This show stopping Fall Charcuterie Board will be the star of your parties and holidays! This fall appetizer is nearly effortless with just a little planning and the right ingredients, and it’s guaranteed to impress!

Fall charcuterie board with seasonal ingredients.

When I’m entertaining, I love creating beautiful, show stopping boards for my guests to gather around and graze. It’s such a fun way to eat isn’t it?

My crudités platter and chocolate dessert board are also great ways to feed a crowd, but this Fall Charcuterie Board is the ultimate!

This is your answer to fall entertaining whether you’re hosting a holiday, dinner party, game day celebration or movie night!

For a fun, festive Christmas appetizer, be sure to check out my Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board!

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Why you’ll love this recipe

  • A fall-themed charcuterie board is one of the easiest ways to entertain.
  • It’s a beautiful, show stopping way to feed any amount of people.
  • It’s extremely versatile and may be customized for any season, occasion, or dietary requirement.
  • It may be assembled in advance so you can relax and enjoy your party too!
Fall themed charcuterie board.

Charcuterie board tips

Follow these simple tips to create a show stopping charcuterie board for fall. Use your creativity and most of all, have some fun!

  • Choose your board(s). Use one large cheese board or group a few smaller ones together if you don’t have anything big enough. Anything goes!
  • Select a minimum of 3 cheeses. Choose a variety of soft (brie, goat, feta, fresh mozzarella, blue), hard (cheddar, parmeggiano-reggiano, pecorino), and aged (gruyere, manchego, gouda).
  • Choose a minimum of 2 cured meats. Proscuitto, salami and serrano ham are great options.
  • Include fresh, seasonal ingredients such as fruits, vegetables and herbs. Choose an array of colors and flavors that will pair well with the cheeses you’ve chosen.
  • Select crackers and bread in a variety of shapes, colors and textures. Water, whole grain, seeded and even grain free crackers, sliced baguette, crostini or breadsticks are great options.
  • Include a spread and/or honey or maple syrup. Fig jam, chutney, cranberry sauce, pesto and whole grain mustard work well with almost any meat and cheese selections.
  • Add sweet and savory accompaniments. These include dried fruits, nuts, cornichons, olives, roasted bell peppers or pickled vegetables.

Recipe ingredients

Charcuterie board ingredients include cured meats, cheese, crackers or bread, along with fresh or dried fruits, jam, olives, nuts and more.

I chose to do a fall-themed meat and cheese board that includes the ingredients listed below.

Fall charcuterie board ingredients.
  • Cheese. I used a combination of Brie, goat, gouda and manchego cheeses to ensure there was something for everyone.
  • Cured meats. Good quality salami and prosciutto are always crowd pleasers.
  • Fresh fall fruits. I opted for a mixture of grapes, figs, kumquats, pomegranate, apple and pears. Use any fall fruit(s) you like.
  • An assortment of crackers. As with all of the ingredients for a fall charcuterie board, variety is key.
  • Homemade fig jam. Can be made up to 3 weeks in advance.
  • Honey. If you want to go all out with the fall theme, purchase a fall honey from your local farmers market. It’s darker and richer in color than the spring / summer honeys typically sold at the grocery store.
  • Mixed nuts. Choose any seasoning you like.
  • Olives. Use any kind, or omit if you don’t like olives.
  • Cornichons. These tiny pickles are especially great for charcuterie boards.
  • Dried apricots. Any dried fruit may be used.
  • Fresh rosemary and sage. Fresh herbs are the perfect finishing touch!

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to make a charcuterie board

Assembling a fall meat and cheese board is extremely easy — with a bit of planning and following the simple instructions below.

Pro tip: A charcuterie board may be assembled a few hours in advance. Be sure to place the cheese out at room temperature for one hour prior to serving.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

  1. Place larger items on the board(s) first, such as the cheeses and items in bowls.
  2. Arrange the meats and crackers around the cheeses.
  3. Add fresh fruits and vegetables in remaining large spaces.
  4. Fill in remaining small spaces with your accompaniments.
  5. Decorate your board with fresh herbs, and adorn your cheeses with a drizzle of honey or fresh fruit if desired.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the difference between a cheese board vs charcuterie board?

Classic charcuterie boards are typically meat-focused with the addition of cheese and accompaniments, whereas cheese boards don’t necessarily contain any cured meats.

What can I use to make a charcuterie board if I don’t own a cheese board?

If you don’t own a cheese board, the good news is that you don’t need to run out and buy one. Use a large rimmed baking sheet, wooden cutting board or platter, or group a few smaller items together.

What cheeses should I put on a charcuterie board?

Use a variety of cheeses to create the perfect board. I suggest using a minimum of three, including an assortment of soft (brie, goat, feta, fresh mozzarella, blue), hard (cheddar, parmigiano-reggiano, pecorino), and aged (gruyere, manchego, gouda).

What are the best meats to use?

Cured meats such as prosciutto, salami, pepperoni and soppressata are all great options.

Can I make this in advance?

This fall cheese board may be assembled in advance. Leave the cheese out for one hour prior to serving as it is best at room temperature.

Recipe notes

  • Make-ahead tip: Cheese board may be assembled a few hours in advance. Be sure to place the cheese out at room temperature for one hour prior to serving.
  • I’ve provided specific suggestions for creating your own fall charcuterie board, but you can use any combination of meats, cheeses, and crackers you like.
  • When assembling any charcuterie board, remember to provide a few options for everything. That means more than one type of meat, cheese, fruit, and so on. That’s what makes charcuterie such a fun dining experience!
Fall charcuterie board with seasonal fruits, jam, and more.

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Cheese board filled with a variety of meats, cheeses, fruit and crackers

Fall Charcuterie Board

This Fall Charcuterie Board is a show stopping, effortless way to entertain! With just a bit of planning and the right ingredients, you'll have a fall appetizer that's guaranteed to impress!
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Ingredients

  • 6 ounces manchego cheese
  • 8 ounces gouda cheese smoked
  • 4 ounces brie cheese
  • 4 ounces goat cheese log
  • 3 ounces proscuitto
  • 8 ounces salami
  • 4.4 ounces water crackers
  • 4 ounces seeded crackers
  • 4 ounces almond flour crackers
  • 1 cup nuts
  • 5 ounces dried apricots
  • 1 cup olives
  • 1/2 cup cornichons
  • 8 ounces figs
  • 8 ounces grapes
  • 1 pomegranate arils
  • 1 apple
  • 1 pear
  • 1 cup kumquats sliced (or substitute with orange or persimmon)
  • 1/2 cup fig jam
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • fresh rosemary sprigs
  • fresh sage note that fresh sage is not edible — it is just for garnish!

Instructions 

  • Place the cheeses and any ingredients in bowls on a board (or group of boards).
  • Arrange the meats and crackers around the cheeses, followed by the fruit, dried apricots and accompaniments, filling in any gaps that you see.
  • Decorate the board with fresh rosemary sprigs and sage, serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Pro tip: Cheese board may be assembled a few hours in advance. Be sure to place the cheese out at room temperature for one hour prior to serving.
  • If using fruit that is prone to discoloration such as pears and apples, cut them and add them to the board a little while before serving.
  • The nutrition information is an estimate only and is based on the ingredients that I’ve included here.  This will change based on the ingredients and quantities that you include on your own board!
  • This is a versatile appetizer or snack that may be customized with your favorite ingredients and scaled to feed any number of people.
  • Don’t own a cheese board?  Use a rimmed baking sheet, serving tray, cutting board or whatever you have on hand.

Nutrition

Calories: 653kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 1331mg, Potassium: 583mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 895IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 364mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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