This Vegetarian Charcuterie Board will be your newest obsession. Push aside the traditional meat and cheese platter and welcome this vegetarian option!
How to make a Vegetarian Charcuterie Board
So what exactly is a Charcuterie board? It is basically a meat and cheese tray, plain and simple. But let’s take this concept a little deeper. The word Charcuterie is actually a French word.
See below for the charcuterie pronunciation. It’s a tricky one! The word means smoked, dry-cured or cooked meats.
This Vegetarian Charcuterie Board can be used as a grazing appetizer option at a potluck or a small family gathering. It feeds 8-10 as an appetizer, but you can easily adjust the quantities UP or down to fit the crowd size! You can also use this Vegetarian Charcuterie Board as a veggie main for 2-4 people.
In general a meat charcuterie and even a Vegetarian Charcuterie Board can be costly. Whether you use organic items, conventional items or even items from your fridge and pantry, remember, it doesn't have to be crazy beautiful, it just needs to contain things you like!
These Vegetarian Charcuterie Boards really do not need an introduction as they are pretty popular right now. People are being creative and making the boards to fit the likes and needs of their diets!
People are creating Vegetarian Charcuterie and Vegan Charcuterie Boards! Anything goes, even a Football Charcuterie Board! Make the board work for your tastes and your needs!
Whether you are a meat eater, plant-based easter or vegetarian, you can create a beautiful inviting board that everyone can enjoy! For us, we need our board to be vegetarian and gluten free!
TIPS for Vegetarian Charcuterie
I know you are wondering when is she going to tell me…” how to make a cheese board”, right!? I am almost there, I promise! But the first step is to get your board or your platter.
Typically, you’ll create your masterpiece on a wood board. You can honestly use a cutting board, if you do not want to buy a special board. You can even use a cookie sheet to make your Vegetarian Charcuterie Board. Use what you have!
If you need to, just use a large plate. If you’re serving one or two, a charcuterie plate will be the perfect amount. I've seen some great ones at target and of course Amazon. You can buy anything these days on amazon! 🙂
Save on Prep Time
You can easily save on prep time by buying pre-cut and/or pre-packaged fruits and veggies. Things like peeling carrots and cutting them takes time!
Often, you can find pre-cut carrots and fruit at your local grocer! Time is important! To be honest, I typically buy pre-cut veggies when I am making my Vegetarian Charcuterie Board. Time is limited for this busy household, so I do what I can!
Ingredient for vegetarian charcuterie?
Normally a charcuterie board is an assortment of meats and cheeses. But for this vegetarian charcuterie board, we used an assortment of:
- fruit
- vegetables
- olives (and other accouterments)
- cheese (can be dairy or vegan)
- nuts
- crackers
- dips (can be dairy or vegan)
Fruits on a Vegetarian Charcuterie
Pick fruits that will easily and quickly cleanse the palate. Think fresh fruits and dried fruits.
I realize that sounds kinda fancy, but think about grapes. Grapes are juicy, they easily cleanse the palate and create a neutral taste in your mouth. These little round fruits are perfect!
Think about all the colors of the grapes, mix and match varieties when creating your board. The different colors of the grapes will help your fruit POP among the many foods on the platter!
I also choose some kiwi. Kiwi is such a delicious fruit, also with a sweet neutral flavor much like a grape. The kiwi bring some intense color to our board! Don’t you agree?
You can even use dehydrated fruit. This will add some texture to your board! Get creative!
Vegetables on a Vegetarian Charcuterie
When it comes to vegetables, you need to think about dippers. The veggies should be strong and not that bendable. You want the veggies to be able to dip into whatever is on the platter.
Whether it's hummus, a cheese ball or a spread of some sort. Think: cucumber slices, celery, bell peppers and carrots. All are sturdy and all have great color!
Olives and more on your Vegetarian Charcuterie
We are huge fans of olives at our home, so I included several varieties of those. We have a great olive bar selection at our local grocer. Olives and items from the grocery store olive bar can really add variety to your Vegetarian Charcuterie Board.
I picked up several types of olives, artichokes, mini pickles and some peppadews. Honestly, the options are endless!
Extras for your Vegetarian Charcuterie
There are so many items that you can include on your board. Here are a few items that would go well that I didn’t include! But I wanted to share, incase they are your favorites and you might want them on your board. Think: crackers, cheeses, meat substitutes and nuts. If you really want to take your vegetarian charcuterie board up a notch, add these oven roasted salted pecans!
Dips for your Vegetarian Charcuterie
I think it is important to have 2-3 dips available on your board. Whether it is a hummus, other dip like Thai Salad Dressing or cheese ball! We created a simple cheese ball recipe that we included on our board.
The dips, spread and cheese balls can actually be prepared ahead of time. Prep these things the day before to save time.
Making a vegan charcuterie? Use your favorite vegan cheese type items to make dips.
If you are looking for an easy, yet delicious recipe to add to your charcuterie board, this cheeseball is for you! Just keep scrolling!
I LOVE charcuterie boards because you are basically bringing together all the things you love and arranging it in a beautiful way on a platter! Think about flavors and texture as you are picking your items for the board.
Still needing inspiration for your charcuterie board? My sweet friend Chandice from This Vivacious Life has some ideas!
Can I make this a vegan charcuterie board?
You absolutely can. Just simply omit the cheese ball and other cheeses. But with abundant fruits, veggies, other vegan options - like olives and nuts - no one will miss the cheese or meat!
If your diet allows for vegetarian lunch meat slices (they usually contain gluten) but if you can eat them you could easily recreate this Meathead Charcuterie! It would be a hit at a Halloween party!
Question: Let's talk! Have you ever made a Vegetarian Charcuterie or even a Vegan Charcuterie? How about cheese balls? What additional ingredient would you add into this easy cheese ball recipe?
Oh that all looks SO good. I would need double the amount of olives though, as they wouldn't last a second haha.
Ha, I understand that! I am SO in love with olives!
I love all the texture and color your vegetarian charcuterie board brings to the table! It's beautiful!
Thank you so much! I love that color too! So inviting!
What a beautiful board! Just in time for labor day weekend. And love Crunchmaster
Thank you Suzy! Yes, we love Crunchmaster too and this IS perfect for Labor Day!
I can really appreciate this vegetarian charcuterie board even though I'm not personally vegetarian. I always find myself snacking on the fruit and veggies on platters in place of the traditional meats (the cheese is another story.) I'll be on the lookout for those crackers, they look addicting!
Thanks so much! Yes those crackers are addicting! I am a snacker so this is perfect for me!
Charcuterie Boards are my love language! It's so great to see some vegetarian inspiration. Will definitely follow your recommendations!
Thank you so much Krissy!
The charcuterie board looks delightful! I will definitely have to try this out. Thanks for the recipe!
p.s.- I'm not strictly vegetarian but hopefully for the people who are, they will know that Worcestershire sauce is not vegetarian since one of the main ingredients is anchovies.
You are so welcome! Yes, Worcestershire sauce is tricky. It is not vegetarian generally or gluten free. Luckily I have found a vegan gf one that I can use. Thankful there are vegetarian options but they are hard to find sometimes. Typically, you can find at a natural foods store 🙂 . Thanks Jayme!
We always enjoy your articles its inspired a lot by reading your articles day by day. So please accept my thanks and congrats for success of your latest series.