Easy Valentine Charcuterie Board (2024)

One of my absolute favorite quick meals or snacks is a grazing tray or charcuterie board, They come together quickly and there's always something for everyone. It solves the “picky-eater” problems! I also enjoy having fun playing with the layouts, themes, and ingredients and sprucing them up for special occasions. Today, I'm sharing an Easy Valentine Charcuterie Board that you can pull together in just a few minutes, possibly with ingredients you already have on hand! A couple of simple embellishments are all it takes to make this loveable appetizer or quick meal! Are you looking for more Valentine's recipes? Find even more Valentine's day recipes here.

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How to Make a Charcuterie Board for Valentine's Day

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.

For my board, I used a mini heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cute pieces of Pepper-Jack and Colby-Jack cheeses.

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What size board do I need for Valentine's Day?

If you are serving two people, and you intend for your charcuterie board to act as the meal, I recommend a 10″ long board. You could think of this in terms of a board that is approximately the size of a dinner plate. One big plate that is loaded with goodies is generally enough to fill up two adults.

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What kind of board base should I use for my Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board?

The sky's the limit! You can use:

  • a wooden board,
  • a marble board,
  • a tray,
  • a large dinner plate, or
  • a small platter like I have used here.

Just make sure your tray is proportional to the number of people you will be serving (see my note above about sizes).

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4 Tips for a Valentine Charcuterie Board

  1. Create a focal point for your board – on this board I used a wheel of Brie cheese topped with berries as the center and built out from there.
  2. Use a mix of colors and shapes – here I included heart shapes from the cookies and cheese, then some longer shapes from sugar snap peas and pieces of ham. This makes it much more visually appealing and remember, we eat first with our eyes.
  3. Add some themed accents. Here I've used some “X” and “O” pretzels, plus some heart shapes, pink pretzels, and red fruits.
  4. A salami rose adds a touch of “wow” factor that will impress your guests but is actually quite easy to make.
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What Supplies do I need to make a Charcuterie Board?

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Typically a Charcuterie board will include a variety of meats, cheeses, and veggies. If you want to make a “complete” board you can also include a sweet too. Here's what I've included on my Valentine Charcuterie board:

  • Salami
  • Country Ham
  • Colby-Jack cheese
  • Pepper-Jack cheese
  • Brie cheese with honey
  • Sugar snap peas
  • “X” & “O” pretzels
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blueberries
  • Shortbread cookies
  • Strawberry White Chocolate covered pretzels
  • Strawberry Marshmallows
  • Valentine M&Ms

More Valentine entertaining recipes and inspiration

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Easy Valentine Charcuterie Board (8)
Easy Valentine Charcuterie Board (9)
Easy Valentine Charcuterie Board (10)

More Valentine Charcuterie boards you'll love:

I hope you enjoy this Easy Valentine Charcuterie Board! Do you have any favorite additions or questions? Please share in the comments below.

Easy Valentine Charcuterie Board (2024)

FAQs

What to put on a Valentine's Day charcuterie board? ›

You can use an assortment of heart-shaped treats, cookies, and chocolate truffles. If you'd prefer a candy board, use themed candy like conversation hearts and chocolate hearts (or scatter some around your other items). Make a healthier alternative to a candy board with cheeses, fresh fruit, and chocolate dip.

What is the 3-3-3 rule for charcuterie board? ›

Creating Interest with the 3-3-3-3 Rule

Choose three cheeses, three meats, three starches, and three accompaniments for a perfect and balanced board, every time!

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.
Jan 15, 2023

How to make a cheap charcuterie board for beginners? ›

How to Set Up a Simple Charcuterie Board for Beginners
  1. Choose your board. ...
  2. Fill small bowls. ...
  3. Place bowls & large items to create structure. ...
  4. Add meats, cheeses, & crackers. ...
  5. Fill in the board with snacks. ...
  6. Garnish with black pepper & fresh herbs to give your basic charcuterie board some pizzazz!
Jun 30, 2023

How to make a heart charcuterie board? ›

Steps
  1. Cut a piece of high quality wood to desired size. ...
  2. Trace a heart shape onto a cutting board.
  3. Use a drill bit with a diameter around the size of a jigsaw blade to drill a hole in one of the corners of the heart.
  4. Use a jigsaw to cut the rounded edges on the board and cut out the heart shape.

What are two main charcuterie items? ›

The term “charcuterie” refers to the preparing of cured meats, like prosciutto, bacon, salami, etc., but these days when people say charcuterie, they are usually referring to a fun, meat and cheese board that typically includes cured meats, a variety of cheeses, crackers, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and dipping sauces ...

Is it cheaper to make a charcuterie board or buy one? ›

It's surprisingly easy to assemble your own board with grocery store ingredients that cost less than you might think. In fact, you can make a tray full of cured meats, cheese and complementary snacking accompaniments for less than $35.

What is the cheapest food for charcuterie? ›

Recreate My Charcuterie Board for Under $40
Honey roasted almonds$3.99
Asiago cheese wedge$3.99
Smoked gouda$6.99
Prosciutto$4.99
Salami$3.99
4 more rows

What to buy for a DIY charcuterie board? ›

But as these communal boards have gotten more popular for entertaining at home, the definition has expanded to include abundant displays of meats, cheeses, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, toasted nuts and briny olives, plus honeys, jams, jellies, chutneys, mustards and more!

What do you put in a charcuterie board gift? ›

Q: What can I give with a charcuterie board as a gift? A: Consider adding items such as specialty cheese, cured meats, nuts, fruits and spreads, when giving a charcuterie board as a gift. Beer and wine can also compliment your gift basket.

How to make cute charcuterie? ›

There are different ways to place the charcuterie: You can shape slices into a rose-like shape, by rolling them like a cinnamon roll. Little clumps and swirls of cured hams are easy and fun. Salamis can be rolled or folded on themselves so they stand up. The most important thing is to make them easy to grab.

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