How to Build a Cheese Board
Become a charcuterie board expert with these tips for building the best party snack board full of cheese, crackers, meats and other appetizer bites.
Prep time30 min
Total time30min
ServingsMakes 16 servings.
Ingredients
- Soft cheese, such as Brie cheese
- Creamy cheese, such as goat cheese
- Tangy cheese, such as blue cheese
- Hard cheese, such as cheddar cheese
- Thinly sliced meat, such as prosciutto
- Prepared dip, such as crab dip
- Fresh fruit, such as grapes, berries and sliced pear
- Mixed olives
- Mixed nuts
- Jam, preserves or honey
- RITZ Crackers, TRISCUIT Crackers and WHEAT THINS Original Snacks
- Fresh herbs, such as rosemary and thyme
Preparation
- Arrange cheeses and meat on large board or platter. Add small bowl of dip.
- Fill in spaces on board with fruit, and bowls of olives, nuts and jam.
- Add crackers. Serve additional crackers in bowls or baskets next to the board.
- Garnish tray with sprigs of herbs.
- Cheese boards can be prepared for any number of servings, depending on the size of the gathering. Use a guideline of 1 oz. cheese, 1/2 oz. meat, 1 Tbsp. dip and 1 oz. (or labeled serving size) of crackers* per person. For a well-balanced board, fill in empty spaces on board with fruit. For the 16 servings shown here, figure on purchasing 1 lb. of cheese, 1/2 lb. of thinly sliced meat and 1 cup dip. Have plenty of RITZ Crackers, TRISCUIT Crackers and WHEAT THINS Snacks available for guests to choose from, along with the fruit.
*Serving size of RITZ Crackers is 1/2 oz.
Recipe Tips
- Make it Simple
For a small gathering, check out the in-store salad bar where you can purchase small amounts of each item instead of buying an entire package of each. Look for pre-sliced and cubed cheeses and prepared dips. Thinly sliced meats can often be purchased in an assortment package found in the deli or cheese departments. Check out the store's olive or salad bar for the marinated olives. Try serving an assortment of olive varieties, such as those flavored with crushed red pepper or herbs. - Vary the Cheeses, Meat & Fruit
For a more interesting board, serve 3 or 4 kinds of cheeses featuring a variety of textures, shapes and flavors. Soft, semi-soft and firm cheese; cubes, slices, logs and wedges all add more interest. The meat slices can be rolled, folded or laid out flat. Choose fruits that are in season and have complementary flavors and shapes, such as clusters of grapes, sliced crisp pears and soft berries. Add something sweet, such as a small bowl of honey, jam or preserves, to drizzle over the topped crackers. - Cheese Tips
For best flavor, let the cheeses sit for about 15 min. at room temperature before serving. If serving a wedge or full piece of cheese, be sure to place a knife on the board for each variety of cheese you are serving.
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