These are the Best Cheeses for Your Charcuterie Board (2024)

The best cheeses for your charcuterie board

Every charcuterie board wants to be the life of the party. It wants to be the magnet that draws people together and the thing that, weeks later, guests can't stop talking about: "Remember that incredible charcuterie board…?"

You can help a charcuterie board achieve its dream by simply choosing great cheese. Cheese, after all, is the star of every charcuterie board, the thing that unlocks the door to a world of extraordinary flavor. When you choose the best cheeses for your charcuterie board, you'll give your guests an amazing taste and texture experience – and help your charcuterie board live its best life.

Here in Wisconsin, it's easy to choose the best cheeses for a charcuterie board because Wisconsin cheesemakers simply make the tastiest, highest-quality cheese in the universe. We'd like to introduce you to a few of these beauties – just take a spin through our website. Or read on for our recommendations for the best cheeses to help charcuterie boards everywhere reach for the stars.

Here are the best cheeses for your charcuterie board

An amazing charcuterie board offers guests a wide range of tastes and texture combinations. For cheese, that means choosing 4 to 6 varieties that offer a nice variety for the palate.

Here's some of the best cheese for charcuterie boards:

  • Hard cheese: chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, asiago
  • Firm cheese: gruyere, comte, manchego, colby, cheddar
  • Semi-soft cheese: havarti, butterkäse, muenster
  • Soft cheese: burrata, mascarpone, stracchino
  • Blue cheese: gorgonzola, dunbarton blue, marbled blue jack
  • Crumbly cheese: feta, goat cheese

For quantities, you'll want to buy about 2 ounces of cheese per person, or 5 ounces per person if the charcuterie cheese board is meant to be the entire meal. Be sure to use knives for each cheese that must be cut to avoid mingling the flavors. And because the flavors of cheese are best appreciated at room temperature, take the cheese from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

FAQs: What are the best cheeses for a charcuterie board?

What are the best cheeses for a charcuterie board?

There are no requirements for a meat and cheese board – that's part of the fun and the art of creating a beautiful charcuterie arrangement. When it comes to selecting the best cheeses for your charcuterie board, pick cheeses that you love and that offer a range of flavors and textures. Typically this will include soft and semi-soft cheeses as well as semi-firm and hard cheeses, along with a sample of blue cheese and perhaps some specialty cheeses like herbed havarti or smoked gouda.

What's the best way to arrange a cheese and charcuterie board?

To create a visually appealing spread, start with an item in the middle that has some height. For example, you might fill a large wineglass with grapes or a ceramic bowl with breadsticks. Next, add your cheeses and small dishes of spreads, vegetables, and nuts to the board, spreading them out evenly around the centerpiece. Place the charcuterie meat in slices, loose bunches, or layers in and around the cheese. Then fill in all the empty spaces with small snacks like almonds, sliced fruit, pickles, crackers, and bread.

It's no surprise: Wisconsin cheese is best for charcuterie boards

Everybody knows Wisconsin makes cheese. But most folks are surprised to learn just how good Wisconsin cheese can be. For example, did you know that we've won more awards for our cheese than any other state or country in the world? Or that we produce more than 600 varieties and styles of cheese – more than any other place on the planet? Nearly half the nation's specialty artisan cheese is made right here in Wisconsin, and we're home to one of only two master cheesemaker programs in the world.

So, next time you're shopping for the best cheeses for charcuterie boards or cheese trays, do yourself a favor and make sure you're bringing home Wisconsin cheese. Then be sure to enjoy the look of surprise and amazement every time a guest takes a bite of one of Wisconsin's finest.

Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?

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These are the Best Cheeses for Your Charcuterie Board (2024)

FAQs

These are the Best Cheeses for Your Charcuterie Board? ›

No matter the style of the wood charcuterie board, you can always follow the 3-3-3-3 rule. Every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starch options, and three accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, or veggies.

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

No matter the style of the wood charcuterie board, you can always follow the 3-3-3-3 rule. Every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starch options, and three accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, or veggies.

What are the healthiest cheeses for a cheese board? ›

Healthy Cheese Board
  • Semi-soft cheese Swiss cheese and Mozzarella are lower in fat and salt than many other cheeses. ...
  • Soft cheese Ricotta cheese is creamy and yet relatively low in fat and high in protein. ...
  • Hard cheese Cheddar cheese is high in protein and calcium, and also in Vitamin K.

What cheese to use on a board? ›

Opt for decent-sized wedges of cut hard or blue cheeses, which look appealing and inviting. Choose whole wheels of smaller soft or semi-soft cheese. Soft young goat's cheeses can be served in a decent-sized chunk cut from a large log or as a whole small log.

What are the best 3 cheeses for a charcuterie board? ›

Here's some of the best cheese for charcuterie boards: Hard cheese: chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, asiago. Firm cheese: gruyere, comte, manchego, colby, cheddar. Semi-soft cheese: havarti, butterkäse, muenster.

How many cheeses should you have on a charcuterie board? ›

Cheese is usually sliced much thicker than meat, both by the store and by your guests, so you'll need a little more than the meat. So pick one cheese from each category, but don't sweat if you want fewer than four cheeses. Even if you only choose two, that just leaves more room for bread, grapes and other extras.

What is the secret to a great charcuterie board? ›

After all that meat and cheese, you're going to need something to balance those rich flavors. Cairo suggests accenting the board with acidic pickles, crunchy nuts, whole grain mustard (Maille is his favorite brand), tinned fish, and something sweet like quince jam or a drizzle of honey.

How unhealthy are charcuterie boards? ›

Any classic charcuterie board recipe is typically filled with a plethora of delicious but highly processed meats and cheeses that can run on the unhealthy side. For instance, cured meats and sausage-style meats include additives for preservation, which increase the risk of disease.

What does not go on a charcuterie board? ›

What should you not put on a charcuterie board? You'll want to avoid overly juicy fruits whose juices will run across the board and turn your crackers and bread soggy. Skip fruits like watermelon, pineapple, and tomatoes and stick with grapes, berries, and apples or dried fruits.

What fruit do you put on a charcuterie board? ›

Some of our favorites include:
  1. Blackberries.
  2. Blueberries.
  3. Cantaloupe.
  4. Cherries.
  5. Grapes.
  6. Nectarines and Peaches.
  7. Watermelon.
  8. Raspberries.

What is the best grocery store cheese for a cheese board? ›

Aim for an aged cheese or two, like Cheddar. An alpine cheese like Gruyere, Comté, or extra-aged Goudas work well on the plate as well. You'll also want a soft cheese, like Brie or triple-cream cheeses. If you're into funky flavors, go for a European blue, such as Roquefort.

What are 5 tips to making a charcuterie board easy? ›

Here's an easy, step-by-step guide.
  1. Choose your board, platter, or plate.
  2. Lay out your soft and moist ingredients first.
  3. Place your dips and spreads around the board.
  4. Lay out your dry ingredients, like meats, nuts, and hard cheeses.
  5. Top with your choice of garnishings.

Are there rules for charcuterie boards? ›

Depending on the size of your board, you should have one each of cow, sheep, and goat options with soft rind, firm, and hard cheeses in the mix. Flavors should range between nutty and mild to funky and unique. Rule of thumb: 1 cow, 1 sheep, 1 goat; 1 soft, 1 firm, 1 hard.

What are the three starches for charcuterie? ›

3 Starches: we like Taralli (a traditional Italian cracker almost like a small, circular breadstick), Artisan Crisps by Rustic Bakery, and baguettes from Gilles Baguettes.

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