Holidays & Occasions Easter Easter Recipes Easter Charcuterie Board Be the first to rate & review! Every Easter gathering needs a pretty charcuterie board. By Ann Taylor Pittman Ann Taylor Pittman For 20 years, Ann Taylor Pittman built a career of creating healthy recipes at Cooking Light magazine, where she most recently served as Executive Editor. She is the recipient of two James Beard Foundation Awards: a feature writing award and a cookbook award. She is now a freelancer specializing in recipe development, writing, and video. Follow her on Instagram. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 31, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 8 Celebrate in style with a colorful Easter charcuterie board themed for the day. The centerpiece of this festive charcuterie board is the easiest cheese ball ever—shredded cheese and smoked paprika combined with garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese. The cheese ball tastes like creamy Cheddar ranch, and it's shaped into a carrot—because, it's Easter, and it's cute. Other holiday tie-ins come in the form of spring vegetables (baby carrots, asparagus, and artichoke hearts) and gemstone-hued deviled eggs. Marcona almonds and cornichons add a crunchy contrast, with green grapes for a sweet touch. Learn how to make an Easter charcuterie board. Follow this recipe for a great mix of savory, meaty, and fruity, or add a few of your own favorite charcuterie board picks for a customized result. Ingredients for Easter Charcuterie Board With a carrot-shaped cheese ball and assortment of crunchy, creamy, tangy, savory, and sweet accompaniments, this charcuterie board has something for everyone. To make an Easter charcuterie board, you'll need: Garlic and herb soft spreadable cheese: The base of a creamy, carrot-shaped cheese ball for a festive Easter touch. Smoked paprika: Gives the cheese ball a subtle orange color and hint of spice. Sharp Cheddar cheese: Adds a sharp cheesy flavor and texture to the cheese ball. Parsley sprigs: Tops the carrot-shaped ball to resemble carrot greens. Can substitute with other greens or herbs as preferred. Marcona almonds: Adds a nutty crunch. Smoked almonds would work nicely if you can't find Marcona. Cornichons and marinated artichoke hearts: Adds a tangy, zingy flavor to the board. Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs: The bright fuchsia color of the beet pickled eggs adds a vibrant color to the board. Cured meat assortment: Such as salami, prosciutto, and capocollo, for a meaty flavor. Baby carrots and fresh asparagus: These can be served raw or blanched for a fresh and crisp addition. Seedless green grapes: A sweet option to balance the savory flavors. Crackers: For scooping up the cheese ball. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox How To Make Easter Charcuterie Board The beauty of a charcuterie board is there's no right way to assemble one. Whether you pile your components on or place them delicately in rows, it will always be an inviting appetizer. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started: Step 1. Create carrot-shaped cheese ball: Mix to combine spreadable cheese and paprika. Stir in Cheddar and knead lightly. Turn onto a serving board and shape into a carrot. Arrange parsley on top to resemble carrot greens.Step 2. Arrange board: Decoratively surround carrot with bowls of almonds, cornichons, and artichoke hearts, as well as deviled eggs, meats, baby carrots, grapes, asparagus, and crackers. Our Tips for the Best Easter Charcuterie Board The best way to ensure your charcuterie board will be a success is to offer a good variety of items, giving each guest something to enjoy. This should include a variety of cheeses and meats, and accompaniments that range from sweet to savory, creamy to crisp, and fresh to pickled. You can even add in festive touches by including other Easter-themed bites on the board or alongside. Offer spreads and dips alongside for more options to dip crackers and chips into. Choose a large, sturdy platter or cutting board for displaying your charcuterie board, and offer napkins, utensils, cheese knives, or cocktail picks so that guests won't have to be shy about serving themselves. Easter Charcuterie Board Variations To change up this Easter charcuterie board, consider these variation ideas: Cheeses: Offer a variety of cheeses, including hard, creamy, smoky, and unique options for guests to try. Crunch: Pile on other types of nuts, pickles, and spring veggies for extra crunch. Fresh berries: Dot fresh berries around the board for a sweet and colorful springtime addition. Jams: Offer jams for spreading on the crackers for a sweet and fruity contrast. Easter-themed bites: Add to the board with other Easter-themed bites, including strawberry crostini or chicks in a blanket. Spreads or dips: Offer other spreads and dips alongside to add more variety to the table. Fresh herbs: Garnish with fresh herbs or edible flowers for a pop of spring. Sweets: For any kids running by, sometimes dotting in a few strategically-placed Easter treats can be a good way to keep them satisfied. Easter Candy Charcuterie Board Can I Make An Easter Charcuterie Board Ahead? If you're looking to take one item off your to-do list, you can prepare parts of this charcuterie board in advance: Prepare the cheese ball, wrap, and refrigerate for up to two days. (Wait to top with parsley until serving for the freshest presentation.) You can also prepare the deviled eggs ahead. Cook the eggs and prepare the filling up to two days ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers. On the day of your event, assemble and chill the deviled eggs until ready to serve.Place the remaining ingredients for your charcuterie board into small bowls so you're ready to place them onto the board just before serving.Steam the asparagus up to 24 hours ahead, storing in the refrigerator until ready to serve. What To Serve With An Easter Charcuterie Board Having a charcuterie board out and ready when guests arrive is a surefire way of starting your party off on the right foot. To give your guests even more to snack on, offer a variety of spreads and dips, fresh fruit, nuts, and small bites alongside, as well as some bite-sized Easter sweets for a festive touch. With wine, beer, and Easter-themed beverages at the ready, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic, your holiday celebration will be off to a great start. More Festive Easter Appetizer Recipes You'll Love Delight your guests with an array of sweet and savory Easter appetizers, perfect for ushering in the spirit of the season: Cheese Dreams Baked Brie in Puff Pastry Cucumber-and-Onion Dip Spicy Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini Asparagus Ribbon Crostini Crudités Platter Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse. Ingredients 1 (5.2-oz.) pkg. garlic and herb soft spreadable cheese (such as Boursin), softened 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika 4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese Parsley sprigs 1 cup Marcona almonds 1/2 cup cornichons 1 (12-oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts 8 Beet Pickled Deviled Egg halves 6 oz. cured meat assortment (such as salami, prosciutto, and capocollo) 6 baby carrots, halved 1 small bunch seedless green grapes 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and steamed Crackers Directions Make cheese ball: Combine spreadable cheese and smoked paprika in a medium bowl; stir until well combined. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Stir in Cheddar until fully incorporated. Knead cheese mixture in bowl to bring it together. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Turn cheese mixture out onto the middle of a half sheet pan or serving board; shape lengthwise into a carrot shape. Arrange parsley sprigs on top to resemble carrot greens. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Fill in board with remaining ingredients: Place almonds, cornichons, and artichoke hearts in separate bowls. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Arrange cornichons, artichoke hearts, Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs, cured meats, baby carrots, grapes, asparagus, and crackers on board around the carrot cheese ball. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Frequently Asked Questions What is the 3-3-3-3 rule for charcuterie boards? It's said that every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starchy options, and three other accompaniments (like veggies, nuts, or fruits), for the most well-rounded and visually pleasing board. Can I make a larger version of this Easter charcuterie board? If you're hosting a large gathering, amp up this board by offering more variety, or just by doubling or tripling the quantity of the components. If you have a larger board, use it, or opt to refill the board as needed. (You can also keep a second one ready to go in the kitchen). What serving utensils do I need for a charcuterie board? Guests should be able to serve themselves, so offer small knives or spreaders for the cheese ball, small forks or spoons for serving the nuts, artichoke hearts, and pickles, and even small tongs for grabbing the remaining items. Rate It Print Additional reporting by Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse Follow us Katie Rosenhouse is a pastry chef and food writer with over 15 years of experience in the culinary arts. She's worked as a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, as a culinary instructor, and as a recipe developer. learn more