How to Make a Cheese Board: A Complete Guide 

This no-cook cheese board combines a variety of cheeses, cured meats, fresh and dried fruit, and briny bites in an abundant party appetizer you can arrange in about 30 minutes. 

A Cheese Board Makes Entertaining Easy 

You should never feel bad about putting together a party appetizer from ready-made, store-bought ingredients. A full, colorful cheese board can feel every bit as inviting and intimate as a big home-cooked feast, and it lets everyone help themselves.

Still, all those choices at the cheese counter can be overwhelming. My simple formula is to start with your favorite cheeses, add a few cured meats, then fill the board with fresh, sweet, crunchy, and tangy accompaniments. Follow it loosely and make it your own!

For a larger gathering, I love a full, cornucopia-style board with something tucked into every corner. I start about an hour before guests arrive by taking the cheeses from the refrigerator, still wrapped. Then I arrange the board during the final 30 minutes and add the cured meats 10 to 20 minutes before serving.

What to Put on a Cheese Board 

A well-rounded cheese board has four main components:

• Cheese: Choose at least four cheeses with contrasting flavors, textures, shapes, and levels of sharpness.
• Cured meats: Add three or four favorites, such as prosciutto, salami, coppa, or capicola.
• Accompaniments: Include bread or crackers plus something fresh, sweet, crunchy, and tangy.
• A surprise element: Finish with something personal and unexpected, such as creamy hummus or olive oil for dipping.

There are no strict rules here. Start with foods you and your guests enjoy, then use the categories below to create variety and balance.

Choose a Variety of Cheeses 

Choose at least four cheeses, including a mix of firm, soft, and semi-soft options. On the board pictured here, I used two firm cheeses I love, Parmigiano-Reggiano and aged cheddar. To balance their sharper flavor, I added mild French brie, sliced Swiss, creamy Greek feta sprinkled with crushed red pepper flakes, and another sliced cheddar.

You can invest in one or two special cheeses and use good ready-sliced options from the grocery store to fill out the board. When I’m feeling fancy, I dress up the brie with nuts and jam, as I do in my baked brie recipe.

Consider shape as well as flavor. A mix of wedges, rounds, squares, crumbles, and slices makes the board more interesting and gives guests different ways to serve themselves.

How much cheese do you need per person? Plan on about 1 ounce of cheese per person when the board is an appetizer. If the cheese board is the main event, increase that to about 2 ounces per person and keep a little extra nearby to replenish the board.

Add Three or Four Cured Meats 

The cured meats make up the charcuterie portion of this cheese board. I usually choose three or four Italian options from the deli counter, starting with my favorites: Prosciutto di Parma and some type of salami. Coppa or hot capicola brings another flavor and texture to the mix.

Plan on about 1 to 2 ounces of cured meat per person.

Fill the Board with Accompaniments 

Accompaniments are more than fillers. They add color, texture, and contrast to the rich cheese and cured meats, and they are a great way to use what you already have on hand.

Start with crackers, sliced bread, or both. Then add at least one item from each of these categories:

• Fresh: Sliced cucumbers and fresh fruit bring color and lighten up the richer bites. I used pears because they were in season when I made this board, but grapes or sliced apples also work.
• Sweet: Add a little honey, dried apricots, dried figs, or a spoonful of Greek fig jam.
• Crunchy: A handful of nuts provides a welcome contrast to the creamy cheeses.
• Briny and tangy: A small bowl of Mediterranean olives or marinated artichokes cuts through the richness.

Finish with One Unexpected Element 

Once the basics are in place, step back and ask, “What else do I have on hand that might be fun to add?”

This is where I give the board my Mediterranean twist. A bowl of creamy homemade hummus makes a natural centerpiece. You can also add a small bowl of quality Greek extra virgin olive oil for dipping warm bread.

How to Arrange Your Cheese Board

Once you have everything ready, arranging the cheese board is simple. Be thoughtful about where you place each item, but do not stress about making it perfect. A board can be lightly filled or piled high. When I’m entertaining a larger crowd, I prefer the fuller, cornucopia look.

• Choose your board. Use a large wooden board, a slate or stone board, or any large serving platter you already own.
• Create an anchor in the center. I like to start with a bowl of hummus right in the center. From there, I can build the rest of the board outward.
• Establish the four corners. Place one substantial item in each corner. I used a round of brie, a square of aged cheddar, a bowl of olives, and a bowl of feta.
• Fill from the center toward the corners. Arrange the remaining cheeses, cured meats, breads, fruit, and other accompaniments in the open spaces. Vary the colors and shapes as you go.
• Add the finishing touches. Step back and look for any empty areas that need another handful of fruit, nuts, or crackers. Finish with sprigs of fresh herbs. I used dill and rosemary, and the piney smell of the rosemary added just the right festive aroma.

My Tips for Building a Cheese Board

• Start with your favorites. The goal is to make a board your guests will enjoy.
• Create contrast. Mix mild and sharp cheeses, creamy and firm textures, fresh and dried fruit, and rich foods with tangy or briny accompaniments.
• Vary the shapes. Rounds, wedges, squares, slices, and crumbles make the board look interesting before you add anything else.
• Use bowls as anchors. Hummus, feta, olives, jam, and olive oil are easy to place in small bowls around the board.
• Keep extra food nearby. You do not have to fit everything onto the board at once. I keep additional cheese, meat, and accompaniments ready to replenish it during a longer party.
• Use what you have. You can invest in one or two quality cheeses, then fill out the board with ready-sliced cheeses and favorite pantry staples.

When to Start Assembling a Cheese Board

For this cheese board, I begin about one hour before guests arrive. First, take the cheeses out of the refrigerator but leave them wrapped so they do not dry out. While they rest, gather and prepare the remaining ingredients.

Begin arranging the board about 30 minutes before serving. This gives the cheese about an hour out of the refrigerator, which brings out more of its aroma and flavor. Add the cured meats during the final 10 to 20 minutes.

What to Serve with a Cheese Board 

A cheese board works beautifully as a party appetizer because guests can graze and make their own combinations. Set it out with red sangria for a festive gathering or warm Italian mulled wine for a cozy cold-weather party.

If you want a spread that leans more fully into the Mediterranean vibe, use my Mediterranean mezze platter as your guide. It brings together dips, vegetables, olives, cheese, and warm pita for another colorful, help-yourself appetizer.Print

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