The holidays are around the corner and you are probably already wondering what to make for appetizers and the main meal. One of the easiest appetizers is a charcuterie board. And you honestly don’t have to spend a ton either. Here is the ultimate charcuterie board for any occasion!

Easy To Make

What is great about a grazing board is you don’t have to cook. Buy all the ingredients and assemble. I don’t make them as often anymore but from time to time I make a smaller version for dinner when I don’t feel like cooking! Usually a small charcuterie board or an olive dip to go with a loaf of French bread and some different cheeses. I love cheese! haha

The Occasion

Another great thing about grazing boards, is you can make it for any occasion. Not just the holidays. Here I am assembling a charcuterie board for my sister’s baby shower.

Make a Smaller Version

Certain cheeses go better with certain fruits. But this is my favorite combination for at home:

• pepperoni
• hard cheddar and havarti dill cheese
• fig jam
• nuts
• grapes
• variety crackers (I use different ones all the time)

Grazing Board for a Crowd

There were about 25 people at the baby shower. I bought 5 different cheeses and ended up using just 4 of them. One package of variety crackers also was more than enough. Here is how much I used of everything.

You will need:

3-4 cheeses- 1 hard-I used 4 oz Manchengo, 1 spreadable- I used a 5 0z garlic & herb cheese spread, 8oz of harvarti dill (soft cheese) and semi hard cheese, like (80z) sharp cheddar, which most people like.

Sweet and savory sides – Fig jam, your favorite green olives (pitted) and cornichon pickles. I used a jar of about 5 oz jam and had leftovers. I filled 2 small glass jars with olives and pickles which were about a cup each.

Meats- I thought I would need more but only used one 4 oz package of salami to make the flower shape, one package of the pepperoni, which came with 2 logs. And for fun I added a small pack of the prosciutto wrapped in mozzarella sticks.

Fruit- This is the fun part. You can add any fruit that’s in season. I always add grapes, no matter what. Roughly a pound of grapes is more than enough, as people are just grazing and then to take a handful. The baby shower was a fall theme and so I decided to add some sliced pears to the board. I used 2 pears. For a winter theme, it would be nice to add some pomegranate seeds for some fun Christmas colors.

Add some crunch-Nuts are a must on a grazing board. It is almost like the dessert to your grazing board. Nuts and fruit for dessert. Depending on the mood, I use a mix of nuts or caramelized nuts. Currently the Sahale Honey Almond Mix is my favorite. I purchased two bags but only ended up using one!

Crackers-Mini toasts are super fun and taste amazing with jam. I kept it simple for this board and purchased a variety pack of crackers, which was perfect!

Herbs-add some fresh herbs to decorate your board! Fresh rosemary, thyme or bay leaves look beautiful!

Assemble

Lastly, Arrange your board to your liking. There are many different ways to assemble your board, depending on the size of your board and how much your adding. Softs cheeses look best cut up into cubes and hard cheeses can be be broken up by hand into small chunks and also sliced. There are many options!

Cost

What did I actually spend on this charcuterie board, you may ask? In total I spent about $65, which is not bad considering it was prepared to serve 20 people. Your board will vary in cost, depending on how small or large you plan to make it. HERE is a more specific breakdown of how much you need for your board.

What are some of your favorite go to appetizers?