voila! This board might be amazingly simple, but it can look great when you focus on the display. Pair a slice of cheese with specific meat and watch your guests get transported to a new dimension.

6. Summer snacks

In most cases, a charcuterie board is meant for snacking, and we love this. Since summer is fast approaching, your next charcuterie board should feature the following. Get a nice oval-shaped dish with the following ingredients: Salami, blue cheese, dried apricots, red grapes, kimchi, olives, breadsticks, prosciutto, raspberries, crackers, crostinis, and artichoke halves. Display it according to the food type, so start with your meats, then cheese, bread, and add the rest of the ingredients in-between. You can also add a range of preserves on the side to go with the various flavors.

7. Sweets from heaven

Now let’s go unconventional here. Gather all your favorite sweets, think Jolly Ranchers, Gob smackers, Jelly Belly, and more, and create the ultimate sweet extravaganza. Here you can use around the board and display your treats by color. Add in some candy floss just for that final touch! Remember, you can also change it up and only feature desserts! 

8. Winter cheese board

We know the ice is melting, and we are just about ready to unpack our summer wardrobes, but until then, we still have a great winter board you can cozy up with. You can include brie, gorgonzola, parmesan (thinly sliced), mature cheddar, breadsticks, crackers (in assorted flavors), figs, olives, baby apples, persimmons (dried if possible), clementines, and pistachios. The vibrant colors and tasty treats will make you forget the cold ever existed. 

9. Sweet and savory

Your charcuterie board does not have to include cheese and cured meats; you can mix it up with what you choose. For the sweet and savory board, get the following ingredients: mixed berries and grapes for your sweet and pretzels and various other vegetable crisps (it does not have to be potato chips) for your savory items. 

10. Jams, front and center

Another great idea is to make your preserves or jams, front and center. One way to do this is to create your charcuterie board around your preserves and the cheese it is best paired with. Here you can also include diverse types of bread so that your guests have the choice of making their own crostini as well. 

11. Dips

Sometimes you have guests coming over, and you’ve had no time to prepare a few snacks. Often we have a range of products and ingredients in our fridges and pantries just waiting to be whipped up into delicious meals. Here come the dips! If you are limited on the ingredients for your charcuterie board and only have two different kinds of cheese, and one cured meat, with a few crackers and crisps, you can save it with a homemade dip. The simplest one to make is guacamole – if you have some avocados on hand. If not, you can find a range of delicious dip recipes on the internet – save them for your next Superbowl gathering!