A charcuterie board is a go-to for hosts—and a fan favorite of guests—for good reason. While “charcuterie” technically means a range of different cured meats, these platters go beyond salami and prosciutto, typically featuring various cheeses, crackers, spreads and produce. But what exactly makes them so popular? For starters, they’re extremely flexible: You can adjust the ingredients for different preferences, scale the portions up or down based on the number of guests and make them as affordable (or high-end) as you'd like. You can even tie them to a certain theme, like a color, geographic region or season. But perhaps the main reason they’re a must for entertaining is that they require zero culinary skills to assemble.
That said, there is an art to making a charcuterie board look as impressive as the ones you've seen on Instagram and Pinterest. Don't worry—we’re here to give you some wow-worthy recipes and charcuterie board ideas for your next gathering or holiday party.
