Easy Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board
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My Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board recipe is a fun addition to your turkey day festivities. Serve it as an appetizer spread or at a Friendsgiving get-together. It’s also a great way to use up holiday leftovers!
It’s no secret that the charcuterie trend is quickly becoming my party go-to. I love to create them because they are super fun to make, easy to construct, and look festive and fancy.
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
One of the reasons I love the idea of charcuterie is that every board is unique. While you can follow my recipe, feel free to change it up by substituting with ingredients you prefer or with what you have on hand.
Even though charcuterie technically means meat, I have taken it a step further by creating dessert and breakfast boards. I just can’t help myself! Be sure to see what I did with the Fourth of July Charcuterie Dessert Board, Halloween Charcuterie Board and this easy Breakfast Charcuterie Board.
Don’t forget you can use these ideas for inspiration and adapt it into a board you can use for any holiday or occasion.
Ingredients to Make a Charcuterie Board for Thanksgiving
- Turkey – you can use slices of carved turkey or deli-style slices. Plan on 2-3 ounces per person.
- Brie cheese – use a plain wheel or go a little fancier with this Baked Brie with Cranberries and Walnuts recipe.
- Cheeses – use an assortment of your favorites. You will need 2-3 ounces per person, just like the turkey.
- Crackers – I like to use 2-3 different kinds.
- French bread loaf – slice it thinly.
- Grapes – red and green look great and add fun pops of color.
- Apple slices – I like to use a hearty variety like Braeburn or Honeycrisp.
- Cranberry scones or crackers
- Granola – this air fryer granola is the best!
- Dried cranberries
- Walnut or pecan halves
- Dipping sauces: caramel, pumpkin spice, or maple syrup
- Spreads: mustard, mayo, honey mustard, raspberry jam
- Fresh thyme or rosemary, for garnish
Helpful Gadgets to Create Charcuterie Boards
Charcuterie board or platter – select a board with a raised edge if you need to move the board around. Otherwise any flat board will work fine.
Mini bowls – for sauces, condiments, nuts and other small items.
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Construct a Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board
Use the Cranberry Walnut Brie or a plain wheel of cheese as the starting point on your board. If your board is small or round, place the Brie in the center. For larger boards, you can place it off to one of the sides.
Then place small bowls for the dips, spreads, nuts, and granola. You can use the same or different-sized bowls. Fill the bowls up with the goodies.
Next add the largest ingredients, which will probably be your meat and cheese slices. Work your way down to fill in the board with the smallest items like the grapes and crackers.
If you realize that your board is too small for all of your ingredients, continuing building the board. Then place small plates and bowls around the outside edge to add the remaining ingredients.
MORE EASY
Charcuterie Board Ideas
Tips for Making Charcuterie Boards
- Place the crackers and bread away from any wet ingredients, such as fruit, so they don’t get soggy.
- Use the cheeses and nuts as dividers and fillers so the board looks abundant.
- Make ahead: slice meats & cheeses the day before and store them separately in the refrigerator until you’re ready to build the board.
- You can easily scale the ingredients based on the number of guests.
- This easy board can also be served as a light lunch or easy dinner.
Your ultimate guide to a hassle-free, enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner.
Recipe Variations
- Add a bowl of marshmallow fruit dip – it’s delicious with apples.
- Feel free to substitute ingredients based on your preferences or what you have on hand.
- These easy Salami Roses and Bacon Roses are a fun addition to your charcuterie boards.
More Thanksgiving Recipes & Resources:
- 14 Tips for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving Dinner
- 40 Mouth-Watering Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes the Whole Family Will Love
- 42 Delicious, Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes You’ve Got to Try
- 24 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers
- How to Host Thanksgiving on a Budget
- Thanksgiving Dinner Serving Sizes – be sure to grab the free printable!
This recipe was featured at Sundays on Silverado, Love Your Creativity and Senior Salon Pit Stop.
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Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 16 ounces turkey slices, carved or deli-style, 2-3 ounces per person
- brie wheel
- 16 ounces sliced cheese assortment, 1-2 ounces per person
- 32 crackers
- 1 French bread loaf, sliced thinly
- 2 cups grapes
- 1 cup apple slices
- 8 cranberry scones or crackers
- 1 cup granola
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
- Dipping sauces: caramel, pumpkin spice or maple syrup
- Spreads: mustard, mayo, honey mustard, raspberry jam
- Fresh thyme or rosemary, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the Cranberry Walnut Brie or Brie wheel on your board as an anchor. If you’re using a small or round board, place the cheese wheel in the center of the board and build around it. If using a larger board, place the brie wheel off-center.
- Add small bowls to hold the dipping sauces, spreads, syrups, granola, and nuts and fill as desired.
- Begin building your board by adding the largest items (meat & cheeses) first, then working your way down to the smallest items (bread, crackers, fruits, and nuts). Remember to keep bread and crackers away from things that are naturally wet (like fruit).
Notes
- Fancy up the board and make my Baked Brie with Cranberries in place of the plain brie.
- Use nuts and cheeses as dividers to keep the board looking plentiful.
- If your board is too small to hold everything, create smaller plates around the board to hold bread and cheese.
- Make ahead tip: slice the meat and cheeses the day before and store separately in the refrigerator until you’re ready to build the board.
- You can use leftover carved turkey or deli slices.
- Ingredients can be easily scaled based on the number of guests.
- Make substitutions based on your preferences or ingredients you have on hand.
- Nutritional information does not include sauces and dips.
- Nutritional information will vary based on the ingredients you use.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
This sounds fantastic! I love the combinations.
Thank you so much for sharing with Sweet Tea & Friends this month.
Thanks for stopping by, Paula!
Such a darling charcuterie for Thanksgiving. I am pleased to feature it at Love Your Creativity.
Thank you for featuring my recipe, Linda.
That sounds so yummy and perfect for a crowd.
It is, Joanne!
This is such a lovely idea. Thanks so much for sharing it to this week’s SSPS. I hope to see you again next week, as I will be featuring your post.
Thank you featuring my recipe, Estelle!