What Makes This Appetizer So Good
Charcuterie (pronounced shar-KOO-tuh-ree) boards are so easy to throw together, and they’re SO pretty. A keto charcuterie board can easily be the show-stopper on your snack table. I love how versatile they can be – just swap out the accents and decor and they’ll work for any season, any occasion, and any holiday.This specific grazing board is keto-friendly, sure, but it’s full of delicious ingredients that absolutely everyone will love, whether they follow a low-carb lifestyle or not. Who doesn’t love meat, cheese, fruit, and chocolate?!Yes, there’s some assembly required here, but you don’t actually have to do any cooking! You’re welcome to make your dips and sauces at home if you want, but you can also stick with store-bought options to make your life easier.A charcuterie board can fit any budget. It just depends on the components you choose!
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Board
Whatever you like! That’s the true beauty of a charcuterie board – it can be full of all your favorite snacks. A good rule of thumb is to work in categories. Your goal is to have a wide variety of colors, textures, and flavors.
My Must-Have Grazing Board Components
Dips & Sauces – Something creamy, something spicy, and something sweet are always good options! You want to choose flavors and textures that will compliment the meats, cheeses, and crackers. Jams, mustards, dips, spreads, salsa, and hummus would all work well on a charcuterie board. For the holidays, try a little cranberry relish.Cheeses – Unless you just REALLY love or REALLY hate a certain type of cheese, I recommend having 3 categories of cheeses. A hard, crumbly cheese (like parmesan or aged cheddar), a soft cheese (like brie or goat cheese), and a really soft, spreadable cheese.Meats – Charcuterie means cold cuts or deli, so your board won’t be complete without meats! That’s especially true with a keto charcuterie board. Prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, soppressata – any sort of cured meats will work. Vessels – Keto crackers, keto cheese chips, cucumber slices, celery stalks, carrot sticks, lettuce cups, radish coins, pickles, bacon chips. Anything with a little crisp and a little crunch to help you transport those sauces and other components from the tray to your mouth.Accents – I promise you, they might seem a little extra, but accents make a huge difference visually. Plus, they give you a great variety of textures that you don’t really get from the meats and cheeses. I like to use small fruits, nuts, and chocolate on my charcuterie boards.Decor – Again. Seems extra, but totally makes a difference. Like I mentioned before, a fun thing with charcuterie boards is that a simple change in decor can take a board from summer to winter in no time. For a Thanksgiving or Christmas charcuterie board, include sprigs of rosemary, sugared cranberries, figs, or toasted pecans for a festive touch.
Chef’s Tips
Don’t let the process frustrate or overwhelm you! Charcuterie boards are all about arranging and then rearranging things until you get the look you want.Start with the bowls, then fill in from there. If you start with your bowls (or ramekins, or cups) then you’ll be sure to have enough space on the board for them. I typically place the cheeses next, since they take up a large amount of real estate on the platter.Place your vessels, accents, and decor last. They’re mainly fillers – yup, even the vessels. The dips, cheeses, and meats are the real stars of a keto charcuterie board.Slice and cube the cheeses while they’re cold! Trust me, way easier to do this while they’re cold and fairly solid than when they’re room temperature and super soft.
More Party Foods & Apps You’ll Love
Cranberry SalsaAddictive Hot Crab Dip (Low Carb, Keto, Gluten Free)Blini for Caviar (and Other Toppings)The BEST Cranberry Brie Bites EVERBacon Wrapped Dates RecipeShrimp CocktailKeto Buffalo Chicken Dip
