It’s party time, friends! We don’t know about you, but nothing says “party” to us more than an abundance of delicious, beautiful, and satisfying snacks — and nothing says “snacks” better than a charcuterie board!
When crafting this delectable display, we made sure to hit all the marks (salty, sweet, savory, and spicy!) while keeping it super versatile and approachable. It’s the MB way! This charcuterie board is plant-based but is sure to stun (and stuff) any eater you might invite. Just a few simple steps required to make this board of gastronomic goodness. Let us show you how it’s done!
What is a Charcuterie Board?
The word “charcuterie” is French and translates to meat (chair) and cooked (cuit). In France, a deli is called a charcuterie! While the process of curing meats like salami has existed for thousands of years, the charcuterie board as we know it today became popular in more recent decades for its snack-ability and snazzy style!
Because the word “charcuterie” literally refers to cured meats, a plant-based version might sound like a bit of an oxymoron, but trust us! This vegan version delivers the same satisfaction as any classic board!
How to Make a Vegan Charcuterie Board
So, how does one take a meat and cheese charcuterie and give it the plant-based spin? Well, friends, we discovered there are a few key flavors needed to get the perfect plate: salty, sweet, savory, and spicy (plus something for dipping)!
When combined, these elements make an irresistible and flavor-packed board! So we’ve compiled a guide to help you assemble all your flavor components with store-bought and homemade options included.
A good rule of thumb is to include at least one item from each category:
- Salty – olives, pickles, tapenade, or quick pickled veggies
- Sweet – chocolate, candied nuts, fresh fruit, dates, or jam
- Savory – vegan cheese, hummus, or roasted chickpeas
- Spicy – vegan pepperoni, escabeche, or a spicy dip
- For Dipping – crackers, bread, or veggies
Organizing your board in this way will give you an abundance of options and endless possibilities for flavor combinations. Once you know what you need it becomes super approachable and exciting. It’s a party for all your favorite goodies!
How to Arrange a Charcuterie Board
Once the snacks have been gathered, it’s time to make them pretty! The classic look involves a wooden tray or cutting board, but a baking sheet with parchment paper will also work! It’s also important that your board isn’t too big; you want all your snacks to look abundant, not sparse!
Once you’ve got your board, place your snacks on the board in order from largest to smallest. Start with any bowls or dishes (for snacks like olives and hummus), and space them out on the board so you can place smaller snacks in between!
Next, place your vegan cheese on the board before filling in the extra space with “loose” snacks, like veggies and crackers. Our favorite trick is to place stackable snacks (like cucumbers and pepperoni) in curves around the dishes!
Once assembled, all that’s left is to get your snack on!
We hope you LOVE this Vegan “Charcuterie” Board! It’s:
Salty & sweet
Savory & spicy
Super snack-able
Party approved
& SO gorgeous!
This board would be perfect as the centerpiece at your next party, as an appetizer before a holiday meal, or any time you’re in a snack-y mood!
More Appetizer Recipes
- Cheesy Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- 5-Minute Macadamia Cheese + Vegan Crudité
- Vegan Parmesan and Herb Polenta Fries
- 5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
How to Make a Vegan “Charcuterie” Board
Ingredients
SALTY (choose 2-3)
- Olives
- Olive Tapenade (or store-bought)
- Salted roasted nuts (cashews, pistachios, almonds, pecans)
- Quick Pickled Veggies (or store-bought pickles or cornichons)
SWEET (choose 2-3)
- Candied Nuts
- Orange Thyme Jam (or store-bought)
- Dates
- Fresh fruit of choice (strawberries, blackberries, green apple, peaches)
- Truffles or Chocolate (or store-bought dark chocolate)
SAVORY (choose 1-2)
- Easy Garlic & Herb Vegan Cheese (we like Treeline for store-bought)
- Spicy Vegan Pimento Cheese Ball
- Hummus (or store-bought)
- Crispy Baked Chickpeas (or store-bought)
SPICY (choose 1-2)
FOR DIPPING (choose 2-3)
- 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Crackers (or store-bought)
- Bread of choice
- Fresh veggies of choice (carrots, radishes, green beans/peas, cucumber)
Instructions
- Start by making your selections from each section (salty, sweet, savory, spicy, and for dipping). We chose the following for our board pictured above: Salty: olives and cornichons; Sweet: candied nuts, dates, and fresh fruit; Savory: spicy vegan pimento cheese ball and Treeline’s herb garlic soft cheese; Spicy: vegan pepperoni and charred serrano white bean dip; and For Dipping: Simple Mills almond flour crackers, Whole Foods gluten-free oat and seed crispbreads, rustic French bread, and fresh veggies!
- To make the homemade components of the charcuterie board pictured above, we started by making our spicy vegan pimento cheese ball in advance and letting it chill for the minimum time suggested in the recipe (6 hours). Next we made vegan pepperoni and set it aside when it was done. Then we made charred serrano white bean dip and placed it in the refrigerator to chill. Lastly we made candied nuts and cut up the fresh fruits and veggies!
- Once you've gathered and prepared your components, it's time to assemble! Grab a wooden tray or cutting board (or a parchment-lined baking sheet). You want it to be big enough to fit everything but small enough that your snacks look abundant, not sparse.
- Place your snacks on the board in order from largest to smallest. Start with any bowls or dishes for snacks (like olives and hummus) and space them out on the board so you can place smaller snacks in between. Then fill in the extra space with "loose" snacks, like veggies and crackers. Our favorite trick is to place stackable snacks (like cucumbers and vegan pepperoni) in curves or around the dishes. All that's left is to get your snack on!
- Best when fresh. Store leftover components in the refrigerator covered on the board or separately for up to 1-2 days.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated for 8 people with the approximate ingredients and quantities included on the board pictured.
Ann H. says
I loosely followed this recipe and it was a lovely appetizer at Thanksgiving. Instead of serving the goodies on a board, I used a large bento box and several small handmade bowls. The highlight was the cashew pimiento “cheese” ball, which was delicious and eaten by vegan and carnivorous guests alike.
How fun! Sounds delicious, Ann! Thank you for sharing. xo
Lydia says
Hi there!
If I were to make the pepperoni from your original recipe, at what point in your recipe would I serve it on the charcuterie board? After the initial cook time (25 minutes) or adding an additional cook time of 10-15 minutes (the time that would normally be allocated to the “pizza cooking” time)?
Thank you!
Hi Lydia, just doing the initial cook time should be a nice texture. Hope this helps!
Mary says
I love this post. Recently purchased a board, and have been wondering how to begin. This looks amazing!
Thank you.
We’re so glad it was helpful, Mary! Enjoy! xo
Angela says
this is so beautiful! I love your blogs, recipes, etc.. you are the best!
Thanks so much, Angela!
Samantha says
I made this for NYE and everyone loved it! Thanks for the recipe!! Question- where did you get your charcuterie board?
Woohoo! Thanks so much, Samantha. So glad you enjoyed! It’s an older cutting board and we can’t remember where it’s from. Sorry!
Alison says
I just made your Chipotle Pecan Pesto to add to my lil NYE snacky board…I think it’s going to be a perfect spicy/savory addition. Thanks for so many great recipes!
Yummm – sounds perfect! Thanks for the lovely review, Alison!
RunningPath says
I was literally sitting talking to my husband about what we might put on a charcuterie board when I checked my email and saw the link for this. Thank you for all of the suggestions, both on what to include and placement!
We love that! So glad you found it inspiring, let us know if you give it a try!
Kc says
This looks amazing. I love your weekly emails that are loaded with bright, fun plant-based eats + valuable tips. Thanks for all that you do. To a joy-filled New Year.
Yay! Thanks so much, Kc. We’re so glad you find our emails enjoyable! Happy new year!
Cynthia A Bunde says
Thank you for this beautiful and creative idea! Meats, cheese & crackers used to be my go-to for party snack charcuterie and I struggled with how to shift to plant-based. I love your combination ideas and gorgeous pictures! This will be at my next party.
Yay! We love to hear this. So glad this was a good source of inspiration for you, Cynthia! Let us know how it goes when you give it a try!