How to Create a Patriotic Charcuterie Board
This Patriotic Charcuterie Board will be an absolute hit at your next 4th of July, Memorial Day or summer gathering! Red, white and blue abound in this charcuterie board, but you customize it however you like! Get the best tips on how to put together the perfect charcuterie board!
Charcuterie or “cheese boards” are a staple around our house! From this awesome Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board to this super simple family-friendly board!
The great thing is, everyone can find a little something they love and it’s such a great way to entertain! It also pairs perfectly with wine so there’s that! Check out these 10 Amazing Wines Under $20 to pair with this festive, patriotic charcuterie board!
I most often make this red, white and blue charcuterie board for 4th of July gatherings, but this patriotic board works for Memorial Day, Labor Day or any summer gathering, for that matter!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- It’s fun, festive and you’ll wow your guests!
- This charcuterie board feeds a crowd and it’s perfect for parties.
- There is no right or wrong way to do it! Just choose items you love and have fun!
- It combines lots of tastes, textures and flavors!
- It’s easily customizable to your tastes.
- EVERYONE loves a good charcuterie board!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
There are certain “categories” of ingredients you need for a great charcuterie board, but they are all easily customizable to your tastes! I have listed some options below that go along with the red, white and blue, patriotic theme, along with several other ideas.
INGREDIENT NOTES & RECOMMENDATIONS
The ingredients in BOLD are the ones I used in this charcuterie board (pictured above).
Soft Cheeses (1-2 varieties): A variety of cheese is key! Brie, Blue Cheese, Havarti, Goat Cheese, Roquefort, Gorgonzola and buffalo mozzarella cheese are great options.
Hard Cheeses (1-3 varieties): Sky is really the limit, but I suggest doing a mix of sharp and mild cheeses. Cheddar (sharp, mild, English cheddar), Swiss, Parmesan, Gouda, Manchego, Provolone, Emmental, Asiago, Gruyere.
Meats (1-2 varieties): Use a variety of meats. Cured and uncured deli meats work best, but use what you love! Salami, Prosciutto, Smoked Ham, Soppressata. Some people also put pate and smoked salmon on their cheese board.
Crackers/Bread (1-3 varieties): Look for different shapes sizes and colors! I used a combination of rectangle water crackers (love the fluted edge!), and mini fig and olive crisps with raisins from Trader Joes (excellent with brie!!). Sliced baguette, breadsticks, pita chips and blue corn chips are also great!
See more cracker options here: 10 Best Crackers for a Charcuterie Board
Fruit (1-3 varieties): Fresh fruits are always a great thing to have on a charcuterie board! It lightens things up and cleanses the palette! Some good red and blue fruits to use are: red grapes, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, red apple slices, cherries, Pomegranate seeds, and watermelon stars (use these small star cookie cutters to make the stars!) Other great fruit options are: green grapes, figs, apricots, melon, pears, mango, kiwi.
Veggies (1-2 varieties): Red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and radishes are most popular on charcuterie boards.
Dips & Spreads (1-2): Jam/jelly, fig spread, soft cheese like Rodelé , pesto (like my Basil Arugula Pesto), ground/grainy mustard, ranch dip, pub cheese, hummus, honey, olive tapenade, balsamic vinegar/olive oil.
Extras (1-4): This is where you fill in the “holes” in your board with little, delicious nibbles! Try to have a mix of sweet and salty!
- Nuts: Use a variety like candied, salty, smoked and flavored–I used rosemary marcona almonds.
- Candy and Sweet Treats: I used cute star shaped gummies on this board but chocolate works well.
- Dried Fruit/Nuts/Seeds: Dried apricots, cranberries and raisins are perfect, along with pumpkin seeds and granola.
- Miscellaneous: Olives and mini pickles can also be a perfect addition to your board!
- Herbs: Pretty herbs like rosemary, basil, arugula or parsley are a fun way to garnish your beautiful charcuterie board!
HOW TO MAKE A PATRIOTIC CHARCUTERIE BOARD: STEP BY STEP
Watch this quick video on how I assembled this charcuterie board. Remember that full instructions with ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Begin by placing your hard and soft cheeses on the board. Spread them out over the board so they are not touching each other.
Step 2: Then, add your meat(s). Again, place them around the board so they aren’t touching each other. They should not touch the cheese, either. Here is the video I used to learn how to make the pretty salami flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwbSmK_r4Pk
Step 3: Add your dips and spreads using small bowls to be placed around the board.
Step 4: Crackers go on next. Separate the different varieties of crackers around the board.
Step 5: Next, add your fruit to fill in all the “holes” on your board until the board is almost completely covered.
Step 6: Last, add on any “extras” such as your chocolate, dried fruit, candy or nuts.
TIPS FOR A GREAT CHARCUTERIE BOARD
- When deciding what to put on your board, think VARIETY. Variety of flavors (sharp, mild, sweet, salty, sour), textures (hard, soft, crunchy, creamy).
- For the ultimate WOW factor, ensure that the entire board is covered for that plentiful look!
- You can use a simple star cookie cutter like these to cut cheese slices into cute shapes like the stars I used for this board. Hearts would be great for a Valentine’s Day board!
- Have mini cocktail forks and spoons on hand so guests can easily pick up items from the board. Toothpicks also work well.
- Don’t stress about arranging your board! Anything goes! If you follow the sequence of steps to put your board together that I listed above, it will come together more easily than you think! Honestly, if you have a variety of delicious ingredients for your board, you can’t go wrong!
SERVING AND STORAGE YOUR CHARCUTERIE BOARD
- This charcuterie board can be made up to one day in advance for easy entertaining! Just be sure to cover it TIGHTLY with a few layers of plastic wrap to keep everything fresh.
- Another option is to cut everything up (meats, cheese, etc) the night before and assemble the board the day of your gathering.
- Serving: Charcuterie boards are best served at room temperature, so feel free to pull it out of the fridge 30 minutes or so before guest arrive.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SHAR-COO-TER-REE 🙂
It really depends on how many guests you are serving, but a 12 x 18 board is a good place to start. You can also use two or three separate boards–one smaller cheese-only board and the rest of the items on another large board.
I don’t know why they WOULDN’T be, but I could be biased 🙂 I think charcuterie boards are popular for a few reasons:
1) The WOW factor. Put a bunch of amazing small bites on a large platter and everyone is impressed! It just LOOKS gorgeous!
2) There is variety. You might not like certain dishes at a party, but you can ALWAYS find something you love on a charcuterie platter!
3) We like to graze. At a party, where you’re busy socializing, it’s nice not to have an entire plate of food in your hand. Picking off a charcuterie board is much more conducive to chatting and socializing.
4) It pairs well with wine. Enough said.
This Patriotic Charcuterie Board is meant to be enjoyed during the spring or summer months, so I like to keep the drinks light.
White wine such as Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Grigio are all good white wine options. Keep the reds light-bodied, too such as Pinot Noir, Grenache or Chianti.
Beer should also be kept on the lighter side, so Pilsner, Lager or a lighter citrus ale all pair very nicely with meats and cheeses.
Don’t have a “real” charcuterie board?? Don’t stress! Just use any large cutting board or even a wooden pizza peel! Here is the cutting board I used.
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I hope you love this Patriotic Charcuterie Board! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Patriotic Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 2-3 Soft Cheeses such as Brie, Blue Cheese, Havarti, Goat Cheese, Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Buffalo Mozzarella
- 1-3 Hard Cheeses such as cheddar (sharp, mild, English cheddar), Swiss, Parmesan, Gouda, Manchego, Provolone, Emmental, Asiago, Gruyere
- 1-2 Meats such as Salami, Prosciutto, Smoked Ham, Soppressata, Pate, Smoked Salmon.
- 1-3 varieties of bread/crackers. Look for different shapes and sizes, Baguette, breadsticks and pita chips work great too.
- 1-3 Fruits such as red grapes, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, red apple slices, cherries, Pomegranate seeds, cherry tomatoes, green grapes, figs, apricots, melon, pears, mango, kiwi.
- 1-2 Dips or Spreads such as Jam/jelly, fig spread, soft cheese like Rodelé by Président , pesto (like my Basil Arugula Pesto), ground/grainy mustard, ranch dip, pub cheese, hummus, honey, olive tapenade, balsamic vinegar/olive oil.
- 1-4 "Extras" such as Nuts (use a variety like candied, salty, smoked, flavored), candy/chocolate, dried fruit (apricots, cranberries and raisins all work well), pumpkin seeds, granola, olives and mini pickles. Pretty herbs like rosemary, basil, arugula or parsley make beautiful garnishes.
Instructions
- Begin by placing your hard and soft cheeses on the board. Spread them out over the board so they are not touching each other.
- Then, add your meat(s). Again, place them around the board so they aren't touching each other. The should not touch the cheese, either. Here is the video I used to learn how to make the pretty salami flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwbSmK_r4Pk
- Add your dips and spreads using small bowls to be placed around the board.
- Crackers go on next. Separate the different varieties of crackers around the board.
- Last, add on any “extras” such as your chocolate, dried fruit, candy or nuts.
I’m British but our flag colours are the same so will be giving this try for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Street Party in June!
So delish! I just am loving the colors and the ingredients that you used here! So giving it a go this july.
Bookmarking this charcuterie board for the 4th of July! So many great ideas in it.
Perfect dish for a crowd of kids :lough: Easy to make and so delicious! Thank you!
So pretty and effective. This is definitely fun to make and delicious to eat.
What a great idea! May not wait for July and put one together this weekend! 🙂