Halloween Charcuterie board

A festive Halloween charcuterie board is the easiest way to entertain. Everyone loves a good cheese board and this one will be a guaranteed hit.

Charcuterie boards are having a moment online. Understandably! Who can resist a board stacked with incredible cheeses, meats, crackers, fruit and preserves? It’s also a fantastic way to entertain because it can be prepared in advance and whipped out to wow your guests.

To make this board a ghoulish treat for Halloween, I added pumpkins, a skull and plastic spiders but use your imagination and add any spooky decor or touches to make your Halloween charcuterie board as fun as it is delicious.

What to put on a Halloween charcuterie board

• Charcuterie. Thinly sliced meats like prosciutto, salami/soppressata , chorizo, Parma ham, etc are all good additions to a charcuterie board. I rolled prosciutto and folded salami and thin slices of chorizo to add texture to the finished board.
• Cheese. I always use at least 3 cheeses on a meat and cheese board. I go into more details about which cheeses to include below.
• Fruit. Fruit adds necessary sweetness and freshness to balance the rich meat and cheese. Grapes, berries, cherries, sliced pear and figs are all excellent on cheese boards.
• Preserves. Delicious preserves are also a welcome addition. Excellent with cheese on crackers.
• Crackers/bread. These are the vehicle for getting more cheese and meat into your mouth. 😉 Baguette or French bread and a selection of crackers.
• Extras: Dried fruit, nuts, cornichons/gherkins and olives all add extra texture and flavor to charcuterie boards.

What cheese to use for a charcuterie board

I like adding a selection of cheeses that will appeal to almost all of my guests.

• Hard/firm cheese: Most people love hard or firm cheeses so including one (or two) is a good idea. Parmesan, cheddar, Asiago, Gouda, Gruyere, Manchego, Havarti or Emmenthal are all delicious. I used cheddar with fresh chilli peppers in it as well as an Italian Auricchio (aged Provolone).
• Soft cheese: Mozzarella, burrata, goat’s cheese, Brie, Camembert or cream cheese. I used a log of goat’s cheese covered in garlic and red bell pepper.
• Blue cheese: Blue cheese might not be to everyone’s taste but it’s a classic on a cheese board. I used a big wedge of creamy Gorgonzola but Stilton, Danish blue or Roquefort will all work.

How to build a charcuterie board

Assembling a board takes a little planning but it’s so worth it. I like to think about the way I can roll or fold the meat to add texture. Similarly, think about the cheeses that you are serving and how they can be cut to make serving easier. Here are a few tips for putting together a beautiful charcuterie board:

1. Grab your biggest serving board or platter then add bowls for things like olives, preserves or spreads and cornichons or nuts. Place the bowls on the board, spaced apart.
2. I like to place the cheese down first. I sliced the firmer cheeses into thin wedges and batons. This makes it easier for each guest to serve themselves. Firm cheese can also be cubed. I prefer keeping soft cheese and blue cheese whole, just remember to add a little cheese knife to each cheese so it’s easy for guests to slice a piece off for themselves.
3. Add the meat. Fold or roll thinly sliced meats and place in between the cheese.
4. Slice bread and place on the board along with crackers. I like to stack the crackers on their sides so it’s easy to grab.
5. Add the fruit and extras. Fill in any spaces with fruit, nuts, pickles and olives. Fill the bowls with some of these items as well as spreads.

Can I make this in advance?

Absolutely. Just remember fruit like apples and pears will brown if cut too early so only add those right before serving. I would also leave the bread and crackers off and only add right before serving. Assemble your board then cover well with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for up to an hour or keep in the fridge for up to 4 hours. Remove from the fridge an hour before serving to allow the cheese to come to room temperature.

The best boards for entertaining

1. Easy taco board
2. Breakfast board
3. Easy holiday dessert board