How to Make an Out-of-This-World Charcuterie Board in 11 Steps

Before you head to your favorite delicatessen to pick up the food items that will be on your platter, the first thing you'll want to do is choose the theme of the charcuterie board. The most popular choices are typically based on international cuisines, including Mediterranean, Spanish, Italian, or French — and don't be afraid to combine multiple regions!

The next step is to think about what serving platter you're going to use. How much space do you have to fill? It's okay to use more than one and different shapes are encouraged.

The best part about a charcuterie board is you can mix and match different textures of food. For example, include soft pâté and hard salami, creamy and firm cheeses, chewy dried fruits, and crunchy crackers and nuts. The more textures the better.

Choosing high-quality meats is a must for a delicious charcuterie board. A rule of thumb is to include something pre-sliced (thin cured meats), something you can slice (hard salami), and something you can spread (meat pâté).

For an extra delicious platter, add cheese. Similar to meats, select a range of different styles including soft and firm cheeses with mild and sharp flavors.

To offset the salty flavors of meat, add some sweets! Fresh and dried fruits are the healthiest option, but if you're looking for some extra hostess points, offer a side of honey to drizzle on top. Trust me, it's delicious, especially with cheese.

Based on your theme, choose food accents that complement the platter. This could include fresh or dried fruits, pickled vegetables, olives, mustard, quince paste, jams, and more.

To make your charcuterie platter pop, add some bright colors. You can easily do this by incorporating edible flowers or other festive foods such as berries, citrus, green olives, figs, or exotic dragon fruit.

For a well-balanced platter, you're going to need crackers, bread, and nuts for your guests to nibble on as they graze the charcuterie board. Be sure to have an extra stash on hand because these items usually get eaten quickly!

Now for the fun part — plating. Tap into your inner food artist and create your charcuterie board masterpiece. This is where you can really have fun. Start by placing one thing down, like the cheeses, and build around it.

Now that you have the perfect charcuterie board, don't forget to offer a selection of wines to pair with the fare. Since you'll be enjoying charcuterie, look for earthy red wines such as Pinot Noir, bolder red wines with balanced acidity to cut through fat flavors such as Barbera, or if you're looking to cleanse your palate after each bite, stick with Cava or Champagne.