Vegan Charcuterie Board
A vegan charcuterie board is the ultimate party starter! Here’s how to transform simple ingredients like plant-based cheese, fruits, and veggies into a feast for the eyes.
Back in the day, you couldn’t have a party without a crudité platter with sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, broccoli florets, and other crunchy fresh veggies. While crudité platters are definitely still a thing, charcuterie boards have taken party appetizers to the next level.
What Is Usually on a Charcuterie Board?
Technically speaking, charcuterie refers to cured meats, and traditionally, charcuterie boards were mostly made up of sliced meats and sausages, with some nuts, crackers, cheeses, and spreads added to round things out.
These days, there are dessert charcuterie boards, fruit charcuterie boards, and yes, vegan charcuterie boards! The name has come to describe any kind of food artfully arranged on a board. And let’s be real: fruits and veggies look way more appetizing and colourful on a board than all those sliced meats!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Charcuterie Board
Here’s why this vegan charcuterie board is a guaranteed hit at any party:
- Beautiful. They say that we eat with our eyes before our mouths. And when it comes to vegan charcuterie boards, that’s certainly the case! A carefully arranged vegan charcuterie board looks like a work of art, making it an ideal snack centerpiece.
- Healthy. Not only is this board 100% plant-based, it’s also full of wholesome foods like fresh produce and nuts.
- Delicious. Although vegan charcuterie boards are aesthetically pleasing, they don’t skimp on taste either! A balance of sweet and savory ingredients gives you a vegan charcuterie board that will satisfy any palate.
- Versatile. Consider this recipe a starting point—feel free to use it as inspiration to come up with your own creation!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Savory
- Vegan cheese – I used vegan cheddar and gouda.
- Olives
- Other options – Sun-dried tomatoes, grilled artichokes, pickles
Fresh veggies
- Carrot – Cut them into sticks.
- Cucumber – I also cut the cucumber into sticks.
- Bell pepper – Choose one colour or a few.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Other options – Celery, radishes
Sweet
- Strawberries – I leave the tops on because it looks better visually.
- Blueberries – Set them in a bowl so they don’t roll off your board!
- Cherries
- Dates
- Other options – Apple, grapes, raspberries, blueberries, figs, oranges, peaches, etc.
Dips
- Hummus – Store-bought or homemade. Try my Perfect Homemade Hummus or Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.
- Guacamole – Again, store-bought or homemade. I love my Easy Guacamole recipe.
- Other options – Vegan pesto, jams, etc.
Other
- Whole grain crackers
- Nuts
- Other options – Falafel, vegan meat
How to Make a Vegan Charcuterie Board
Here’s how easy it is to make your own vegan charcuterie board for a party.
- Start with the bowls. Place small items like olives and blueberries in bowls. Add these to the board first.
- Group like items together. Start to arrange items that pair with each other, like fruit near fruits, crackers near spreads and cheese, etc.
- Finish. Fill in the gaps until there’s no more empty space.
Tips for Assembling a Beautiful Vegan Charcuterie Board
These additional tips will help you make sure your vegan charcuterie board is a feast for the eyes.
- Choose the right board. It can be round or rectangular, any finish you like—what’s most important is that you use the right size for your ingredients. A beautiful charcuterie board has very little empty space, so it’s best to err on the side of smaller rather than going too big.
- Use the best fruit and veggies possible. Which means: very fresh! You don’t want to add produce that’s past its prime or full of bruises and blemishes.
- Don’t leave big gaps. You want a look of abundance, so be sure to jam in as much as you can! If needed, you can fill any large spaces with sprigs of fresh herbs.
- Celebrate the season. Adapt your vegan charcuterie board ingredients to the current season. Whole radishes are lovely in the spring, heirloom tomatoes add colour in the summer, and slices of crisp apples pair well with vegan cheese in the fall.
- Don’t hesitate to re-do it. If you don’t like the way your charcuterie board turns out, don’t worry. You can always start over and try again until you get the look you’re going for!
Serving Suggestions
Serve your vegan charcuterie board with cocktails, mocktails, and other vegan appetizers. Here are some of my favourites for entertaining:
- Pineapple Coconut Rum Cocktail
- Peach Bellini
- Watermelon Mojitos
- Air Fryer Veggie Chips
- Stuffed Mushrooms with Coconut Bacon
- Vegan Whipped Feta Dip
FAQs
Hummus, vegan pesto, jams, mustard, and other dips are all perfect for a charcuterie board. Make sure you choose items that pair well with at least one other ingredient on the board.
You can assemble the board the night before and store it in the refrigerator. Cover the board with plastic wrap to protect the ingredients from moisture and odors.
It depends on what you like, but popular fruits for charcuterie boards include grapes, strawberries, cherries, peaches, and figs. Choose what’s in season and what looks good with the other ingredients you plan on using.
You don’t need to have any utensils on your charcuterie board, but a few small forks for picking up olives and slices of cheese can be nice, particularly for a large party.
Start with the bowls and any other items that will take up a lot of space. Then, add the fresh produce and crackers or breads, followed by smaller snacks.
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan charcuterie board, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
Savory
- 12 ounces vegan cheese of your choice, I used 6 oz vegan cheddar and 6 oz vegan gouda
- 4 ounces olives
- Other options: sun-dried tomatoes, grilled artichokes, pickles
Fresh veggies
- 1 medium carrot, chopped into sticks
- 1 cucumber, chopped into sticks
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Other options: celery, radishes
Sweet
- ½ cup strawberries
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup cherries
- ½ cup Dates
- Other options: apple, grapes, raspberries, blueberries, figs, oranges, peaches…
Dips
- ½ cup Hummus
- ½ cup Guacamole
- Other options: vegan pesto, jams…
Other
- 5 ounces whole grain crackers, 140g
- ½ cup Nuts, almonds, cashews
- Other options: falafel, vegan meat
Instructions
- Arrange the items from each group on the board, to decide where each ingredient will go. It’s easier to place items in bowls first, then build around.
- Start to arrange items that go well with one another (like fruit near fruits, crackers near condiments and cheese)
- Keep filling the board until all space is taken.
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
