Simple Charcuterie Board

Overwhelmed by the mere idea of putting together a charcuterie board? Have no fear, The Stay At Home Chef is here! We are simplifying this crowd-pleaser appetizer to help ease your way into the world of charcuterie boards. Think of them like one giant Lunchable and make it as intricate or simple as you like. So, feel free to strip away all of those extras that you either don’t want or don’t want to think about. It really just comes down to three main elements: crackers, meats, and cheeses — don’t worry about serving a wide variety of each element, and consider everything else optional. Don’t worry. We’ve got you. 

What Should Go On A Simple Charcuterie Board?

Charcuterie boards used to feature a selection of meat…and that was it! Today these boards also include a wide variety of cheeses, fruit, nuts, seeds, jellies, jams, and more. You don’t need to included all of these ideas into your own charcuterie board, and we encourage you to start simple, adding only as much as you desire.

• Hard-to-firm cheese
• Semi-soft cheese
• Soft cheese
• Bread and/or crackers
• Cured meats
• Deli meats
• Fresh fruit (optional)
• Nuts and/or seeds (optional)

Fruit Options:

If you want to keep things simple, but don’t want to miss out on the amazing pairing of cheese with fruit, we recommend trying:

• Thinly Sliced Apples
• Sliced Pears
• Sliced Peaches
• Sliced Plums
• Sliced Apricots
• Grapes
• Berries

Board Options:

Don’t worry about buying anything special — unless you really want to. You should use whatever you have on hand. This could range from a large wooden cutting board to a serving platter and the like. That said, most chefs agree that a non-porous hardwood is the best choice. Slate, marble, and bamboo are also great choices!

Make Ahead Instructions:

If you plan on making a charcuterie board for a party, you may want to prep it ahead of time. The good news is that you can assemble this up to 24 hours before serving! Just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. And, we definitely recommend that you slice up the fresh fruit right before serving. Otherwise, it will start to brown — and no one wants that.

Storage Instructions:

You should store all of the ingredients in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Leftover meat and cheeses should be consumed within 24 hours. However, if the charcuterie board was left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, you will need to toss what is left for food safety. 

If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other charcuterie board ideas and appetizer recipes:

• Charcuterie Board
• Christmas Charcuterie Board
• Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board
• Party Cheese Ball