Make an Easter charcuterie board that is sure to impress your guests! This appetizer tray is filled with plenty of meats and cheeses, seasonal produce, and fun Easter candies.
Making a charcuterie board is an easy, no-cook way to get an appetizer on the table for Easter! Made with a variety of meats, cheeses, nuts, fruits, veggies, and spreads, there's a little something for everyone.
Never made a charcuterie board before? No worries! Make your board as simple or complex as you want. I'll take you step by step through the basics needed to make a nice charcuterie board. Plus, a few easy ways to customize your board for the spring season.
Charcuterie boards can be made for as few as two or twenty people - the sky's the limit! Serve this charcuterie board as an appetizer before Easter lunch or Easter dinner.
What is a charcuterie board?
Charcuterie (pronounced "shahr-ku-tuh-ree") is a term that refers to the preparation of cured and cooked meats.
A charcuterie board is frequently made up of several cold, cooked meats and cheeses. Optional additions include sweet or savory spreads, fresh fruits and vegetables, crackers, nuts, and more.
Making your own charcuterie board can be focused on flavor pairings or simply your favorite meat and cheese selections. They are a fun appetizer and easy to customize with seasonal produce and extras for the holidays.
Meats and cheeses
Choose three meats and three cheeses for your charcuterie board. Odd numbers look nice together when assembled on your board, and give just enough variety for your guests.
Any cured meats work well on a charcuterie board - pictured above is pepperoni, capicola, and prosciutto. If you can find a variety pack of meats at your local grocery deli, they're often cheaper than purchasing each meat separately.
When choosing your cheeses, try to use a combination of soft and hard cheeses with a variety of mild and strong flavors. I chose brie, smoked Wisconsin cheddar, and mozzarella pearls. Hard cheeses should be sliced beforehand, and soft cheeses should include a knife or spoon so that guests can serve themselves.
Crackers and bread
Add at least two types of crackers or bread to your charcuterie board. I like to add one plain cracker, a thinly sliced baguette, and a gluten-free option (like crunchmaster multi-seed crackers shown above).
Optional, but highly recommended: lightly toast your baguette slices before serving.
Fresh fruit and vegetables
I recommend choosing a few fruits and veggies that are currently in season for your appetizer board.
Bonus points if your produce looks bright and springy - this is where most of the color will come from on your board!
Baby carrots, sliced cucumber, strawberries, and white grapes are easy to find and seasonally appropriate for Easter.
Spreads and seasonal extras
At least one jam or spread should be added to your charcuterie board. I like adding one savory and one sweet spread, like stone-ground mustard and strawberry jam. Honey is another great choice.
I recommend adding one salty item to your board, like olives or pickles, and one type of nuts, like pistachios, pecans, or walnuts.
Lastly, add a few seasonal Easter treats to your board, like robin's egg candies, jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, peeps marshmallows, or Annie's bunny crackers (found year round in the cracker aisle!).
Items needed for a charcuterie board
You'll need a board to assemble your meats and cheeses on. If you don't plan on entertaining often, don't bother buying an expensive charcuterie board. Instead, use a clean wooden cutting board or half sheet pan (like pictured) covered in a sheet of parchment or butcher paper. A sheet pan with a small lip around the edge helps hold your items in place.
You'll also need a few small cups, bowls, or short mason jars for jams and messier items (like pickles and mozzarella pearls). I like to use a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors - it adds character to your board!
Lastly, you'll need a few serving spoons and knives. If you don't have a set of cheese knives, any small spoons and knives you have on hand will work just fine. No one is looking at the utensils anyway - all eyes are on the food!
Easter Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
Meats and Cheeses
- 12 ounces cured meats thin sliced sausage, pepperoni, capicola, prosciutto, ham, etc.
- 20 ounces cheese a variety of hard and soft cheeses work best
Crackers and Bread
- 8 ounces crackers
- 1 thin baguette
Spreads and Seasonal Extras
- 4 ounces strawberry jam or honey
- 4 ounces coarse ground mustard
- 8 ounces small pickles or olives
- 8 ounces nuts pistachios, walnuts, or pecans
- 4 ounces chocolate robin egg candies
- 4 ounces Annie's cheddar bunnies crackers
Fresh Produce
- 1 cucumber
- 8 ounces baby carrots
- 8 ounces strawberries
- 16 ounces seedless grapes
Instructions
- Line a half baking sheet or large wooden cutting board with parchment paper.
- Add meats and cheeses to board. Slice hard cheeses beforehand, and include a serving knife with soft cheeses. Fold thin sliced meats into halves or quarters for added visual appeal.
- Thinly slice your baguette, lightly toast the slices, and add along with your crackers to the board.
- Add jars of jam and mustard to the board - sweet jam/honey pairs well with a wedge of brie, so I recommend placing them close together. Pour small round candies and pickles/olives into serving dishes and add to board. Use loose nuts to fill in spaces around the board.
- Thinly slice your cucumber. Cut grape vines into small portions, making it easy for guests to pick up one small bunch at a time. Use produce to fill in any gaps and small spaces you find around the board.
- These ingredients are suggestions - add your favorites and customize your own board to suit your tastes. Enjoy!
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Not all of the items listed will fit onto your board at once. Extra produce/crackers/nuts/cheeses that don't fit can be set aside to refill as needed.
- I used a half sheet pan for my board (as shown in the photos), which is 13 inches by 18 inches. Any large wooden cutting board or sheet pan you have on hand will work well. Or, divide your items between two smaller pans/boards.
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