Make a summer charcuterie board with your favorite meats, cheeses, and summer produce. This appetizer tray is filled with fresh, seasonal flavors and makes a great addition to your next picnic or barbecue.
Recipe summary
Made with: A variety of cured meats, cheeses, spreads, and summer produce.
Yield: Feeds 12 or more people
It's quick and easy: Assemble a charcuterie board in minutes!
Great for: Summer parties, barbecues, Fourth of July.
Recipes for your board: Bread and Butter Zucchini Pickles, Zucchini Pesto, and Refrigerator Dill Zucchini Pickles
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Meats and cheeses
Meats - Choose any three (or more) cured meats for your charcuterie board. Odd numbers look visually appealing when arranged on a board together. Today, we've used genoa salami, sweet capocollo, and sweet sopressata.
Cheeses - When choosing cheeses, try to pick a variety of hard and soft cheeses in a variety of flavors. Today we're using a wedge of soft brie, colby jack, and swiss cheese. Hard cheeses should be sliced, and soft cheeses should include a knife or appropriate serving utensil.
Crackers, spreads, and extras
Crackers - Add at least two types of crackers or breads to your charcuterie board. A thin sliced baguette that's lightly toasted is always a good choice. A gluten-free cracker is a nice addition if you have gluten-free guests.
Spreads - Add one sweet and one savory spread to your board, ideally near the cheeses they complement (I like to pair brie with strawberry jam). Today we're using stone ground mustard and strawberry zucchini jam.
Extras - Add a bowl of nuts to your board. For summer, macadamia nuts or pistachios are a great choice. Pickles or olives also make a great addition - we're using bread and butter zucchini pickles today.
Seasonal produce
Fruits and veggies - No matter the season, you'll want to add a handful of fresh, seasonal ingredients to your board. Today I've added bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and blueberries. Candied pineapple adds a nice sweet, summery note to the board.
Other items needed
Board - You'll need a board to assemble on. If you don't entertain often, there's no need to go out and buy a special board made just for charcuterie. Instead, use a large, clean wooden cutting board or a half sheet pan (like I've used above) lined with parchment paper.
Utensils - You'll also need a few serving utensils, like small forks for pickles, spreading knives for soft cheeses, and spoons for tiny items, like mixed nuts.
Bowls - Lastly, you'll want a few small bowls for serving spreads like jam and mustard, as well as loose or wet items like nuts and pickles. Small, 4-ounce mason jars or ramekins work well.
📖 Recipe
Summer Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
Meats and cheeses
- 12 ounces cured meats
- 20 ounces cheese, a variety of soft and hard cheeses works best
Crackers, spreads, and extras
- 1 thin baguette
- 8 ounces crackers
- 4 ounces jam
- 4 ounces coarse ground mustard
- 8 ounces zucchini pickles, or olives
- 8 ounces macadamia nuts, or pistachios
Seasonal produce
- 1 bell pepper, thin sliced
- 8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
- 8 ounces blueberries
- 6 ounces candied pineapple
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 the baguette, lightly toast the slices, and add along with the crackers to the board.
- Add jars of jam and mustard to the board - sweet jam pairs well with a wedge of brie, so I recommend placing them close together. Pour nuts and pickles/olives into serving dishes and add to board.
- Use bell pepper, tomatoes, blueberries, and candied pineapple to fill in gaps and small spaces around the board.
- If not serving immediately, refrigerate your completed board until ready to serve.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Customize: These ingredients are suggestions - add your favorites and customize your own board to suit your tastes.
- Keep refills close: 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.
- Serving dish: 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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