Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board
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This Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board for two is intimate, cozy, and simple. It’s assembled with just a few carefully chosen recipes that contrast savory and sweet flavors. A low-stress charcuterie spread, recipes can be prepared in advance and leftovers stored in airtight containers. {Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free}
While it’s invigorating to create a plentiful board of all the flavors to feed a crowd, there is something equally rewarding about creating an intentional board for two. One where each recipe is chosen with particular care to stand out amongst a small crowd of favored flavors. That’s what this low-stress Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board is all about.
Spicy Mushroom Pâté dolloped atop a sea salt and black pepper cracker, followed by a red grape? Surprisingly, YES. Buttery salmon strips to complement the piquant flavors in the Marinated Greek Olives? OBVIOUSLY. And the soft, neutral, almost sweet nature of the almond flour crackers to balance the peppery aroma of the dry salami roses? Does a charcuterie board for two even get any better? LIKELY NOT.
But we’re not done! It’s time to top everything off with Dairy-Free Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries and whatever beverage suits your palate. Don’t let the simplicity of this board deceive you. Recipes and accompaniments are carefully selected to maximize flavor on a small scale.
Spiriteds, enhance your charcuterie board experience without complicating the process. This Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board is the magic that creates cozy yet delightful evenings!
What do I need for a Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board?
In addition to the recipes below, we include the following:
- Sea salt and pepper crackers
- Almond Flour Crackers
- Red grapes
- Dry salami
- Smoked salmon
It’s important to read labels carefully to ensure the items are gluten-free and dairy-free, if, like us, you need your board to be allergen-friendly.
Spicy Mushroom Pâté
Spicy Mushroom Pâté is a hearty, vegan appetizer recipe that is perfect for sandwiches, snacks, crackers, breads, vegetables, and charcuterie! Its earthy, umami flavor tantalizes the tastebuds and belies the reality it isn’t actually a meat-based recipe! {Paleo-friendly + 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}
How to Make a Salami Rose
Elevate your boards, spreads, and main dishes with salami roses! Learn how to make a salami rose in a matter of minutes. Perfection is overrated, too, because with this approach, we apply the technique and let the petals work their magic. Step-by-step instructions and pictures included! {Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free}
Dairy-Free Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Dairy-Free Chocolate Dipped Strawberries are a quick, delicious, easy-to-make Valentine’s Day or special occasion treat! They are made with allergen-friendly “milk” and white chocolate chips, and tips and tricks are included so you get the right chocolate consistency! {VG + GF}
Add more or less as desired and follow with whatever beverage suits your palate. A buttery Malbec or a slightly spicy cabernet is a good choice. You can always try something of the white variety, like a dry sauvignon blanc. Or lean into the sweetness of the strawberries and red grapes, choosing a sweet riesling or even champagne. You can also make your own beverages. For this board, think Sorbet au Champagne, Wine-Flavored Ice Cubes, or a Strawberry Lime Daiquiri.
Sparkling water recipes are also a great nonalcoholic choice, as is 3-Ingredient Pineapple Fresca Mocktail. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong.
How to assemble a Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board
We organize this board by flavor, starting with savory at the top, working our way to the sweeter end with grapes and strawberries. You can do the same. Alternatively, divide the food so that each person’s portions are on their own end. This latter option is great in cramped spaces with little elbow room. The former is more intimate and allows for the foods and the flavors to flow naturally.
Date night in shouldn’t equal date night stress and mess either. Make clean-up a breeze by using dipping dishes (we used white and black dishes) to hold oily or juicy foods. That’s how we avoided having to deep-clean our slate board when we included Marinated Greek Olives, salami, and salmon on the menu.
- To assemble your charcuterie board, first place the salami roses. They’ll hold their shape while you go to work on everything else.
- Then put about 1/4 cup Spicy Mushroom Pâté into a dipping dish and add crackers around it.
- Fill two small dishes with Marinated Greek Olives and splay several crackers near each one.
- Then add a clump of grapes to the board, followed by about 4 strawberries.
- Finally, add two dishes of smoked salmon.
Unlike festively full charcuterie boards, this sleek, minimalist date night in charcuterie board breathes. Because there are just the two of you to consider, refills are easier to manage than in crowds or with kids.
How much food do I need for a charcuterie board for two?
For this particulate board, we focus on balanced flavors and foods that come in either small portions or yield delicious leftovers anyone can enjoy. More specifically, we made:
- One salami rose per person. Even though this board is meant for two, we knew the girls would want a rose, as well. Hence, you see four.
- One regular batch of pâté and one batch of olives.
- Cracker displays as we had room.
- A partial batch of chocolate strawberries.
- The choice to go with a 3-ounce package of smoked salmon. I worried it wouldn’t be enough, but it turned out perfectly.
Can I prepare the charcuterie board food ahead of time?
Yes! That’s one of the highlights of this charcuterie spread. The homemade recipes on this board can all be made ahead of time so you aren’t stressing at the last minute or too exhausted to enjoy your date night in. If you do decide to make your own alcoholic beverages, those may need to be made the day of.
Whatever food recipes on this page you choose, for best results, store them in airtight containers when they aren’t placed on the board.
What do I do with charcuterie board leftovers?
If you were to ask the girls what to do with the leftovers on this Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board, they’d say, “Eat them.” Fear not, Spiriteds, the girls weighed in more specifically on the whole situation diving into the board after my photoshoot was complete. The firstborn declared the board and its leftovers “fruitful” and went back for seconds and thirds. The second born, upon nibbling the pâté with the cracker and chased with a grape, exclaimed, “HOW??? How does this combination work? WHY? WHY does it work so well?” And then she proceeded to scoop more pâté onto a cracker, followed by more grapes.
So, I guess the leftovers are just as good as the firsts? Here is our storage strategy after everyone has had their chance to nibble, wow, and wonder at how such a simple charcuterie spread could be so delightful:
- The pâté: Refrigerated in an airtight container. This makes for an ideal lunch the next day.
- Marinated Greek Olives: glass jars. They are perfect for snacking.
- Salmon: I would only pull out as much salmon as you know you’ll eat that evening.
- Salami roses: I usually make one per person, so there aren’t usually leftovers. But when there are, refrigerate them in airtight containers and consume within about a day. Dairy-Free Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries: I melt only a small portion of chocolate and dip 4-8 strawberries in it. But if you do have leftovers, they’ll keep about 1-2 days.
More shareable spreads to sweetly savor!
If it’s charcuterie boards and spreads you want, then it’s charcuterie boards and spreads we’ve got! Here is a smattering to whet your appetite!
Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can, and always remember I’m glad you’re here! ❤️
Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board
This Valentine’s Date Charcuterie Board for two is intimate, cozy, and simple. It’s assembled with just a few carefully chosen recipes that contrast savory and sweet flavors. Foods can be prepared in advance and leftovers stored in airtight containers. {Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free}
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Valentine’s Day
- Method: Assembly
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 (3-ounce) package pre-cooked smoked salmon
- 1 bunch red grapes
- Gluten-free sea salt and pepper crackers
- Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers
- Spicy Mushroom Pâté
- Marinated Greek Olives
- How to Make a Salami Rose
- Dairy-Free Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Helpful equipment:
Instructions
- To assemble your charcuterie board, first place the salami roses. They’ll hold their shape while you go to work on everything else.
- Then put about 1/4 cup Spicy Mushroom Pâté into a dipping dish and add crackers around it.
- Fill two small dishes with Marinated Greek Olives and splay several crackers near each one.
- Then add a clump of grapes to the board, followed by about 4 strawberries.
- Finally, add two dishes of smoked salmon.
Notes
- Recipes can be made about 1-2 days in advance and leftovers should be refrigerated in airtight containers.
- Please see salmon packaging for storage requirements.
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