This Thanksgiving charcuterie board is an assembled snack platter of Genoa salami, deli turkey, sharp cheddar, grapes and two spreads, ready in 20 minutes. It feeds 8 as a starter, needs no cooking, and you can build it an hour ahead.
Why This Recipe Works
Salami roses and fanned turkey look like work, but each takes seconds. Folding and rolling the slices adds height, so the board looks full without piling on extra food. The rolls also pick up easily with one hand.
The two spreads do the real work. Apricot jam is sweet and bright, and cranberry sauce is tart. Next to salty salami and sharp cheddar, both make each bite taste balanced instead of heavy.
Space matters more than the amount of food. Put the bowls down first, then build around them in sections. Each item stays in its own spot, and the board never turns into one jumbled pile.
Thanksgiving charcuterie board Ingredients
Meats and cheeses
- 6 ounces sliced Genoa salami
- 6 ounces sliced deli turkey
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into cubes
- 6 ounces Swiss or white cheddar slices
Crackers
- 1 box round butter crackers
- 1 box wheat or multigrain crackers
Fruit and veggies
- 2 cups green grapes
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 6 mini sweet peppers (orange, yellow, red)
Nuts, olives and sweets
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup pitted olives
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate truffles or chocolate-covered candies
Spreads
- 1/4 cup apricot jam
- 1/4 cup cranberry sauce or cranberry jam
Decor (optional)
- 1 small pumpkin and 2 red apples, for the side of the board
How To Make Thanksgiving charcuterie board
Set up the board
- Set the bowls: Spoon the apricot jam and the cranberry sauce into two small bowls. Set them on the board first, spaced well apart, so you can build around them.
Shape the meats and cheeses
- Make salami roses: Fold each slice from the 6 ounces of salami in half, then roll it up into a small rose. Tuck the roses around the board, so the color shows in several places.
- Fold the turkey: Fold the 6 ounces of turkey slices into quarters. Fan them out in a loose pile, which keeps them easy to grab.
- Add the cheese: Put the cheddar cubes in one section of the board. Fan the 6 ounces of Swiss slices out in another, so the two cheeses stay separate.
Fill and finish
- Stack the crackers: Arrange both kinds of crackers in curved rows along the edges of the board. Curved rows frame the food and keep the crackers in easy reach.
- Fill the gaps: Add the grapes, blackberries and the 6 mini sweet peppers in small clusters. Tuck the walnuts and olives into the spaces that are left, so no bare board shows.
- Add the sweets: Place the chocolates in a few spots across the board. They add dark color against the fruit and cheese.
- Decorate and serve: Set the pumpkin and the apples beside the board if you like. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Serve at room temperature: Take the cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Cold cheese tastes flat, and it takes on more flavor once it warms up.
- Keep the wet items apart: Blackberries and jam can stain crackers and cheese. Keep them in their own corners, away from the crackers.
- Cut the cheddar cubes ahead: Cube the cheese a few hours early and keep it covered in the fridge. That makes assembly quick when guests arrive.
- Pick a board with a rim: A large board or platter with a low rim holds round grapes and nuts in place. Without one, they roll off when someone reaches across.
What To Serve With Thanksgiving charcuterie board
Put the board out with small plates and a few napkins before the main meal. A dry white wine or sparkling apple cider goes well with the sharp cheddar and the sweet jams.
How To Store
- Fridge: Cover the leftover meats and cheeses and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the crackers and fruit separately so the crackers stay crisp.
- Make ahead: Build the board up to 1 hour ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the crackers just before serving so they stay crisp.
FAQs
How far ahead can I make a Thanksgiving charcuterie board?
You can cube the cheese and wash the fruit a day ahead. Build the full board up to 1 hour before guests arrive. Keep it covered and add the crackers last.
Can I make this charcuterie board vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the salami and turkey, then add more cheese, nuts and fruit. A soft cheese such as brie or goat cheese works well beside the cheddar and Swiss.
How much food do I need per person?
For an appetizer, plan on about 3 to 4 ounces of meat and cheese per guest. This board feeds about 8 people before dinner. For a full meal, double the meat, cheese and crackers.
Why does my charcuterie board look messy?
Usually the food is mixed together instead of sorted into sections. Set the bowls first, then group the meats, cheeses and crackers separately. Use the fruit and nuts to fill small gaps.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 8), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 520 kcal
- Total Fat: 33g
- Total Carbohydrate: 38g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 20g
Thanksgiving charcuterie board
8
servings20
minutes1
minute21
minutesA no-cook Thanksgiving snack board with salami roses, fanned turkey, cheddar cubes, grapes and two fruit spreads. It serves 8 as a starter and takes 20 minutes to put together.
Ingredients
- Meats and cheeses
6 ounces sliced Genoa salami
6 ounces sliced deli turkey
8 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into cubes
6 ounces Swiss or white cheddar slices
- Crackers
1 box round butter crackers
1 box wheat or multigrain crackers
- Fruit and veggies
2 cups green grapes
1 cup fresh blackberries
6 mini sweet peppers (orange, yellow, red)
- Nuts, olives and sweets
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pitted olives
1/2 cup dark chocolate truffles or chocolate-covered candies
- Spreads
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup cranberry sauce or cranberry jam
- Decor (optional)
1 small pumpkin and 2 red apples, for the side of the board
Directions
- Set the bowls: Spoon the apricot jam and the cranberry sauce into two small bowls. Set them on the board first, spaced well apart, so you can build around them.
- Make salami roses: Fold each slice from the 6 ounces of salami in half, then roll it up into a small rose. Tuck the roses around the board, so the color shows in several places.
- Fold the turkey: Fold the 6 ounces of turkey slices into quarters. Fan them out in a loose pile, which keeps them easy to grab.
- Add the cheese: Put the cheddar cubes in one section of the board. Fan the 6 ounces of Swiss slices out in another, so the two cheeses stay separate.
- Stack the crackers: Arrange both kinds of crackers in curved rows along the edges of the board. Curved rows frame the food and keep the crackers in easy reach.
- Fill the gaps: Add the grapes, blackberries and the 6 mini sweet peppers in small clusters. Tuck the walnuts and olives into the spaces that are left, so no bare board shows.
- Add the sweets: Place the chocolates in a few spots across the board. They add dark color against the fruit and cheese.
- Decorate and serve: Set the pumpkin and the apples beside the board if you like. Serve at room temperature.
