Learn how to make the perfect cheese board for entertaining your guests! An easy and delicious cheese platter appetizer is ideal for parties, holidays, and get-togethers! A well-garnished cheese tray always looks pretty and festive. Filled with a fun variety of cheeses, charcuterie, fruits, and spreads, it offers something delicious for everyone.
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Ingredients list for the cheese board
Cheese
- Brie, quartered
- Gouda, quartered
- Manchego, quartered
Meat
- Salami, folded
- Prosciutto, folded
- Coppa
Produce
- Red seedless grapes
- Cornichons / Pickles
- Dried apricots
- Roasted pistachios kernels
- Roasted almonds
- Roasted cashews
Carbs
- Rosemary flatbread crackers
- Crisps
Garnish
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
How to make a cheese board
To make the perfect cheese tray, the key is to mix the cheeses so that they are firm, semi-firm, and creamy. Savory and sweet garnishes go a long way toward pleasing everyone: fresh and dried fruits for the sweet side; dried nuts, salami, crackers for the savory.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
How to make a cheese board:
1. Arrange the quartered cheeses toward the center of a wooden cheese board.
2. Arrange the crackers and crisps around the cheese.
3. Fold and arrange salami, prosciutto, and coppa around and between the cheese quarters.
4. Add the dried apricots, cornichons, and grapes around the outside of the board.
5. Fill in empty spots with almonds, cashews, pistachios, and any remaining produce. Garnish with thyme and rosemary to serve the party cheese board with small appetizer plates. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Tips for the Cheese Board
- You can pre-slice firmer cheeses and arrange directly on the cheese board.
- Feel free to add an assortment of spreads, relish, or fruit jam (cherry, apricot, fig…)
- Other lovely garnishes are pomegranate quarters and seeds, quartered oranges, mandarine slices, apple slices, olives…
- If you don’t have a dedicated cheese board, use a nice wooden cutting board, a large serving platter, or even a tray or baking sheet covered with parchment paper. If you plan for a larger cheese board, we recommend using a rimmed wooden tray so nothing goes overboard!
What other cheese can we use?
Depending on your guests’ taste, you can try “funkier” cheeses like Boursin, Roquefort, whipped Ricotta, Piave, etc…
More appetizer recipes
- 30+ Healthy Appetizers Recipes
- Baked Stuffed Mushrooms with Cream Cheese and Bacon
- Grilled Shrimp and Chorizo Appetizers
- Grilled Figs with Bacon and Maple Syrup
- Mini Grilled Cream Cheese Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
