How to Make a Valentine's Day Inspired Charcuterie Board

Feb 9

Written By

Create your own Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board with these tips and ideas!

Cheeseboards are right up there with jewelry and flowers for me. I LOVE them.

I often create these charcuterie boards when I'm hosting dinners, but of course, they’re absolutely perfect for parties and occasions. What better occasion to make a charcuterie board than Valentine's Day? I'm tickled pink with how it came out!

There are just a few ingredients to make this lovely board, and I picked them up from Trader Joe's. I'm sure you could find most of them at your local grocery store. I'm happy to report that I was able to create this masterpiece for right around $40. Affordable and chic? What a delicious combination!

Below is a list of all the items on my Valentine’s Day Charcuterie board, but feel free to tailor it to your favorite flavors. I made a mix of sweet and salty, but if you love more salty than sweet or the reverse, feel free to get creative!

VALENTINE’S DAY CHARCUTERIE BOARD

Everything But The Bagel Nuts
Cheese (creamy Syrah-soaked Toscano, Brie, Camembert)
Raisin & Rosemary Crackers
Chocolate & Vanilla Macarons
Meats (Salamis)
Chocolate Batons
Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
Raspberries
Ghiradelli Chocolates
Chocolate Toffee

HOW TO MAKE A CHARCUTERIE BOARD FOR VALENTINE’S DAY:

Begin by finding a cute board or plate to make your masterpiece. I like to make my cheese and meat cuts on a separate cutting board to keep my "show board" clean. For my charcuterie, I used a decorative platter for a delicate and feminine touch.
To create the outline for the board, I started by cutting my creamy cheese in half and added them to the platter to create a reverse S shape. Next, by rolling my meats, I made "meat flowers" and placed them next to the cheeses. From there, fan your crackers around the exterior edges where you placed your cheese and meat outline.
After you have your outline, start layering on top of the outline, working your way from the outside inward. I layered macarons, raspberries, additional pieces of salami, and cut small pieces of cheese.
Once you've built around your existing outline, start filling the rest of the exterior. I cut another piece of cheese into thin layers and fanned it across the remaining exterior to add bulk. I lifted the cheese fan and added crackers below for symmetry.
In the center, place a large piece of cheese. From there, I started filling in the gaps with nuts, small pieces of cheese, chocolate-covered espresso beans, macarons, and raspberries. Smaller pieces like these are great fillers, so don't feel afraid to use them!
For fun, I filled the remaining gaps with flowers to make it feel a little more romantic.