Build a Photo-Worthy Cheeseboard

A great cheeseboard can be the perfect centerpiece of your get-together. Not sure where to start? Overwhelmed by the possibilities? Just follow these steps and you’ll have a show-stopping platter prepared in no time!

Start With a Pretty Platter
Because it will eventually become visible as your guests enjoy the selection, start with a pretty canvas. Marble slabs, pretty cutting boards and slate tablets are all great options. A large platter will work well too!

Choose a Variety of Cheeses
Your guests will likely have a range of tastes in cheese and a variety looks prettier on the plate, too. Don’t get stuck on one type of cheese. Choose a combination of hard, soft, subtle and sharp cheeses. Spread them out on your platter so they have room to breath and you can add in the accompaniments.

Add Color
Try to mix in some interesting looking cheeses. Look for ones with brightly colored wax rinds or a blue cheese with nice veining.

How You Slice is Important
Remember that not all cheeses need to be sliced the same! Presenting the cheeses in a variety of cuts and sizes not only looks nice but makes it easier to eat as well. Harder cheeses can be cut into squares, triangles, cubes or any shape you can think of, get creative! Softer cheeses can be left whole for easier serving.

Create a Salami River
To break up the cheese, make a row of meats using things like salami, soppressata or prosciutto. Fold each slice of meat into fourths and lay them out in a curved pattern across your platter. If you’re going for a meatless platter, substitute a variety of dried fruits and vegetables.

Get Versatile With Veggies
Every good cheese plate needs crunchy accompaniments to balance out the richness of the cheese and meat. Dot the platter with small piles of pickled vegetables, olives, capers, dried fruit and nuts.

Don’t Forget the Dips
Dips not only add a nice creamy flavor to your board but gives the cheese something to stick to when making a cracker bite. Add small ramekins of various dips to your platter. Include some sweet, like preserves or honey, and some savory, like tapenade or mustard.

When In Doubt, Add More Meat
You can never have too much! Use at least 3 types of meat on your platter. Make sure it’s cut up so guests aren’t trying to slice it right on the platter. That will only end with salami on the floor!

Crunch Is Important
Every cheeseboard needs crackers. You can put a variety of crackers in a basket on the side of the platter. But scatter some crunchy nuts or some small breadsticks on the board itself for texture.

Go for a Garnish
No cheese board is complete without a garnish! Adding little bits of herbs, fresh fruit or even edible flowers, will give your board some color, and really make it pop.

Adapted from TheSpruce.com