Think back to the popular bruschetta bar, where you set everything out on the counter, and everyone made their own combination of bruschetta on toasts. Today, we’re serving up a classy tray with your favorite bruschetta toppings (feta, olives, artichokes, tomatoes, bruschetta, salami, crackers) on a transportable tray! How delicious is this?

What is bruschetta?

Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer that has been around for years! It’s made with grilled or toasted bread, rubbed with garlic, and topped with olive oil, salt and pepper.

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I love an easy charcuterie board, and the fact that you don’t always have to make it epic. If you’re cooking for 2-4, then how about an empty nester charcuterie board? This cheese board is fun to make and serve for another “empty nester” couple, neighbors, or friends.

Empty Nester Charcuterie Board

I think more people would entertain more as empty nesters if they knew they could make a quick, simple charcuterie board for dinner! Right? Set it out with your favorite drinks and you have a small party!

Oh, and what is an empty nester? An empty nester is a parent whose children have grown and moved away from home.

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I love a beautiful Christmas cheese board. You, too? Serve a Christmas Red & Green Charcuterie Board for snacks on Christmas Eve, or an appetizer before the big Christmas feast. It’s a great spread to serve at Christmas with both sweet and savory items—plus it’s such a festive showpiece with the red and green.

Charcuterie Boards for Christmas

For other holiday ideas and Christmas charcuterie boards, check out our wreath, Christmas tree, candy cane caprese, and our latest Lettuce Cups Tree board ideas.

This post shows you how to make a Christmas Charcuterie Board with red and green peppers. So easy, we put this together in minutes! You can watch my fast speed video, here, to see how it’s done.

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I love a good cheese board, especially in the summer months for a delightful snack dinner. Sitting out in our backyard in Sunriver, Oregon–the summer months are the best for al fresco dining. Add in summer produce with fresh fruits and veggies, favorite cheeses and crackers, and you have the perfect meal.

Summer Charcuterie

When we got home from a quick trip to southern Oregon, our daughter was visiting and set out this fabulous snack. The perfect size for a light meal! You can grab one of our Big Boards (all food safe and have a raised edge), which we love for entertaining.

If you have been following Reluctant Entertainer for some time, you know how much I love creating charcuterie boards. It all started with this epic charcuterie board, back in 2019, when 12 bloggers came to visit me in Sunriver. Here are the details about my epic charcuterie board.

If I am ever hosting friends or family, especially in the summer months, my go-to is a gorgeous charcuterie board because it is perfect casual entertaining. You can also make the boards ahead and take them to the park for a picnic, tailgating (in our sprinter van), up to the river, and we’ve even taken them out kayaking. But best of all, you can enjoy them in your own back yard.

Why I love this recipe

• Boards make people feel right at home, because they are casual and easy to create your “own” bite.
• Summer is the best with the freshest ingredients.
• Mix and match the board with dips, cheese, what’s in season.

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I love Bloody Mary cocktails, and when loaded with all sorts of garnishes, they’re practically a meal! It’s so fun to serve this charcuterie board and to let my guests mix and match to create the perfect cocktail.

Bloody Mary Charcuterie Board

Not only do I have an amazing Bloody Mary cocktail recipe for you, but I’ve got all the details on how you can build the most epic Bloody Mary board ever! From a selection of toppings and garnishes to fun ways to decorate the board, wait until you see the faces of your guests when you serve this.

Just give yourself plenty of space. You’ll need room on a sturdy table or countertop for the board and room to set up the cocktail mix, vodka, glasses, and more. 

Why I love this recipe

• Bloody Marys are the perfect brunch cocktail, but this epic Bloody Mary charcuterie board is a cocktail and a light meal all in one!
• I love that you can mix and match, adding your own favorite ingredients to the board. See all my suggestions below!
• This recipe serves 6, but you can scale it up or down to serve more or fewer people.

Gather these ingredients

• Cocktail onions – These are small pickled onions. You can find them in the pickle section of your grocery store.
• Marinated artichoke hearts – Drained.
• Pickled sweet peppers – Like peppadews; drained.
• Stuffed olives – Get a fun selection. You can find blue cheese stuffed, garlic stuffed, pimento, and more!
• Carrot sticks
• Pepperoncinis – Whole; drained.
• Celery stalks – Look for the smaller inner stalks and keep the leaves attached.
• Assorted cheese cubes – I like a mix of sharp cheddar and Pepper Jack.
• Cherry tomatoes
• Assorted crackers
• Sliced salami – Any kind.
• Honey Pepper Bacon – Nice thick, wide slices.
• Hot sauce – Like Frank’s, Tabasco Sauce, or your favorite.
• Horseradish – Prepared horseradish.

For the Bloody Mary’s:

• Lime – Cut into 6 wedges.
• Lemon – Cut into 6 wedges.
• Bloody Mary mix – Chilled. You can buy this at any store.
• Vodka – Chilled. Pop it in the freezer overnight.
• Ice
• Wooden skewers
• Highball glasses
• Chili flakes
• Everything But The Bagel Seasoning
• Coarse sea salt

How to make the most epic Bloody Mary Charcuterie Board

1. Arrange the drained cocktail onions, artichoke hearts, pickled sweet peppers, and olives on a small plate and set that plate in the middle of your board.
2. Lay the bacon slices down next to the plate.
3. Arrange the celery stalks, cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, pepperoncini, crackers, and salami slices in groups around the board.
4. Nestle the lime and lemon wedges into gaps on the board.
5. Place the hot sauce bottles nearby or on the board – that’s up to you, and set the seasonings off to the side but still nearby.
6. To prepare the drinks, add ice to a glass, add 2 ounces of vodka to the glass, and stir to mix. Add about 6 ounces of Bloody Mary mix to the glass and garnish!
7. To make the Bloody Marys in a pitcher, add the mix to a pitcher and pour the vodka into another small pitcher. Place the ice in a bowl and let their guests pour and garnish as they like.

Tips & substitutions

• Don’t just limit yourself to my garnish suggestions. You could also add shrimp or crab legs, chicken wings, pickled green beans or asparagus, and so much more!
• I serve this on one of my colossal boards with raised sides, so nothing slides off, but any board or large serving tray should work.
• You can prep most of this ahead of time and then just serve when ready.

Serving suggestions

I love serving this Bloody Mary charcuterie board with brunch, but it can also double as a light meal! Add even more to your brunch with a fabulous brunch casserole and fruit salad. Don’t forget about dessert! These blackberry tarts are quick, easy, and light – they’re the perfect sweet touch to this savory cocktail board.

Storage

Store any leftovers in the original packaging in the fridge or pantry, as indicated on the wrapper or jar.

Check out these awesome brunch board recipes while you’re here

• Waffle brunch board
• Croissant breakfast board
• Scrambled eggs brunch board

Print

Bloody Mary Charcuterie Board

With everything you need to make the most epic brunch cocktail ever, this Bloody Mary Charcuterie Board is a show-stopping recipe! 

Course beverage

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 12 cocktail onions
• 6 marinated artichokes drained
• 12 pickled sweet peppers Peppadews, drained
• 12 stuffed olives pimento, garlic, blue cheese, etc:, drained
• 6 carrot sticks
• 6 pepperoncinis whole and drained
• 6 celery stalks with leaves remove the bottoms
• 12 cubes assorted cheese 6 Sharp cheddar and 6 Pepper jack, cubed
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• Assorted crackers
• 12 slices salami
• 6 large pieces Honey Pepper Bacon big, thick and left whole
• Hot sauce: Set out one of these Frank’s, cayenne, or Tabasco sauce
• Horseradish: buy prepared horseradish in a jar or a tube.

Make the Bloody Mary:

• 1 lime cut into 6 wedges
• 1 lemon cut into 6 wedges
• 36 oz. chilled Bloody Mary mix homemade version here
• 12 oz. chilled vodka
• ICE
• 6 wooden skewers
• 6 glasses

Seasonings:

• Chili flakes
• Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
• Coarse sea salt

Instructions

• On a small plate arrange the cocktail onions, artichokes, pickled sweet peppers (peppadews), and olives (all drained).Set the plate in the center of the board.
• Next to it lay down the thick cooked bacon slices.
• On the same board, arrange celery stalks, cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, whole pepperoncinis, crackers, and salami slices. Nestle lime and lemon wedges into any gaps on the board.
• Add the hot sauce (one small bottle) on the board or leave the hot sauce on the side.
• Set the seasonings off to the side.
• To prepare each drink: In a glass, add ice. Pour 2 ounces of vodka over the ice and stir to cool the vodka. Pour about 6 ounces of the bloody mary mix over the ice and garnish with a lemon or lime wedge and a celery stick. Top with your favorite seasonings.

OPTION TO MAKE IN A PITCHER:

• Add Bloody Mary mix to a pitcher. Add vodka to a separate carafe or small pitcher. Place ice in a bowl.
• Set drink ingredients next to the board with all of the toppings, along with wooden skewers and glasses so that guests can make their own Bloody Mary and garnish as they choose.
• Enjoy a Bloody Mary drink along with some charcuterie bites.

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We made this lunch charcuterie board with mini heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a few years back, and it’s a fun one to share with a friend. Even if you’re not enjoying for lunch, make this fun Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board for a snack, dinner, or movie night. Better yet, make it “epic” and take it to work for everyone to enjoy!

Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board

Valentine’s Day is a fun day to make a special lunch or dinner for your sweetie or the kids! Grab your Big Board for some great ideas!

Today I’m sharing a fun Valentine’s Day LUNCH DATE Charcuterie Board. Whether for a lunch date, or a fun surprise for the kids, it’s super yummy! If you love sandwiches, then try this Heart Caprese Sandwich Board (another fun idea!) We made this board back in 2019.

Why I love this board

• Use a heart cookie cutter and make your favorite sandwich.
• Add your favorite Valentine’s Day chocolate.
• Everyone loves this board and gobbles up the snacks.
• Double the ingredients for an epic board (our largest is 26-inches)
• Fun for kids – after school to share with friends.

Think of your favorite lunch snacks (in our case pb&j), like mini ham sandwiches, Ritz Party Sandwiches, or even sliders. Valentine’s Day is a great day to spread love and happiness!

Gather these ingredients:

• 1 loaf bread
• Peanut butter
• Jelly
• Boursin cheese
• Crackers
• Grapes
• 2 giant Hershey Kisses
• Chocolate-covered almonds
• Salami
• Prosciutto mozzarella sticks

Valentine’s Day Lunch Charcuterie Board

I love that we can all get in on Valentine’s Day. The world needs a little more love, so why not spread it by sharing your table or food (and making this Valentine’s Day Lunch Charcuterie Board)?

My husband and I have been faithful to schedule in weekly date lunches or date nights. Even when our kids were young, we prioritized it. Faithfully.

I’ve talked to so many young moms who don’t want to leave their kids, and have tried to encourage them in the importance of “going out.” You can always make something “fun” at home, or change it up and come up with new ideas. Dates don’t have to cost a lot of money, either.

Make a lunch board for lunch or a date!

How to make Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board

1. Easy … just make heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the heart-shaped pieces of bread!
2. Add your favorite meats, cheese, fruits, and nuts.
3. Don’t forget the chocolate heart candies.
4. And 2 giant Hershey Foil-Wrapped Kisses!

These are the days to not let intimate moments slip through our fingertips, but to enjoy our spouses and invest in them. So how about this lunch board for a date with your significant other?

Enjoy!

More Valentine’s Day recipes to try:

More lovely ideas with a “heart” theme is this Fresh Strawberry Heart Cake

Valentine’s Charcuterie Box

Galentine’s Day board

Print

Valentine’s Day Lunch Charcuterie Board

This Valentine's Day Lunch Charcuterie Board is a cheese board filled with heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, snacks, and more! Make on the 20-inch BIG BOARD.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 loaf bread
• Peanut butter
• Jelly
• Boursin cheese
• Crackers
• Grapes
• 2 giant Hershey Kisses
• Chocolate-covered almonds
• Salami
• Prosciutto mozzarella sticks

Instructions

• Using a heart cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces of bread. Make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Plaec around the outside of the board.
• Place the remaining food items on the board and serve!

Notes

Reposted from February 2019

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I love this time of year and so many unique Christmas charctuerie board ideas to try. The problem is, which one will I make this year? With so many to try, I’ve gathered a variety of unique boards that will make your entertaining fun and festive! So let’s get noshing!

Unique Christmas Charcuterie Board Ideas

These Unique Christmas Charcuterie Board Ideas are all the rave this holiday season. We’ve been making big boards for over 5 years now, and we have quite the ideas here to share with you. Last year our breakfast baord ideas went crazy over on Pinterest, and it’s full of some great board ideas for Christmas morn. The internet is full of so many recipes, but here are a few of our favorites to make this time of year special with your loved ones.

We are sharing appetizer boards, Christmas theme boards, dinner and salad board ideas, and more! Grab one of our big boards and get started.

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‘Tis the season for holiday parties and charcuterie boards! Whether you’re hosting a large party or a small gathering, your guests will love this festive charcuterie Christmas tree! Pull out your big board and get started!

Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board

We love this savory spread, because it’s a festive showpiece, shaped like a tree. Feel free to copy this recipe or add your favorite ingredients to create your own appetizer. We used our 12×24″ big board (info below), and also steak crostini, with en Asian chicken salad (with cranberries). It was a fun, intimate, festive party with cherry hand pies for dessert. (more…)

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Have you thought about hosting an Ugly Sweater Party? Well, we have the best Ugly Sweater Charcuterie Board ideas for a fun holiday gathering. Make the invite, have everyone wear their ugliest sweater, and create a spread of cheese boards. We’ve had this festive board on RE since December 2019! It’s still super popular and oh, so merry!

Make your best board with retro-style foods, like jello, peanut brittle, spam, fruit cake, and more. Don’t forget all the meats, cheese ball, and olives!

Ugly Sweater Charcuterie Board

We love to grab our biggest board for this appetizer. And if you have several, you can really create a spread. Get the shopping list below of our favorite finds, and ask your friends to help you create the big board.

(more…)

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Whenever I create a new board, I always look for the best possible products and always strive to include a variety of different flavors, textures, and colors. Delallo Foods has a fabulous lineup of tasty eats that are perfect for this Mediterranean Charcuterie Board, and with such a great selection, it’s so much fun to build this show-stopping board!

Mediterreanean Charcuterie Board

I recommend serving these goodies on my 26-inch Big Board. This will give you plenty of room for all the bites and nibbles, and with the raised edge, nothing will fall off. I love presenting this board of goodies to my guests and hearing all their “oohs” and “ahhs”!  (more…)

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