Celebrate and host a party with this charcuterie board! This winning platter is loaded with meats, dried fruit, the perfect dips and gluten-free crackers, plus tips on how to make the perfect holiday charcuterie board, the greatest focal point of every party!
Thank you Heluva Good! for sponsoring this post. Heluva Good! Dips are the perfect way to add flavor to any occasion.
The holidays are busy with traveling and time with loved ones, so I like to keep things in the kitchen easy and simple and prep in advance. Pair this board with my Healthy Kids Party Platter for the kids or a Red White and Blue Fruit Platter for summer parties.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: none, it is all assembly
- ⏳ Total Time: about 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: one party board
- ⚡ Calories: varies with what you choose
- 🥣 Ingredients: dips and spreads, cured meats and mozzarella, fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, gluten-free crackers, fresh herbs and edible flowers
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Salty cured meats, creamy dips, sweet fruit and crisp crackers in every bite
- ✋ Difficulty: Slice, place the dips, add meat, fill the gaps
Quick Answer
Slice your fruits and vegetables and gather the meats, cheese, dips and dried fruit, aiming for a variety of textures, colors and depth. Start by placing dips, spreads and jams around the board, with dried fruit or berries in mini bowls. Roll some of the meat with mozzarella slices and place it on the board, then arrange the rest of the meats around the dips, followed by fresh fruit and vegetable slices. Place dried fruit and gluten-free crackers around the meat, and fill every gap with dried fruit, fresh herbs like rosemary and sage, and edible flowers. Serve right away.
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Charcuterie Board Works
- Why You'll Love This Charcuterie Board
- What You Need for a Charcuterie Board
- Dips and Cheese for Your Board
- How to Make a Charcuterie Board
- Expert Tips
- How to Use Charcuterie Board Leftovers
- Charcuterie Board FAQs
- More Party Platters
- How To Make A Charcuterie Board
For years I was mind blown by how gorgeous and versatile a meat and cheese appetizer platter can be. Some believe it is in-depth, expensive and time consuming, but the good news is, it is not! I will show you how easy it is to create a gorgeous charcuterie board of your own.
If you want to impress your family and friends with a delicious dip but don't want to spend hours whipping it together, pick up some Heluva Good! Dip. It is my go-to when I need a tasty snack that gets my boys eating veggies.
Why This Charcuterie Board Works
Click to see why it works
- Dips go down first. Placing bowls, dips and spreads first gives the board its structure.
- Meat is the star. Rolled, fanned or wrapped around mozzarella, cured meats fill the board around the dips.
- Color and texture. Seasonal fresh fruit, dried fruit and rainbow vegetables add color, crunch and sweetness.
- No empty spots. Filling gaps with dried fruit, herbs and edible flowers makes it look abundant.
- Something for everyone. Gluten-free crackers and plenty of vegetables for dipping cover every guest.
- Seasonal swaps. Change the fruit and vegetables with the season and the board always feels fresh.
Why You'll Love This Charcuterie Board
- Easy and fast, with no cooking at all.
- Perfect for any party: happy hour, movie night, birthdays, Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- Gluten-free friendly with gluten-free crackers and wafers.
- Gets kids eating veggies with dips they love.
- Leftovers become dinner: sandwiches, cracker stacks or pizza toppings.
What You Need for a Charcuterie Board
- A board - circular or rectangular, big or small. Personally, I prefer larger.
- Meat - salami, prosciutto, pepperoni (my kids' favorite), spicy coppa, sopressa salame, capocollo, Salchichon, dry-cured ham or chorizo.
- Dips and cheese - Heluva Good! French Onion, Buttermilk Ranch or Jalapeno Cheddar Dip, plus mozzarella slices or your favorite hard cheeses.
- Fruit spreads - pumpkin butter, fig butter, chutney, marmalade or jam.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables - figs, persimmons, pomegranate seeds, golden berries, cucumber and rainbow carrots in fall; berries and citrus in summer.
- Dried fruit and nuts - apricots, sugared orange slices, cranberries, dates, cashews, almonds or candied nuts.
- Gluten-free crackers - crackers, wafers and rice crackers in swirls or stacks.
- Garnishes - fresh rosemary, sage leaves and edible flowers.
See recipe card for the full list.
Dips and Cheese for Your Board
For this charcuterie board we used Heluva Good! dip (for a Heluva good time, of course, pun intended). They have French Onion Dip, Buttermilk Ranch Dip, Jalapeno Cheddar Dip and more. The dips are wonderful with vegetables and crackers, and even as a spread with the meat!
You can also add your favorite cheeses like blue cheese, sharp cheddar, brie, goat cheese or gourmet cheeses, or wrap the meat around mozzarella slices as shown. A spoonful of pumpkin hummus or homemade cranberry sauce works too.
How to Make a Charcuterie Board
1Prep everything. Slice all of the fruits and vegetables and gather the meats, cheese, dips, dried fruits and fresh ingredients. Aim for a variety of textures, colors and depth.
2Place the dips. Start by placing dips, dishes, spreads and jams around the board. Add dried fruit or fresh berries in mini bowls now too.
3Roll the meat. Roll some of the meat with mozzarella slices and place it on the board.
4Add meats and produce. Arrange the rest of the meats around the dips and spreads, followed by fresh fruit and vegetable slices.
5Fill the gaps. Place the dried fruit and gluten-free crackers around the meat, then fill any blank space with dried fruit, fresh herbs and edible flowers such as carnations and roses.
6Serve. Serve and enjoy right away.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Go big on the board. A larger board gives everything room and looks more abundant.
- Anchor with bowls first, then build around them.
- Mix up the meat shapes: rolled, fanned, wrapped around mozzarella or on skewers with olives.
- Shop the season for the freshest fruit and vegetables.
- Fill every gap with herbs, dried fruit or flowers for a showstopper look.
How to Use Charcuterie Board Leftovers
Turn the meat into a sandwich, layered with cream cheese or Heluva Good! dip spread over bread. Or make an epic cracker sandwich, layering meat, dip and crackers and stacking that beauty high!
We love pizza, and all this meat is delicious topped on a gluten-free pizza crust and roasted to a crisp.
More party platters and appetizers: Crostini Tuna Melt Appetizers, Healthy Snack Party Platter For Kids, Shrimp Deviled Eggs, Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos and Cannellini Hummus.
I hope you make a holiday charcuterie board like this one! It is so simple to gather the ingredients and flavorful dips you can find easily in the aisles of your neighborhood supermarket.
Charcuterie Board FAQs
Charcuterie is the art of arranging a display of cured or smoked meats, most commonly salami, ham, bacon, pepperoni and prosciutto, served rolled, fanned, with cheese, or on skewers with olives.
Cured meats, cheese, dips, fruit spreads, fresh and dried fruit, vegetables for dipping, nuts and gluten-free crackers, garnished with fresh herbs and edible flowers.
Start with the dips, spreads, jams and mini bowls, then build the meat and produce around them.
Creamy dips like French onion, buttermilk ranch or jalapeno cheddar are great with vegetables, crackers and even the meat.
Use fall and winter fruit like figs, persimmons, pomegranate seeds and pears, add pumpkin butter, and garnish with rosemary, sage and edible flowers.
Make sandwiches with cream cheese or dip, stack crackers, meat and dip into a cracker sandwich, or use the meat as pizza toppings.
More Party Platters
Plan your next party with Healthy Kids Party Platter, Red White and Blue Fruit Platter, Crostini Tuna Melt Appetizers and Pumpkin Hummus. I hope you make a holiday charcuterie board like this one! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
How To Make A Charcuterie Board
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Ingredients
Spreads and Dips
- Heluva Good! Dip
- pumpkin butter
Meat and Cheese
- pre-made pack of charcuterie selection of meats (use just this or mix with the rest of the meats listed)
- pepperoni
- salami
- prosciutto
- Mozzarella slices
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
- Fuyu persimmons
- figs
- pomegranate seeds
- golden berries
- cucumber slices
- rainbow carrot slices
Dried Fruit
- dried apricots
- dried orange slices
Crackers
- Gluten-free crackers and wafers
Garnishes
- fresh rosemary
- fresh sage leaves
- edible flowers
Instructions
- Slice all of the fruits and vegetables, gather the meats, cheese, dips, dry fruits and fresh ingredients. You will want your board to visually have a variety of textures, colors and depth.
- Start your arrangement by placing dips, dishes, spreads and/or jams around the board. You can also add dried fruit or fresh berries into mini bowls, which should also be placed on the board at this time.
- Roll some of the meat with mozzarella slices. Place on the board.
- Add the rest of the meats around the dips and spreads followed by fresh fruit and vegetable slices.
- Place the rest of the ingredients including dried fruit and gluten-free crackers around the meat. Fill in any gaps and blank space with dried fruit, fresh herbs, and edible flowers such as carnations and roses!
- Serve and enjoy right away.
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