There's something gratifying about having charcuterie for dinner. It's similar to the feeling of having breakfast for dinner or letting everyone fend for themselves: it's freeing, allowing the time normally spent cooking to be used however you see fit. It's a shake-up from normal routines and can turn a drab weeknight into something fun - and delicious! When the board is the whole meal, plan on about 4 ounces each of meat and cheese per person.
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I'm now in my 50s and enjoy a charcuterie board meal far more than I probably should, without kids or a traditional job standing in my way. It's a way of eating that I love-the snacking throughout the evening (usually with a glass of wine carefully paired with my cured meats), the discovery of new flavors, and the knowledge that I have the luxury of just a bit more time to relax.
But even when the kids and I were rushing to take them to or from another school activity or to get homework done, I occasionally opted for a simple platter of delicious, healthy foods to make those busy weeknights easier!
I've already shared how to make a charcuterie board, different prosciutto pairings, and some easy recipes for a board, like whipped honey or green olive tapenade. But when we're having charcuterie for dinner, I think it's important to add some less traditional ingredients to make sure it's still relatively healthy. Here are some of my favorites, and I know they'll become your favorites, too!
TIP: When you're having charcuterie for dinner, try adding more fresh vegetables and fruits to your board than you otherwise would. Shoot for two fruits or vegetables for each meat, cheese, or accoutrement. If you're new to this way of enjoying food, start with everything you need to know about charcuterie.
Meat
You already know about using traditional cured meat such as Italian dry salami, prosciutto, or Spanish chorizo, and I often include those popular cured meats on my main course boards. But for something different yet still easy, try a few of these ideas if you want to shake things up!
- Steak Bites: Leftover steak can be cubed and served with mustard aioli, horseradish sauce, or garlic butter for dipping.
- Steak and Horseradish Crostini: Leftover steak is perfect for an easy charcuterie dinner. Toast some crostini and add room-temperature steak slices. Add a dollop of horseradish sauce or whatever you fancy, then arrange these little bites on your board.
- Chicken Bites: The same idea as steak works for chicken! Serve with basil pesto, garlic aioli, or even a creamy raspberry chipotle sauce (raspberry jam, mayo, and adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles).
- Ham or Salami Cream Cheese Roll Ups: This is a vintage recipe that my mom made often (and still does occasionally today). Take a thin slice of ham, spread with softened cream cheese, roll it up, then cut into slices. It sounds odd, but trust me - it's delicious!
- Deli meat: Combine this with a cured meat or two, and everyone can make little "sandwiches."
- Chicken wings: Flavors like garlic-parmesan or lemon-pepper work especially well.
Cheese
The choices here are endless! Go with whatever you've got on hand (or enjoy a night in Paris with a French cheese plate), using sliced if you're going for a sandwich theme, or use a more traditional brie, blue, or goat cheese. Hard cheeses like parmesan work best for easy snacking. Here are some favorites (or check out our list of cheeses for a charcuterie board):
- Chipotle Gouda: I've been obsessed with this slightly spicy cheese from Boar's Head for years. It can be cubed for snacking or sliced for sandwiches, making it the best of both worlds.
- Gruyere: It's delicious on its own with a glass of wine, paired with cured meat, and tastes great on a sandwich.
- Aged cheddar: Cube it, slice it, or even cut out different shapes if you're going for a specific theme.
Bread and Crackers
Since we're making dinner, feel free to choose bread or crackers you might not use on a traditional board. I'm big on using ingredients that can be assembled into something resembling little sandwiches, even if that means meat + cheese + a cracker.
- Dinner rolls: After a holiday, I almost always have leftover dinner rolls, which are the perfect way to make little sandwiches!
- Breadsticks/Grissini: This is a great choice if you've got a spread or dipping sauce on your board. Try wrapping them with prosciutto and arranging them on the board, or just pop them in a tall glass to make more room for other favorites.
- Baguette: Slice the bread to make crostini or little two-bite sandwiches, similar to the Steak Crostini above.
Fresh Vegetables
For a hearty charcuterie board that's still a good choice for dinner, go heavy on the fresh vegetables. They're not only good for you but also have a crunchy texture to contrast the other ingredients. Their vivid colors will make your board pop, too!
- Sugar Snap Peas: These are my go-to since they're what I most often have in my refrigerator. They have such a nice crunch and can be dipped into just about anything.
- Red/orange/yellow bell peppers: Slice them up and use them for dipping! They're also surprisingly delicious on a little sandwich.
- Cherry tomatoes: Yes, these are technically a fruit, but they're so healthy they should be in this section. Serve them whole in a small bowl or thread them onto toothpicks or small skewers with Bocconcini (small balls of mozzarella) and fresh basil, like these charcuterie skewers.
- Fresh or Roasted Cauliflower Florets: Use fresh if that's what you've got, but leftover roasted cauliflower makes a great addition to a charcuterie dinner, especially when there's a dip on the board.
- Cucumber slices: These are great if you're watching your carb intake because they make a great cracker substitute.
Fresh or Dried Fruit
Adding fruit to your dinner board is not only delicious but also a healthier choice than some other options. It's also a good stand-in for dessert, which means you can skip that course altogether! Fruit is delicious paired with cheese and can also add a sweet note and crunchy texture to a sandwich.
- Cherries: When in season, cherries are one of our favorites. They are sweet and juicy and pair really well with cheese. Keep a cherry pitter and a small, empty bowl handy for the pits! See our list of red foods - including more red fruits - for more ideas.
- Sliced apples or pears: Confession time-I've made dinner from nothing more than a sliced apple and aged cheddar (it's one of my favorite flavor combinations). Pears and blue cheese are also pretty incredible! Both are delicious on a little sandwich with a slice of cured or deli meat.
- Orange segments: These are especially good for dessert, especially paired with a bit of chocolate.
- Fresh figs: Grab these whenever they're in season, but enjoy them quickly as they don't have a very long shelf life. Perfect with gorgonzola and brie.
- Fresh berries: Always a hit and so easy to snack on. Put these in small bowls or use them to fill in empty spaces.
Accoutrements
Anything else you can think of could go in this category. We have a list of the best accoutrements for a traditional charcuterie board, but here are a few of our favorites:
- Caperberries: If you haven't tried these, please go buy a jar immediately. I order them from Amazon but have seen them at a few local stores, too. They're incredibly addicting!
- Jam: Fig jam, raspberry jam, or whatever you've got on hand. Delicious on a cracker paired with cheese or as a sandwich spread.
- Nuts: Perfect for snacking and filling in empty spaces on the board.
- Pickles and olives: There are so many different flavors of pickles and olives available now, and I always have some on hand for an impromptu board!
Charcuterie For Dinner Themes
Another fun idea that deviates from the more traditional board is to serve a "regular" dinner on a board or platter. If your group is larger and you need more space, consider laying down parchment paper over a table or kitchen island and skipping the board altogether (these Trader Joe's boards come with exact shopping lists for every size crowd, including a grazing table for up to 20). Here are some ideas that make for a fun and easy themed meal:
- Taco or Nacho Night Board
- BBQ Board
- Breakfast or Brunch Board (these work great for dinner, too!)
- Keto Board
- Game Day Board
- Chicken Wings & Things Board
- Greek Mezze Board
- Butter Board (best with sandwiches)
- Chili Bar Board
I've personally made every one of the boards above for dinner over the years, but I've most often had charcuterie for dinner on a quiet night when it's just me! It's such a great way to kick back and enjoy an evening, whether alone or with your loved ones.
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