Vegan Charcuterie Board

Learn how to make a Vegan Charcuterie Board filled with flavor and texture! Tips for selecting the right cheese and how to arrange the board.

Ahhhh, the charcuterie board. Always there for snacking when you need it with a variety of flavors and textures - each bite is unique! Learn how to make the best vegan charcuterie board in town with the tips and tricks in this post.

Reasons to love this recipe!

• An easy-to-make show stopping dish for any party or holiday!
• Customize it to include your favorite cheeses and crackers!
• This board is vegan and can easily be made gluten free.

What is charcuterie?

Technically, charcuterie is the art of preparing and arranging different meats like sausages, ham, salami, etc. But more commonly, people associate the work with a plate or board of arranged meats, cheeses, and other bites.

Since we are veganizing this board...

What is vegan charcuterie?

For our vegan charcuterie board, we ditch the meats all together and sway out dairy-containing cheese for non-dairy alternatives. We add lots of additional snacks like fruit, nuts, and olives to add additional flavor and texture.

This board is so satisfying, you won't miss the meat one bit.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Cheeses:

I like to choose 3-5 of my favorite vegan cheeses. Go for a variety of flavors and textures. I chose a soft blue cheese, hard cheddar, soft chive wheel, spreadable pimento cheese, and a hard smoked provolone.

Crackers and breads:

Use different flavors, textures and sizes keep your vegan charcuterie board interesting! Pictured are a sourdough cracker and a crunchy nut and seed cracker. I also served some toasted baguette on the side.

Fruits:

I like to include at least two types of fresh fruit. I chose grapes and fresh figs. Peaches, apricots, apples and pears are all excellent choices. Choosing in season fruit will provide the best flavor!

Dried fruits:

Dried fruit adds a nice concentrated pop of sweetness and new texture. I like one to two options per board and used dried apricots, but dried figs, plums, pears, persimmons, and apples are delicious. Or try apple chips for another crunchy element!

Pickles and Olives:

A few pickles and olives brighten up the charcuterie with an acidic punch of flavor. I used castelvetrano olives and dry cured black olives, but any olive you love will do! Also try adding pickled veggies like cornichons, asparagus, or carrots too.

Nuts:

Nuts add a nice crunch. Aim for 1-2 types per board. I used my Maple Spice Candied Cashews and pistachios.

How to make a vegan charcuterie board:

Place the cheeses: Grab a large platter and arrange your cheeses. Place them roughly equidistant, but not in an overly "organized" manner. Avoid placing them in a straight line. We want this to look natural and organic. The cheeses are the anchor point we will use to arrange the other ingredients around.

Add the crackers: Next, place your crackers around your cheese. Make piles or fan them out. Play with it until you like how it looks!

Arrange the fruit, nuts, and other bites: Start with larger items like grapes and other fruit, placing them around the board. Next add smaller items like nuts, olives, and dried fruits to fill in the space.

Keep adding and arranging until your vegan charcuterie board looks balanced and full. Serve and enjoy!

Storage:

Charcuterie boards can be made several hours in advance, covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

They are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have any leftovers, store them in individual containers in the fridge.

The best vegan cheeses to use

When it comes to vegan cheese, they are not all created equal! Since tastes vary, you will likely find your own favorites, but here are a few I recommend.

• Miyoko's Creamery - I like their cheese wheels and their mozzarella - especially their smoked mozzarella!
• Violife - in my opinion, they make the best vegan cheeses around. All their sliced cheeses are delicious, my favorite being the smoked provolone. Their parmesan wedge can be sliced thinly and served on a cheeseboard. It's harder to find, but if you can find their Epic Mature Cheddar grab it! It is almost impossible to tell that it's not real cheese.
• Chao - another brand with great options! They have unique flavors like Tomato Cayenne and Garlic Herb which are perfect for jazzing up a charcuterie board.
• Nü Culture - this is my favorite brand for spreadable vegan cheeses. I love their pimento cheese, but all flavors are delicious and incredibly creamy. When using these on a charcuterie board, I spoon the cheese into a pretty bowl before adding it to the board.
• Nuts for Cheese - a new-to-me brand with inventive cashew-based vegan cheeses like brie, blue cheese, smoked gouda, and more.

More easy appetizers to love!

• Easy Crispy Veggie Tots
• Gluten Free Yorkshire Pudding
• Vegan French Onion Dip
• 5 Ingredient Sweet Potato Hummus
• Cilantro Salsa Verde

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