Vegan Charcuterie Board

The end of the COVID-19 “new normal” is agonizingly close! With the vaccines rolling out, I’m slowly allowing myself to hope for a return to togetherness and gatherings of more than a few people. And with that new hope, my brain is embracing all things “party foods.”

And what screams “party” more than a crowd-pleasing treat like a charcuterie board?

Thankfully, when you eat mostly plant-based, you don’t need to give up charcuterie boards. I asked Elana for her plant-based wisdom on this topic, and she assured me that a vegan charcuterie board is not only possible, but compared to a traditional charcuterie board, it’s:

• Delightfully colorful
• Light and healthy
• WAY more affordable

In fact, she sent me some photos of two charcuterie boards she’s made. The first one is a traditional board made with meats and cheeses in 2018, before her plant-based lifestyle change. It cost her more than $50. The second one is from 2020 and is not only much more colorful, but it only cost her $20 to put together.

Basic Vegan Charcuterie Board Ingredients

To make a vegan charcuterie board, you should first decide on which items to buy. Your options are nearly unlimited, so it all comes down to your preferences.

Since the dips and spreads are the most fun part of a charcuterie board, I suggest choosing 2-3 dips, jams, or jellies and building your board around those. Your vegan dips and spreads could be any of the following:

• Hummus or bean dip
• Guacamole
• Cashew queso
• Savory jam (like red pepper)
• Vegan cheese ball 

You can make these dips or spreads yourself, or you can just buy them from a grocery store like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. If a grocery store has a good selection of healthy items, you can bet it’s got an assortment of fun plant-based treats like vegan cheese/queso, savory jam, guac, and hummus. Just take a shopping trip and see what treats you can find!

Once you have your 2-3 central dips/spreads, decide what other items to use to fill out your board. Choose your favorite snacks, vegetables, and fruits. Some options might be:

• Crackers
• Pretzels
• Pita chips
• Soft pita bread
• Olives
• Grapes
• Berries
• Apple slices
• Nuts
• Pickles
• Dates
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Celery
• Snap peas
• Zucchini
• Cherry tomatoes
• Asparagus
• Radishes
• Cauliflower
• Bell peppers

A good rule of thumb is to think about the texture and try to have at least a couple of types of bread/carb-like items for that filling, crunchy/chewy factor. Then, choose a variety of vegetables and fruits that will give your board a lot of color.

And of course, make sure each item would pair nicely with your chosen dips and/or spreads.

If you’re tempted to buy all of these items, I don’t blame you! But beware of ending up with way too much food. I suggest making your total number of items match the number of people you’re planning to feed.

How to Arrange a Charcuterie Board

Now it’s time to plate your masterpiece!

1. Cut large items into bite-sized pieces. Slice veggies into sticks, apples into wedges, and pineapples into cubes. 
2. Grab a large cutting board or sheet pan. You don’t have to buy a fancy rustic-looking serving tray; anything with a flat surface that’s big enough to hold your food will do! After all, you’re about to cover it up with beautiful plant-based treats.
3. Start with the centerpiece items, like your bowls, dips, and “cheese” balls. Place them where you want them on the board. You might want to group them in the center, or you may prefer to space them out across the board.
4. Arrange the smaller things like crackers and sliced veggies around and between the centerpiece items. Try to place items that compliment each other close together.

Those are the basics! The lovely thing about a charcuterie board is that there’s really no right or wrong. It’s about choosing the dippable/spreadable centerpiece items, then arranging whatever food items you think complement those centerpiece goodies.

Every charcuterie board is unique and delicious in its own way! I hope this post has inspired you to create your own crowd-pleaser for that future day when we can host big parties again!

Or, while you wait for that vaccine, we won’t judge if you make a charcuterie board just for yourself 😉

Either way, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag us with your colorful creation on Instagram @plum_savory. And if you have any other tips and tricks to share, drop them in the comments below!

Cheers and “cheese” balls,
Nicole