Cheese Board

Learn how to build a cheese board, how much cheese per person, and other cheese tips to serve a spread that's gourmet and gorgeous all at once.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 435kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

The cheese (see note 1):

1 (8 ounce) wheel brie
1 (8 ounce) wedge Manchego
1 (4 ounce) wedge Roquefort blue cheese
1 (8 ounce) wedge Parmesan cheese preferably aged Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 ounces Cheddar cheese

The spreads (see note 2):

butter softened
fresh honeycomb
fig jam
wholegrain mustard

The fillers (see note 3):

red grapes
apple slices a mix of red and green (Gala apples brown the slowest)
cherries or berries
cucumbers sliced
carrot slices heirloom if possible
olives and cornichons
Marcona almonds or other nuts
toasted baguette slices
flatbread crackers or pretzels

The garnishes:

fresh herbs

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Select your board, then create an anchor point on the center with something you’d like to have the spotlight (a wheel of Brie works well).
Using bowls or cups of jams, mustards, cherries, and/or olives, create four more anchor points in the quadrants of your board.
Using your desired cheeses, fruits, and other ingredients, fill in the gaps from one corner to the center, then around the edges.
Repeat in all four quadrants. Layer and overlap when needed; step back to view the board from afar to spot any slim spots.
Fill in the gaps with crackers, toasted baguette slices, and nuts. Garnish with herbs, and tuck in forks, spreaders, tongs, and other utensils where needed.

Notes

Cheese: Three to five selections should cover your bases. I like to include at least one pick from each of the categories bulleted below. Cheesemongers often suggest highlighting “something old, something new, something stinky, and something blue." Feel free to use that as a guide, or vary the style of milk that’s used to make the cheese (a sheep's milk cheese, a cow's milk cheese, and a goat's milk cheese make a nice mix). The overall goal with your Cheese Board is to offer enough diversity that everyone can find something they enjoy; and perhaps discover a new favorite, too.
- Soft: Brie, feta, Camembert, chèvre, ricotta
- Semi-hard: Fontina, muenster, Gouda, Havarti, Roquefort, gorgonzola, Manchego, Gruyère, Comté
- Firm: Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Romano
Jams, mustards, and other flavor-boosters: Any form of fruit preserves/jams/jellies, honey, mustards, nuts, olives, cornichons, chocolate, and fresh herbs can fill in any gaps on the board and team up to allow guests to build a unique bite each time.
Fruit and vegetables: Dried fruit, fresh berries, cherries, and grapes all work well. If you opt to layer in apple and pear slices, which I personally adore here, toss them with lemon juice before assembly to slow the oxidation process that causes the flesh to brown. Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and mini bell pepper halves can act as vehicles for dips (or cheeses, for those who aren’t in the mood for carbs or are intolerant to wheat).
Carbs: Crackers, Toasted Baguette slices, Pita Chips, or pretzels are among my favorites. Stock up on plenty extra to replenish the board throughout the gathering.

Nutrition