Christmas cheer on a plate…well, a board actually. Here are some cute Christmas charcuterie board ideas guaranteed to impress your guests. They’re both vegetarian btw – no meats on these charcuteries.
Tired of the same old holiday spreads? Try one of these cute and clever Christmas charcuterie boards. It might just be the secret sauce to entertaining like a pro.
How to Make a Christmas Charcuterie Board
1. First things first. You’re gonna need a tray or board. This could be anything from a cutting board to a decorative food tray. Even a lazy susan, which I used in the second charcuterie board idea.
2. Preparing the food is next on the list. Wash fruit and veggies thoroughly, before cutting into slices, sticks, etc.
The more variety the better. For example, half the cherry tomatoes, slice the figs, cut the cucumbers and peppers into long sticks, etc.
3. Next up, arranging the food. I’d recommend laying out the biggest items first, kind of spread out on the tray / board.
In this case, with the Christmas tree charcuterie, the biggest ‘piece’ is the cucumber Christmas tree, but I actually set out the cheeses first.
While keeping in mind the tree in the middle would be taking up the majority of the tray.
4. Then start adding in the other items. This is when I laid out the cucumber Christmas tree.
And then filled in the remaining spots with the smaller items – crackers, veggies, fruits, etc.
Again, the more variety the better in color/ sizes of the foods/ shapes.
5. Finishing touches. I cut a piece of brie into a star and placed in on the top of my ‘tree’. Then, added some honeycomb and some edible flowers, and the whole thing was ready to serve – after adding a few cheese knives and/or serving spoons.
You can make the charcuterie boards ahead of time and refrigerate them until guests arrive. I would say up to 24 hours in advance is fine.
Keep it covered with saran wrap, parchment, or a fabric cloth.
You might want to wait on the crackers until right before guests arrive in that case though, instead of storing them in the fridge with the rest of the platter.
Foods to Include in a Charcuterie Boards
There are so many amazing options when it comes to making fruit and veggie boards like these, whether its during the holidays or some other time of year.
Here are a handful of foods that would be delicious in a charcuterie board…
- artisanal cheeses (a mix of hard cheeses and soft cheeses)
- fresh veggies – cucumbers, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, snap peas, radishes
- fresh fruit – berries, citrus, figs, pomegranate
- dried fruit
- flavorful crackers and soft breads
- cured meats (optional – none of the boards I make have meat)
- chutney, jam, spreads, mustards
- olives
- a variety of nuts
- herbs to garnish – like thyme, rosemary, basil, sage
- edible flowers (a nice touch, but not required)
Foods to Avoid in Charcuterie Boards
I am sure there are many more things that could be added to the ‘do not use’ list.
But for now, here’s what I’ve come up with as foods to avoid when it comes to charcuterie boards.
- stinky cheeses
- brussels sprouts
- mushrooms
- beets
- zucchini
- turnips
- sauces like: bbq sauce, ketchup, soy sauce
- bananas
- watermelon
- lemon and lime
Serving Boards for Charcuterie Boards
Here are a handful of cutting boards, bread boards, and trays that would be perfect for this kind of thing…
- Large Vintage Wood Board from Casa Zuma $275
- Tortuga Forma Cutting & Serving Board Trio from West Elm $138
- Preston Marble & Wood Charcuterie Boards from West Elm $34.99
- Steph Trowbridge Cutting Board from West Elm $170
- Nonslip Rubberwood Cutting Board Natural from Target $12
- Teak Serving Board, Round from Terrain $28-48
- Scalloped Breccia Marble Serving Board from Terrain $108
- Juvale Round Marble and Wood Cutting Board from Target $28.99
Christmas Wreath Charcuterie Board (on a Lazy Susan)
This spinning Christmas charcuterie board was made similarly to the first, with just a handful of changes.
When using a round lazy susan, you’ll want to first add a bowl into the center. This will make room for crackers and dip at the end. And it also gives you a guide for where to lay the vegetables to form a wreath.
Ingredients
I used mostly green veggies for the wreath, to make it look leafy. The green veggies I used are:
- broccoli
- snap peas
- mini zucchini
- *I didn’t include cucumbers in this one, but I would have liked to.
And then for the ‘ornaments’ and a pop of color / contrast, I added:
- grape tomatoes
- heirloom cherry tomatoes
- mini mozzarella balls
Layout
It’s helpful to space the veggies out pretty evenly around the entire plate, to make it feel balanced and more wreath-like.
From there, remove the bowl in the center and add a ring of crackers all the way around. And then add a smaller bowl of dip in the middle.
If you’re someone who likes to have several dip options for guests (same here), I usually include a couple more dips on the table, nearby.
That way there are plenty of options, but not everything has to be piled onto the lazy susan.
Anyway! That’s it for the Christmas charcuterie board ideas. Hope these ideas are a good jumping off point for you during holiday entertaining season.
If you’re looking for more holiday entertaining ideas, be sure to check out…
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