Simple Charcuterie Board
Let’s make a simple charcuterie board for dinner! It’s quick and easy (ready in less than 10 minutes); balanced (includes a variety of foods); and requires NO cooking (perfect for casual meals and outdoor picnics). Simply pull together a variety of cheeses, cured or deli meats, fresh fruits and veggies, and plenty of crunchy and savory extras for a satisfying snack or appetizer, easy lunch or lazy dinner.
This was my Sunday night dinner as a kid. 🍿🍇🥖
Sometimes people on the internet get mad about snack boards like this for dinner (huh? ok. 🙄), but me? It was our Sunday night meal, eaten in front of the tv (!!!), watching Murder, She Wrote. And I loved it.
Not only is it a great way to use up random bits of food in the fridge or finish off some crackers you have lying around, but it’s also an easy way to get a balanced meal on the table. When you include all of the food groups, you’re also covering all of your nutrition bases as well. It’s also a great spread to put out for a crowd if you want to put out a snack spread without being too precious and fancy about it. It’s…
😋 Seriously delicious: Salty, creamy, sweet, and crunchy in every bite. This board has a bit of everything!
🛒 Made with simple ingredients: Simply pick a few ingredients from each category or dig in your fridge to see what you might find!
🧀 Perfect for entertaining: Great for parties, holidays, girls’ night, movie nights, or simple dinners at home.
🕒 No cooking needed: Assembly only! Minimal prep and zero cooking!
👨👩👧👦 Family-friendly fun: Let everyone grab their faves and have everyone help put the board together.
🌈 Customizable: Mix and match with what you have, grab odds and ends from the fridge, and put out a bit of everything!
If you love charcuterie boards as much as we do, try my Mediterranean charcuterie board, Trader Joe’s cheese board, 5-minute breakfast board for kids, or my brunch charcuterie board next time.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to make this mini charcuterie, but really it’s a great opportunity to use up food in your fridge!
- Deli meat – Use whatever deli meat you prefer – turkey, ham, roast beef, salami, etc. You could also use leftover cooked pieces of meat or even chicken tenders. Include a variety of meats if you can.
- Cheese – Use your favorite cheeses, I love to use a hard cheese like aged gouda or sharp cheddar, but this is flexible. Sometimes we use cheese sticks, depending on what types of cheeses we have. Cut the cheese into small portions for easy snacking.
- Fresh fruits – Use whatever is in season and delicious. Fresh berries, oranges, clementines, apple slices, and grapes are all good options.
- Veggies – I aim to include two or three fresh vegetables with a focus on minimal prep veggies – carrots, celery, cucumbers, mini bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli, etc.
- Dips – Use at least one dip, maybe two if you have them. I typically will include hummus and ranch, as we typically have those and lemon feta dip, smoked salmon dip, or Greek yogurt dill dip if I have those.
- Carbs – This can be so many things – crackers and popcorn are staples for us, but you could also use breadsticks, little PB&J sandwiches, mini avocado toasts, cookies, etc.
- Nuts – This is an easy addition and a great way to provide another protein/fat/fiber-rich food on the snack plate. Use whatever type of nuts you have and like.
- Extras – You can also add small extras if you have them like olives or pickles.
- Dark chocolate – If you enjoy ending your meal with something sweet, add some chocolate, cookies, dried fruit, or your favorite sweets.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: This mini snack board can work for SO many meals, and it’s why I will often also call it a dinner-worthy snackboard! It’s a great and balanced lunch, quick and easy dinner, or a fun way to eat a snacky dinner for movie or game nights.
- Board: If you don’t have a charcuterie board, you can use a sheet pan, a few cutting boards, or a tray or platter.
- Feeding kids without pressure: I also like to get my kids involved in these types of meals (and to make sure they have a few things on the board that they will want to eat!), so I have them come up with a few items to include as well. Sometimes we just put everything on the table and other times we put it together on a nice board which is admittedly more fun, but also a tad more work.
Simple Charcuterie Board
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Let’s make a simple charcuterie board! It’s quick and easy, balanced, and requires NO cooking (perfect for casual meals).
Ingredients
- 8 oz. deli turkey or ham
- 4 oz. salami
- 8 oz. hard cheese like sharp cheddar or aged gouda
- carrot sticks
- cucumber slices
- fresh berries (or other seasonal fruit)
- crackers
- hummus or ranch
- olives
- almonds or other nuts
- dark chocolate
Instructions
- Arrange all of your items on a cutting board, serving tray, or even in bowls or on plates on the table.
Notes
- You can use cutting boards, a sheet pan, muffin tins, or even just put out on the table, though I like grouping everything together. You could also make individual mini boards using small boards or small salad plates.
- Storage: Store components in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Ingredient notes: Feel free to mix and match and switch up ingredients, this is a general outline and includes the basics and a variety of components but this meal is a great way to use up little bits of cheeses, olives, fruits and veggies that you have in the fridge.
- Prep ahead: If you want to be able to pull the components out and eat a minute or two later, prep your fruits and veggies, put out dips and olives in small bowls, cut up cheese and deli meats, and decide on what crackers/chips/extras you’re going to include.
More 15-Minute Recipes
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About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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