This time of year is the best for many reasons, but mostly because it involves so many little gatherings with family and friends. If you’re hosting a party this year, consider making a big charcuterie board as your hero appetizer. It looks totally fancy but is so easy to put together. Everything included in this spread pictured is from Trader Joe’s. I also included a grocery list at the bottom of this post to make shopping easier for you.
Note that when it comes to putting the items on the board, I usually start with the cheese, then add in the meats and crackers, and then fill in with the smaller items, like fruits and nuts. Lastly, add some fresh garnishes like rosemary to make it more festive. I’m not one to spend time making my meats into roses or anything like that (I just throw them on there!) but here is a tutorial if you want to go all out.
The Cheeses
If you saw my fall charcuterie board, you know that I like to keep my cheese to the well-loved varieties like smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, and brie. For this holiday charcuterie board, I switched out the brie for this cranberry chevre cheese which is a soft goat cheese coated in a chunky cranberry spread. It’s so yummy to slice up on crackers.
The Meats
I love that Trader Joe’s sells these variety packs of deli meats that are perfect for a charcuterie board. This exact one has salami, prosciutto, and a spicy chorizo. I also picked up this pack of sopressata which is usually near the deli meats, but not refrigerated. It’s kind of like summer sausage.
Nuts
This is the part of the charcuterie board where you can get really creative. You can even make your own candied walnuts or pecans, but we’re going for easy here. My sister introduced me to these mesquite almonds, and they are delicious!
The Fruit
When selecting fruit for your board, I suggest going seasonal or incorporating the colors of the season. I went with green grapes, red pomegranate seeds, and dried figs. You can also use pears and apples or even cranberries.
The Crackers
The Trader Joe’s Cracker Assortment is perfect for a charcuterie board. It includes four different crackers to add variety to your spread. You can also add a sliced baguette which is what I did for my fall board, but I would recommend adding a spread or jelly as well.
The Treats
No charcuterie board would be complete without some fun treats, and Trader Joe’s is perfect for this. I went with their Mini Dark Chocolate Stars, Chocolate Covered JoJos Multi-Flavor Sandwich Cookies, and Mini Peppermint Meringues, but they are SO many options to choose from. Get what looks good to you!
The Extras
The last items I included in this board were some garlic stuffed green olives and some fresh rosemary for garnish.
Grocery List
Unexpected Cheddar Cheese
Dutch Gouda Cheese
Cranberry Chevre
Spanish Brand Deli Selection
Volpi Sopressata
Candied Pecans
Mesquite Almonds
Green Grapes
Pomegranate Seeds
Dried Figs
Organic Cracker Assortment
Dark Chocolate Stars
Chocolate Covered JoJos
Mini Peppermint Meringnues
Fresh Rosemary
Colossal Olives Hand Stuffed With Garlic Cloves
If you’re heading to or hosting a holiday party this season, make this easy charcuterie board and impress all the guests! For more seasonal recipes, including some appetizer ideas and even some cocktails, check out this post with festive holiday recipes.
