Holiday Charcuterie Board
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This Holiday Charcuterie Board is perfect for a seasonal family get-together, “framily” gathering, or date night in. Mix and match your favorite sweets and savories for a vibrant, uplifting spread. Tips and tricks are included to streamline assembly! {GF + DF}
Spiriteds, a confession. Rather than eat all the chocolates at a party, I’d much rather have the charcuterie. If I could eat all my meals from a charcuterie board spread, I absolutely would. Give me the savories any day of the week. So, yes, I’m slightly pumped about this Holiday Charcuterie Board. But only just slightly.
Narrator: It was more than just “slightly.”
The narrator is entirely correct. It’s more than just slightly. I blame the little dollops of deliciousness here and smatterings of tantalizing goodness there. Charcuterie boards are a smorgasbord of variety that keep boring meals at bay. They evoke friendship and togetherness and sharing, which when with the right people, are life giving.
We’re basically merging emotional connections with artsy designs and mathematical placements of foods. And that’s all without even discussing the charcuterie boards themselves. I use slate, olive wood (pictured), and acacia boards regularly and find they work well.
Spiriteds, are you ready to do this? Are you ready to assemble deliciousness? If so, then grab a charcuterie board and let’s get our charcuterie ON!
Holiday Charcuterie Board ideas
Perhaps one of the hardest parts of a charcuterie board is deciding what makes the cut. Or at least it it for me it is! I want to include ALL THE FOODS on one charcuterie board. But the math doesn’t math that way, and I find myself having to make touch choices, or as one of my children used to say, “It’s tough to decision.” Yes, indeed, it is tough to decision. But we needn’t lose heart. For all the foods that don’t make the cut, there are so many that do. And we will ultimately end up with a festive spread to share with loved ones.
To make the process of deciding easier think about the following ideas:
- Do you want a sweet, savory, or BOTH board?
- How do you feel about leftovers?
- Will foods spoil and need to be tossed afterward?
- Can you send guests home with leftovers?
After I answered the aforementioned questions, these are the recipes I ended up including on my board.
Cinnamon Roasted Pecans
These paleo and vegan Cinnamon Roasted Pecans are made with a cinnamon crunch coating and are ready in under an hour! Flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and coconut sugar, egg-free Cinnamon Roasted Pecans will make your house smell heavenly, like a winter wonderland! {Vegan + Paleo}
3-Ingredient Cranberry Pomegranate Spread
This 3-Ingredient Cranberry Pomegranate Spread is the perfect addition to crackers, crisps, muffins, breads, and a SPOON! It’s a family-favorite recipe that I love to snack on throughout the holidays! {Paleo or Vegan}
Marinated Greek Olives
Spanish Queen, Kalamata, and lightly salted black olives meet oregano, thyme, and truffle oil to make this mouthwatering appetizer, Marinated Greek Olives, just in time for the holidays. {Paleo + Vegan}
Side note: I also include salami slices, almond butter, Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers, Gluten-Free Good Thins Sea Salt Crackers, Gluten-Free Good Thins Sea Salt and Pepper Crackers, figs, grapes, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, almonds, and rosemary sprigs.
How to prepare a Holiday Charcuterie Board in advance
The key to organizing a charcuterie board spread without running out of time is to work backwards. A few days ahead of your party, think about what foods you want to include on your board and whether you’ll make them yourself or buy them at the store.
For any recipes you’re making from scratch, read the instructions to see if they can be made a few days in advance or need to be assembled at the last minute. Check, too, to see how long they’ll stay fresh once they’re made. For example, 3-Ingredient Pomegranate Spread, Cinnamon Roasted Pecans, and Marinated Greek Olives, all pictured in this post, can be made several days in advance. The meats, however, need to be assembled the same day and refrigerated right up until it’s go time. Same with the crackers. They’ll turn stale if placed on the board too early.
Rinse and drain your fruits and vegetables in advance so they have time to dry beforehand. This prevents them from turning the other foods on the board soggy.
Add foods that spoil or change in consistency just prior to serving.
How to lay out a Holiday Charcuterie Board
- First, place any food-designated jars or bowls on the board. I like to space them as evenly as possible to make them easier for people to access. If the foods you’ll be putting in them will stay fresh 30-60 minutes before your party, then fill the dishes now. Otherwise, wait and fill them just prior to serving.
- Next, add any foods that will go around the jars and bowls. I typically favor crackers and salami because the dishes hold them in place (at least to a certain degree).
- Now add fresh fruits and vegetables. If any of the fruits and vegetables have become watery, then dab them with papers towels or place them in the jars or bowls. Otherwise, they are great filler in the center of a charcuterie board or around the edges.
- Then add any free-standing nuts and seeds that won’t be in dishes. Add any sprigs of fresh herbs to fill gaps. Like the fruit, fresh herbs also add visual interest and a festive touch.
- Before you finish, stand back and look at the board for any unwanted gaps or overpacked areas and check for runny foods.
- Then serve and enjoy!
Side note: If you have foods that are oily or watery and may stain your board (think salmon and juicy fruits like raspberries), then consider trimming a piece of parchment paper to fit on the board. When I do this, I trim it smaller than the board so we can still enjoy the board but cleanup later is faster.
FAQs
- How much food should I buy for a charcuterie board? This is often trial and error. It also depends on the size of your board and the number of people you want to share with. What I can tell you is I use a 15-inch olive wood board and like to have a few packages of salami, two bags of grapes, and two to three boxes of crackers as a base. They fill charcuterie space well and leftovers store well afterward.
- Should I add more than one grouping of the same ingredient on a charcuterie board? This is up to you and may depend on the size of the board and the number of guests. I like to have multiple groupings, if possible, throughout the board so people don’t have to reach over each other. But depending on available space and the size of the food, that doesn’t always work.
- Do I fill the entire board with food or leave empty spaces throughout? I’ve seen both options done really well. Ultimately, it comes down to what you prefer and what you think your guests will enjoy. It may also come down to how much food you have to put on the board and whether you will be in a position once the party starts to refill the spread.
More appetizers and snacks
There are so many recipes you can add to a Holiday Charcuterie Board! In fact, one of the hardest decisions I encounter is where to draw the cutoff for what gets added. Spicy Roasted Cashews and Maple Candied Mixed Nuts didn’t get a spot in this photoshoot, but they would absolutely fit with a Holiday Charcuterie Board.
You can also decide whether you want to add dips and spreads. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Homemade Classic Hummus, Creamy Avocado Lime Spread, Olive Tapenade, and Lemon Avocado Dip are all options that would enhance a Holiday Charcuterie Board!
More charcuterie board inspiration!
If you enjoy creating or perusing charcuterie board spreads, then peep your eyes on these recipes!
- Apple Slice Charcuterie Board (great for breakfasts, brunches, or small get-togethers)
- Healthy Charcuterie Board (and by healthy” think “allergen-friendly”
- Cookie Charcuterie Board (perfect for the holidays and special occasions)
Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can, and always know I’m glad you’re here! ❤️
Holiday Charcuterie Board
This Holiday Charcuterie Board is perfect for a seasonal family get-together, “framily” gathering, or date night in. Mix and match your favorite sweets and savories for a vibrant, uplifting spread. Tips and tricks are included to streamline assembly! {GF + DF}
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: Varies
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: Varies
- Category: Appetizers and Snacks
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2–3 packages sliced gluten-free Genoa salami
- 2 bags seedless grapes
- Fresh berries, rinsed and thoroughly drained
- 1 small package of figs
- 1–2 cups nuts and/or seeds
- Jam, 100% pure honey, and/or nut/seed butters
- Marinated Greek Olives
- 3-Ingredient Cranberry Pomegranate Spread
- Cinnamon Roasted Pecans
- 2–3 boxes Gluten-Free Good Thins Sea Salt Crackers, Gluten-Free Good Thins Sea Salt and Pepper Crackers, and/or Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers
- Fresh herb sprigs (rosemary and thyme are festive!)
Instructions
- First, place any jars or bowls on the board. I like to space them as evenly as possible to make them easier for people to access. If the foods you’ll be putting in them will stay fresh 30-60 minutes before your party, then fill the dishes now. Otherwise, wait and fill them just prior to serving.
- Next, add any foods that will go around the jars and bowls. I typically favor crackers and salami because the dishes hold them in place (at least to a certain degree).
- Now add fresh fruits and vegetables. If any of the fruits and vegetables have become watery, then dab them with papers towels or place them in the jars or bowls. Otherwise, they are great filler in the center of a charcuterie board or around the edges.
- Then add any free-standing nuts and seeds that won’t be in dishes. Add any sprigs of fresh herbs to fill gaps. Like the fruit, fresh herbs also add visual interest and a festive touch.
- Before you finish, stand back and look at the board for any unwanted gaps or overpacked areas and check for runny foods.
- Then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Actual quantities of food will vary, depending on the size of your charcuterie board and the number of people you are serving. I use a 15-inch olive wood board and like to have a few packages of salami, two bags of grapes, and two to three boxes of crackers as a base.
- If you have foods that are oily or watery and may stain your board (think salmon and juicy fruits like raspberries), then consider trimming a piece of parchment paper to fit on the board. When I do this, I trim it smaller than the board so we can still enjoy the board but cleanup later is faster.
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