Want a special idea for Valentine’s Day that looks like a million bucks but is actually incredibly easy to pull together? Try one of these 10 Valentine’s Day charcuterie board ideas!
Valentine charcuterie boards are fast, easy, versatile, and delicious! The great thing about them is that there’s no ‘wrong way’ to make them, simply arrange your favorite foods such as cured meats, cheeses, fruits, and small candies on cheese boards, a platter or marble slab, or in small bowls on a serving tray.
The best part is that you can make this in advance. Everything can be prepared and covered with plastic wrap to store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
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Top 10 Valentine Charcuterie Boards
Arrange a variety of red, pink and white savory and sweet treats for this board. It includes raspberries, brie cheese, cheese cut into little hearts with a heart cookie cutter, chocolates, popcorn, crackers, and prosciutto. Get the tutorial.
Start Valentine’s Day off right with a special breakfast! Arrange waffles and bacon on a wood board along with some fun toppings. A heart shaped waffle maker would make it extra special. Get the tutorial.
Fill a wooden board with your favorite heart candies, sugar cookies, heart-shaped macarons, and valentine candy for a special Galentine’s party with your best girlfriends. Use heart-shaped bowls to corral the treats. Get the tutorial.
An empty heart-shaped candy box is a fun way to display meats and cheeses for this clever savory charcuterie board. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut cheese and salami into hearts. Incorporate salami roses, olives, nuts, and fresh fruits like raspberries. It’s a great option for date night! Get the tutorial.
Make a quick stop at Trader Joe’s or your local grocery store to get some chocolate dip, fresh strawberries, pink treats, and other heart-shaped foods to make this grazing board. It’s a great option for movie night! Get the tutorial.
This gorgeous Cupid-inspired Valentine’s day candy board will wow your guests. While it looks fancy, it is simple to make with a fruit dip in red heart bowl, surrounded by red fruit and red and white candies. Crackers make the perfect arrow! See on Instagram.
This savory and sweet Valentine charcuterie board is all about the pretty color scheme. In addition to bright red fruits and creamy white soft cheese, they incorporated chocolate bars and jam with pretty pink and red packaging. Such a great idea! Surround your board with a Scrabble letter message like “Bee Mine” for extra presentation points. Get the tutorial.
The ultimate Valentine Dessert Board! What kids wouldn’t go nuts for this fun charcuterie board made by filling a wood serving tray with donuts, cookies, cupcakes, conversation hearts, and other sweet treats. Get the tutorial
The best way to eat fruit? When it’s arranged in a heart shape! Try this healthy charcuterie board by arranging red fruits such as strawberries, red apple, raspberries and cherries on a heart-shaped board along with some pink fruit dip. Get the tutorial
Here is a great way to have a romantic date night to celebrate Valentine’s Day. A mix of salami roses along with real roses and greenery make this beautiful board a showstopper. Incorporate fresh fruit, decorated cookies, and other sweet treats to complete the look. Get the tutorial.
Supplies for Valentines Day Charcuterie Boards
Check out these other charcuterie board ideas:
- Christmas Charcuterie Boards
- Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Boards
- Super Bowl Charcuterie Boards
- Brunch Charcuterie Boards
- Dessert Charcuterie Boards
- Easter Charcuterie Boards
FAQs
The 3333 rule applies to the number of foods to create the perfect board. To follow the 3,3,3,3 rule, stick to three cheeses, three meats, three starches, and three accoutrements.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for charcuterie board? ›
The 3333 rule applies to the number of foods to create the perfect board. To follow the 3,3,3,3 rule, stick to three cheeses, three meats, three starches, and three accoutrements.
What is the secret to a great charcuterie board? ›
After all that meat and cheese, you're going to need something to balance those rich flavors. Cairo suggests accenting the board with acidic pickles, crunchy nuts, whole grain mustard (Maille is his favorite brand), tinned fish, and something sweet like quince jam or a drizzle of honey.
What are must haves for a charcuterie board? ›
Recipe Ingredients
- Cured meat. Use a selection of 3-4 different cured meats for your charcuterie board. ...
- Cheese. Select 4 or more cheeses of varying texture and flavor. ...
- Bread and crackers. I love to include a baguette with a charcuterie board. ...
- Nuts and chocolate. ...
- Condiments and jams. ...
- Fruit. ...
- Garnish.
One of the easiest ways to theme a charcuterie board for Valentine's Day is to add some heart shapes. Cookie cutters make this super simple, particularly to cut out cheese and cookies. Adding pink and red foods is another easy way to make it feel seasonal and festive.
How do you make the most beautiful charcuterie board? ›
Slip two or three small stacks of sliced bread or crackers among the bowls, meats, and cheeses. Let them topple over and get a bit messy—it's part of the board's beauty. We used two kinds of crackers— asiago cheese and flax seed—to complement the various flavors on the board.
What are 5 things to avoid on a charcuterie board? ›
CHARCUTERIE // Stop Adding These 10 Ingredients To Your Charcuterie Boards!
- STINKY CHEESES. The cheese section at the grocery store can be overwhelming and intimidating. ...
- FRUITS THAT GO BROWN. ...
- SPICY FOODS. ...
- CRACKERS & BREAD. ...
- Veggies. ...
- Allergens and Sensitivities. ...
- Dips, Sauces and Jams. ...
- Boring and Bland Foods.
Here's some of the best cheese for charcuterie boards: Hard cheese: chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, asiago. Firm cheese: gruyere, comte, manchego, colby, cheddar. Semi-soft cheese: havarti, butterkäse, muenster.
What goes first on a charcuterie board? ›
Arrange the items on the board – Once you've selected your meats, cheeses, and accompaniments, it's time to start arranging them on the board. Start by placing the larger items, like meats and cheeses, on the board first. Then, fill in the gaps with the smaller accompaniments.
What veggies go on a charcuterie board? ›
When it comes to what vegetables you should use for your vegetable charcuterie, almost any vegetable can work. Some easy favorite vegetables to incorporate in your boards include, carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and green beans.
Meat and cheese boards are super easy to make. The staples for a proper charcuterie board are cured meats with cheese options, plus a selection of dried or fresh fruits, nuts, crackers, spreads, olives and pickled vegetables. Think of it as a glorified snack tray and choose what appeals to you.
What are two main charcuterie items? ›
Here are the five key elements to a perfect charcuterie board:
- Cheese. ~ You have limitless options in this category so you can not go wrong. ...
- Sweet. ~ Cheese can pair well with sweet components like honey, fig jam, and/or a chutney. ...
- Savory. ~ You need to have one or two savory elements to pair up to the meats. ...
- Meat ~ ...
- Bread.
What's Included in These Boards? A typical charcuterie board consists of mainly meats and cheeses. But at many restaurants or house parties, it's common that these boards include bread, fruits, nuts, condiments such as honey or mustard, pickles, and olives.
What is the best meat for a charcuterie board? ›
This list below can offer some inspiration.
- Dry-Cured Pork or Beef: Serrano ham, prosciutto, country ham, Iberico ham, capicola, speck, bresaola.
- Salami: Genoa, soppressata, finocchiona, Genoa.
- Spreadable meat: 'Nduja, duck pâté, chicken liver pâté, rillettes.
Savory Party Platter
- Crackers or flatbread.
- Sour gherkins.
- Cured meats.
- Dijon-style mustard.
- Purchased or homemade dip recipes (like our Million Dollar Dip)
- Olives.
- Baguette slices.
Believe it or not, it's super simple to create an impressive presentation of cured meats, specialty cheeses and all the colorful complements. Get creative with olives, antipasti, fresh fruit, nuts, spreads, crackers and more.
What do you decorate a charcuterie board with? ›
There are no limits to your charcuterie board items and decorations. Add in some fresh herbs – I love using rosemary, fresh thyme, basil along with many other herbs. I absolutely love accessorizing with flowers, or even edible flowers which can really help elevate the look of your feast!
Does Rose go with charcuterie board? ›
Our wine folks love to pair it with charcuterie. The cold, cured meats are perfect with a light, crisp rosé: their saltiness and spiced fat really work to enhance all the wine's flavors.
