How to Build a Beautiful Fruit Charcuterie Board

Learn how to create an incredible fruit charcuterie board that’s perfect for entertaining! Learn a few top pairings for fruit, and my tips for creating a beautiful and irresistible charcuterie board quickly at home.

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A fruit charcuterie board is something that can be enjoyed year round. The kind of fruit Depending on the season,  My eyes are drawn to the stunning colors of Rainier cherries, ruby red strawberries and don’t even get me started on fresh figs! We all know that there’s nothing like a good charcuterie board at a dinner party, right? Well move over traditional cheese board, this dessert charcuterie board is the new way to sweeten your next party! It could also makes the perfect appetizer!

We recently had a small get-together for the 4th of July, so I decided that this was a perfect occasion to build the perfect fruit charcuterie board!

If you’re not familiar with the word, a charcuterie (pronounced shar-kood-eree) board is meat and cheese platter that typically include a variety of items that can be paired in so many different ways, all equally delicious! I love fruit charcuterie boards because they are crowd-pleasers, and are so stunning!  This board is different from the traditional charcuterie in that it’s primarily made up of fruits rather than meats and cheeses, but we still included some of those in there as well!

Tips to making a beautiful fruit charcuterie board

Choose a board

If you’re entertaining a crowd, large serving trays or a large board is the best option. I used a round platter from Crate and Barrel which is sold out, but you can find similar ones here, here and here. Another popular pick is this large wood cutting board. If you’re making a small fruit charcuterie board for date night, a small square or rectangular board is a great option. This also works if you have other appetizers you’re serving at a party, and a smaller charcuterie board.

What fruits to choose for charcuterie

Select a colorful variety of your favorite fruits! Pick an assortment of colors and flavors for your fruits. Fresh berries, tart cherries, juicy watermelon, sweet strawberries, and crisp granny smith apples are all great options. You can even include dried fruit! I did a fun watermelon “pizza” in the middle of my board for some extra fun. Super simple to make, and a fun way to enjoy fruit! Just slice one watermelon round like a pizza, and on each individual slice, place a little cool whip (you’ll have to use a scoop or spoon, spreading the cool whip on there is difficult). Top with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and pomegranate seeds to garnish. I threw on some feta for extra tang and garnished with mint for color and flavor. Fruits like apples, bananas, mandarins, pineapple and watermelon should be served at room temperature, so keep that in mind!

How to cut fruit for charcuterie

I like to have a variety of shapes on my board.  I used a star cutter to cut out my watermelon because this was for the Fourth of July, but any shape is fun! I created a skewer of watermelon balls, strawberries (I kept the green leaves on for appearance), blueberries and blackberries. Slice fruits like apples or pears thinly for fanning.

What’s the best way to arrange fruit on a charcuterie board

I always slice my apples and fan them out in sections.  This allows for a beautiful presentation and practicality (as it makes it easier for your guests to pick them up!) Be sure to cut and add these at the end, so try and lessen as much oxidation as you can. 

Adding fresh vegetables

Cold veggies are always a must on hot summer days.  They’re light and filling without making you feel like you’re going to float in the pool.  Some great ideas for veggies are sugar snap peas, mini cucumbers which I sliced into sticks rather than rounds,  some mini heirloom tomatoes for color variety, and finally I included some slices of bell peppers (sliced horizontally) and tossed those on top for some shape variety! I just love the curves of those veggies.

Dips to include on a charcuterie board

For this board, just a couple dips are needed, if any.  I included a beet hummus on here for the color (I mean, how stunning is that red?) but regular hummus is perfectly delicious. Place it in a small glass bowl and include it on the board. If you’d like to make the board just a little sweeter, you can include a yummy fruit dip like this cookie butter dip or some monster cookie dough dip in small bowls. It also depends on how much room you have left on your board! I tend to get a little carried away with the mains, so it doesn’t leave a lot of room left for multiple dips, but they’re not really needed on this beauty.

Choosing meats and cheeses

Yummy cured meats and a variety of cheeses are always the perfect compliment to fruits. They’re not the star of this board, but it doesn’t mean you have to leave them off completely! I chose some genoa salami and a good prosciutto, sliced thinly to compliment my fruits, and also included a smoked Gouda for a little for a little extra love. Choose a soft cheese like goat cheese and hard cheese like white cheddar that compliments the fruit on the board. Brie and blue cheese are always great choices, too.  

A great way to present meats on your fruit charcuterie board is lay them in a beautiful way. I pretended like the prosciutto was like a ribbon and bunched the slices up in a ruffle manner. Fill in the empty spaces on the board with the salami. Fold the rounds in in half, and then in half again, and placed the open ends facing up, keeping them in place with the wheel of gouda and cherries. I think it adds an extra stylish touch to the board.

Selecting Wine pairings

When appropriate, include alcohol to your fruit charcuterie board experience. There are so many different combinations of wine and fruits that work well together, so really any wine you choose will go well with this board.  Generally speaking, you want to pair bold-flavored meat and cheese with bold-flavored alcohol. A dry Prosecco always pairs well with strawberries, and my favorite  white wine, Sauvignon Blanc, pairs well with grapes and melons.  Really, the possibilities are endless!

Crackers & baguette slices: 

I didn’t include any crackers on my board, but if you have more cheese and meat than I do, feel free to include them! I love these water crackers.  They don’t have a lot of herbs or salt added so they won’t detract from all the other flavors here.

The finishing touches:

When putting all of these elements, you’ll want to alternate the meat, cheese and fruit. I started with placing my watermelon “pizza” in the middle. I like to frame my board with grapes, and place the rest around the middle. Don’t be afraid of overflow! I like a little spilling off the board. In this case, more is more. You want your board to be the star of the show, so the more dramatics, the better! As a finishing touch, garnishing with fresh herbs like sprigs of mint or edible flowers are always a good idea.

All in all, have fun with it! I can’t wait to see what you create!

If you love this post, be sure to check out how to host an epic s’mores party! 

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