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Quick Christmas Eve Charcuterie Board: Easy Holiday Appetizer

Christmas Eve Charcuterie Board - featured image
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A simple, elegant charcuterie board that comes together in 20 minutes, perfect for Christmas Eve grazing. Featuring a balanced mix of cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, and accompaniments, this board lets you enjoy your own party without the fuss.

Ingredients

  • Aged Cheddar (sharp, crumbly) – 8 oz
  • Brie (soft, creamy) – 8 oz wheel
  • Goat Cheese Log (tangy, spreadable) – 4 oz
  • Manchego (nutty, firm) – 6 oz
  • Prosciutto – 4 oz, paper-thin sliced
  • Salami (genoa) – 4 oz
  • Pepperoni – 4 oz
  • Crackers (water crackers, rosemary crackers, breadsticks) – 2-3 varieties, about 8 oz total
  • Red grapes – 1 cup
  • Apple slices – 1 apple, sliced and tossed with lemon juice
  • Fresh figs – 4-6, halved (optional)
  • Dried apricots – 1/2 cup
  • Mission figs (dried) – 1/2 cup
  • Honey-roasted almonds – 1/2 cup
  • Candied pecans – 1/2 cup (or plain walnuts)
  • Green olives – 1/2 cup, drained
  • Kalamata olives – 1/2 cup, drained
  • Cornichons – 1/2 cup
  • Honey – 2-3 tablespoons
  • Dark chocolate – 2-3 ounces, broken into squares
  • Pomegranate seeds – for garnish (optional)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs – for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Set out your cheeses 30 minutes before serving to bring them to room temperature.
  2. Wash and prep fruit: rinse grapes and pat dry, slice apple and toss with lemon juice, halve figs if using. Dried fruit can go straight into bowls.
  3. Arrange cheeses first: place at different points on the board, spacing them out. Cut brie into wedges; leave cheddar and manchego in blocks.
  4. Add small bowls: fill ramekins with honey, olives, nuts, dried fruit, and cornichons. Place around the board to break up space.
  5. Layer meats: fold prosciutto into loose ribbons and arrange in small piles. Fan out salami slices in overlapping rows.
  6. Fill in with crackers: place crackers in small clusters around the board, near the cheeses they pair best with.
  7. Add finishing touches: tuck grapes and apple slices into empty spaces, scatter nuts, place dark chocolate squares in a corner. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
  8. Drizzle honey over brie or goat cheese for a glossy finish and sweet contrast.
  9. Serve immediately: place board in center of table with small plates, napkins, and extra crackers on the side.

Notes

Prep all ingredients up to 24 hours in advance; arrange on board, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Remove 30 minutes before serving. For a crowd larger than 10, use two boards or double quantities. Apple slices can be tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning. Leftover cheeses can be wrapped in wax paper; meats stored in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: charcuterie board, Christmas Eve appetizer, easy holiday appetizer, cheese board, no-cook appetizer, grazing board

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/quick-christmas-eve-charcuterie-board-easy-holiday-appetizer/