The Perfect Charcuterie Board

The perfect charcuterie board is less about rules and more about balance. A mix of textures, flavours and colours laid out generously creates something that feels effortless, inviting and ideal for entertaining.

Start with a selection of quality cheeses — a soft option, something firm, and one bold choice. Add cured meats for richness, then layer in fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts and something crunchy like crackers or crusty bread. Olives, pickles or roasted vegetables add contrast and help cut through the richness of the board.

To bring everything together, serve your board with a simple olive oil and balsamic dip on the side. A good Extra Virgin Olive Oil paired with a quality balsamic adds depth and elegance, and turns even the simplest bread into something special. It’s an easy addition that elevates the entire spread.

Charcuterie boards are perfect for relaxed entertaining — they encourage grazing, conversation and sharing. Whether it’s for New Year’s celebrations, casual hosting or an evening with friends, a well-built board sets the tone without requiring time in the kitchen.

Good ingredients, thoughtful pairing, and a generous pour of olive oil are all you need to create a charcuterie board that feels both effortless and refined.

The Perfect Charcuterie Board

It's easier than you think to make a beautiful Charcuterie Board.

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Servings: 8

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Cheeses (Chose 3, 5, or 7, depending on party size):

• Hard cheeses: manchego, cheddar, swiss, gouda, gruyere, parmesan etc.
• Soft cheese: brie, triple cream, goat cheese, havarti, burrata, cream cheese with pepper jelly on top. Could also you blue cheese or gorgonzola, or anything you like!

Meats:

• Cured Meats like prosciutto, salami, ham, chorizo, capricola, soppressata , summer sausage is a good inexpensive option
• Nuts: almonds, candied pecans, pistachio nuts, cashews, walnuts, macadamia nuts.

Savoury accompaniments:

• Briny, pickled or marinated: olives, cocktail onions, cornichons, dill pickles, pepperoncini, olive tapenade or bruschetta.
• Savory Dips and spreads: Whole ground mustard, hummus, ranch, Wilson's balsamic dip, Wilson's olive oil, romesco. Cold cut veggies, if desired

Sweet accompaniments:

• Fresh fruit and berries: grapes, apples, pears, oranges, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries.
• Dried fruit: apricots, cherries, figs, pineapple, mango
• Sweet spreads: Fig butter, orange marmalade, blackberry jam or other sweet spreads.
• Chocolate: a few pieces of quality dark chocolate or chocolate covered nuts.

Crackers:

• Pita crackers, whole grain crackers, croccantini, or your favorite kind of crackers
• Toasted baguettes or mini toasts crackers

Method

 

1. Choose your board, depending on your party size. You could always use multiple boards if needed.
2. Start with the cheese as it anchors the board. Work in odd numbers, so, depending on the size of your party, choose 3, 5, or 7 types of cheeses to place around the board.
3. Fold and add the meats: fold them in half and fan them out like a dec of cards, or folding them in half twice, so they are easy to grab. For thin meat (like prosciutto) fold them in a light and airy ribbon.
4. Add savoury and sweet accompaniments. Separate colors in a way that allows the brightest colors to stand out and place foods together that pair well together. For example, mustard, briny foods and nuts near salami and sopresseta, and sharp cheeses like parmesan. Pair sweet accompaniments like fresh fruit, jams, and candied nuts, near the brie cheese or goat cheese. Cheddar cheese pairs well with savory and sweet.
5. Fill in extra space with crackers, and then any extra gaps with nuts or fruit.