A small charcuterie board is a perfect appetizer to serve when hosting any intimate gathering or date night. Easy, simple, and elegant, this mini charcuterie board serves up to 4 people and is guaranteed to impress your guests.
Charcuterie Boards are a great choice when hosting because they are simple to make and provide an array of choices. Whether you have dietary restrictions or are looking to create something festive, charcuterie boards can easily be customized to fit anyone's needs or palate.
In this post, I share my step-by-step photos and tips to help create your very own beautiful and simple small charcuterie board. It serves 2-4 people, is easy to travel, and can be made in under 15 minutes depending on your choice of items.
If you are a charcuterie board fan, check out my Patriotic Charcuterie Board, Fall Harvest Charcuterie Board, and How to Make a Salami Rose post for more creative options.
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Ingredients
- Salami: For the best quality, look for uncured organic salami.
- Mascarpone Cheese Drizzled with Honey: This creamy cheese serves as a dip for the crackers and pairs well with dates and pistachios.
- White Cheddar: A sharp hard cheese that pairs well with most flavors.
- Mini Brie: A soft creamy cheese. The brand Supreme makes mini brie bites with an edible rind. You can find these types at your local health food stores, such as Sprouts or Whole Foods.
- Sea Salt and Rosemary Crackers: Salt and savory, choose your favorite options.
- Red and Black Raspberries: I love the subtle sweetness you get from the berries, which go well with the chocolate.
- Dried Figs: Dried or fresh figs are both great options.
- Pistachios: Pistachios are a great choice with the food items on this board, but you could also use almonds or pecans.
- Fig Jam: Our favorite fig jam.
- Bacon-Wrapped Dates: Love adding mini appetizers to charcuterie boards for contrast and flavor.
- Peanut Butter Cups: Justin's peanut butter cups. Simply, the best.
- Dark Chocolate: Choose your favorite percentage and brand.
- Fresh Rosemary and Baby's Breath: For garnish at the end.
Components of a Charcuterie Board
Cheese
For a small charcuterie board, you will want 2-3 varieties of cheese, preferably with different textures and flavors. Typically you'll choose one hard cheese, one soft cheese, and an optional cheese spread. Keep in mind the other food flavors to pair, when selecting your cheese.
Cheese Options
- Hard Cheese: Manchego, Parmesan, Aged Gouda, Asiago, White Cheddar, Gruyere, and Colby.
- Soft Cheese: Brie, Havarti, Mozzarella, Muenster, Goats Milk Cheese, and Blue Cheese.
- Cheese Spread: Burrata, Mascarpone, or Ricotta.
Meat
You only need 1-2 meat options for a small charcuterie board. For this charcuterie, I went with only one option to keep things simple. I recommend choosing organic and uncured meat options which have fewer nitrates, preservatives, and additives.
Meat Options
- Uncured Salami: Salami is a great choice that pairs well with most options.
- Uncured Prosciutto: Slightly salty in flavor with a buttery thin texture. Pairs great with fig jam.
- Bacon: Adding mini appetizers that are bacon-wrapped items is both a meat option and a delicious filler. Bacon-wrapped dates are a great addition.
Crackers
Choose one to two bread options which could include crackers, pretzels, or a toasted baguette. My favorite brand of gluten-free crackers to use is Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers. They have a variety of flavors to choose from.
Jam and Spreads
Dips and jams help balance out the salty dry meats and cheese, creating a delectable combination of flavors. You will need only 1-2 options for this board.
Options include blackberry jam, fig jam, apricot jam, raw honey, whipped ricotta, mascarpone cheese, and red pepper jelly.
Fruit and Nuts
You can use a combination of both dried and fresh fruit. For this simple charcuterie board choose 2-3 fruit options and 1-2 nut options will be sufficient.
Fruit Options
- Dried Figs, Dates, Dried Apricots, Fresh Berries, Grapes, Pear, and Apple.
Nut Options
- Pistachios, Almonds, Pecans, and Walnuts.
Fillers and Garnishes:
This part is completely optional but elevates even a small and simple charcuterie board. After assembling your board, go back and fill open spaces with mini appetizers and garnishes. I love incorporating my bacon-wrapped dates and mini blackberry brie tarts.
Filler Options
- Chocolate, Bite-Sized Appetizers, Honey Comb, Olives, or Cornichons.
Garnish Options
- Fresh Rosemary, Thyme, and Edible Orangic Flowers.
Instructions For Assembling a Small Charcuterie Board
Start by placing any small bowls, dips, or jams onto the board, adjacent to one another to create balance. Fill the bowls with your choice of items.
Add the cheese around the bowls on each opposite side.
Add the meat to the board. For this board, we use one meat option, and for symmetry, place the salami rose across from the bowls.
Fill in the gaps with crackers, fruit, and nuts, grouping each item on opposite ends of the board to help create balance. If you have a mini appetizer, save this for the middle or add additional crackers.
Finish the board by adding additional fillers and garnishes to any open spots.
Expert Tips
- Add a salami rose. Want to learn how to create a salami rose? Check out this post!
- Start with the largest items first and work your way down to the smallest.
- Add mini appetizers to create an added element of surprise.
- What wine to pair? Serve this board with chilled rosé, Champagne, prosecco, pinot noir, or syrah.
- Fave fun! There is no right or wrong way when it comes to assembling a charcuterie board.
FAQ
A charcuterie board is an appetizer with assembled meats, cheese, fruits, nuts, and crackers.
Charcuterie boards are best assembled on the same day for optimal freshness. Place leftovers back in their original packaging or store them in glass Tupperware.
A small charcuterie feed around 2-4 people.
Serve the charcuterie board right away when guests arrive. The charcuterie board should not sit out longer than 2 hours.
Recipe
Small Charcuterie Board - Easy and Simple
Ingredients
Cheese
- 4 ounce white cheddar
- 4 ounce mini brie
- 4 ounce mascarpone cheese with honey drizzle
Meat
- 4-8 ounces salami
Crackers
- 1 cup almond flour crackers
Fruit
- 4 ounces dried figs
- 2 ounces red raspberries
- 2 ounces blackberries
Nuts
- ½ cup unshelled pistachios
Jam
- ¼ cup fig jam
Fillers
- 4-6 bacon wrapped dates
- 4-6 squares chocolate
Garnishes
- fresh rosemary
- fresh baby's breath
Instructions
- Start by placing any small bowls, dips, or jams onto the board, adjacent to one another to help create balance. Fill the bowls with your choice of items.
- Add the cheese around the bowls on each opposite sides.
- Add the meat to the board. For this board, we use one meat option, and for symmetry, place the salami rose across from the bowls.
- Fill in the gaps with crackers, fruit, and nuts, grouping each item on opposite ends of the board to help create balance. If you have a mini appetizer, save this for the middle or add additional crackers.
- Finish the board by adding additional fillers and garnishes to any open spots.
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