Summer Charcuterie
Looking for how to make an epic, beautiful Summer Charcuterie Board highlighting fresh fruits and vegetables in season? Just pair them with your favorite cheeses and cured meats for the perfect summer board. This plate together in no time, with salmon dip, for a light snack dinner!
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.
Read more: Summer Charcuterie
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.
Gather these ingredients
- Burrata cheese
- Boursin cheese
- Manchego cheese
- Creamy Tuscano cheese
- Brie cheese
- Goat cheese
- Fresh blueberries
- English cucumber, sliced
- Smoked salmon and dill dip (we buy at Costco)
- Prosciutto
- Pistachios
- Mmixed nuts
- Macrona almonds
- Nectarine
- Plumcots
- Yellow watermelon
- Parmesan crostini crackers
- Milton’s Crackers (gluten free)
- Seed and grain cracker squares
- Sea salt crackers
- Olive oil to drizzle
What’s a snack dinner charcuterie board?
A snack dinner is a light charcuterie that you can have for dinner! Sometimes if you start off with a cheese board or charcuterie, you are no longer hungry for dinner. So why not just have it for your dinner?
You don’t have to always make a huge board, and you can can always cut a wedge or round of cheese in half (for example, the Boursin cheese). Make it small, with your favorite cheese, and share it with a friend!
Basically, it’s appetizers for dinner!
How do you make a summer charcuterie?
- On a small round board or tray, place the cheese down first.
- Next, arrange the other food items on the board.
- Lastly, drizzle the burrata cheese with a little olive oil.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tips and substitutions:
- Use your favorite cheese, meat, and produce!
- Optional to leave out the dip and just serve cheese.
- Make sure everything is cut up in bite sizes.
- Serve with little plates and napkins.
- How do you decide what to put on your cheese board? Ask youself: What’s in your pantry? What is in season? How many are you feeding?
- Make ahead: You can make this board ahead, but add the crackers right before serving (so they don’t get soggy in the fridge).
- Set out the food you want to enjoy, and cut/serve smaller portions on a smaller board. See the example of my board. It makes the perfect Snack Dinner!
Can you have both a cheeseboard and a charcuterie board on the same plate?
Sure! Why not? Charcuterie is cured meat and cheese, and then just a cheese board, we set out six kinds of (small portions) of cheese!
Serve on the BIG BOARD! Tap to get the size you are looking for!
More charcuterie boards to try:
Get the Recipe:
Summer Charcuterie
Ingredients
- 1 2 oz burrata
- 3 oz Boursin cheese
- 1 wedge Manchego cheese
- 1 small wedge Creamy Tuscano cheese
- 4 oz Brie cheese
- 4 oz goat cheese
- ½ c blueberries
- ¼ English cucumber, sliced
- ¼ c smoked salmon and dill dip
- 4 sheets prosciutto, torn
- ¼ c pistachios
- ¼ c mixed nuts
- ¼ c macrona almonds
- 1 nectarine
- 2-3 plumcots, sliced
- ¼ yellow watermelon, cubed
- 4-6 Parmesan crostini crackers
- 15 gluten free Milton’s Crackers
- 15 seed and grain cracker squares
- 15 sea salt crackers
- Olive oil to drizzle
Instructions
- On a small round board or tray, place the cheese down first.
- Next, arrange the other food items on the board.
- Lastly, drizzle the burrata cheese with a little olive oil.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Why, yes, Sandy, smaller board ideas for smaller appetites/smaller families are very welcome (especially in our current lack of community gatherings)!:)
May I ask, do you frequent several grocers or one very-well-supplied grocer? Your ‘smorgasbords’ always look absolutely amazing!
Thank you for sharing your gift of hospitality digitally, you are blessing so many :)
We shop a combo of Costco, Trader Joe’s and then occ. the local specialy market in town (that has unique items). Mostly the first 2 though. Thank you!