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    Home » Recipes

    Published: Mar 7, 2022 · Updated: Aug 1, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links · We donate 10% of our profits to support good causes.

    How to Build an Amazing Vegan Charcuterie Board

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    "Vegan charcuterie board" a snack board filled with vegan cheeses,meats, fruits, veggies and antipasti.
    "How to build an amazing vegan charcuterie board" a board filled with vegan cheeses,meats, fruits, veggies and antipasti.

    Let's build an epic vegan charcuterie board! Filled with a delicious variety of vegan cheeses, vegan meats, dips, veggies, fruits, crackers and more. You can customise and theme your vegan snack board to suit any occasion!

    A vegan charcuterie board with various types of crackers, vegan cheeses, ready-to-eat vegan deli slices, fresh fruit and vegetables, olives, pickles and chutney and topped off with choocolate, nuts and dried fruit.
    Table of Contents
    • What is a charcuterie board?
    • Ingredient ideas
    • Themed vegan charcuterie board ideas
    • How to build your board
    • Top tips
    • Portion guide
    • More delicious vegan recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    The beauty of making a vegan charcuterie board is that every one is unique! 

    They can be as simple or as complicated as you like.

    Go for convenience and use store-bought items that are easy to pick up at your local grocery store. Or have fun making all your elements from scratch and create a homemade masterpiece!

    We used a mix of store-bought vegan meats and cheeses alongside some of our favourite Vegan on Board recipes to create the epic vegan charcuterie board you see in the pictures.

    What is a charcuterie board?

    First off, how do you say charcuterie? It's a French word pronounced "shar-KOO-tər-ee" (listen to it here).

    In France, charcuterie traditionally refers to cured meats, but in recent years the term charcuterie board has been used to describe a platter or grazing board full of finger foods perfect for sharing and feeding a crowd.

    This post will give you loads of ideas for how you can create your own vegan version!

    Ingredient ideas

    There's so many different items you can include in a vegan snack board!

    A good vegan grazing board should be a feast for all the senses. So think about creating a variety of flavors and textures, as well as making your board look beautiful!

    Here's a low-down on some of the best vegan options you can serve:

    Crackers and bread

    You want to include a variety of these on your board. It's easy to top them up if you see you are running low. These are all great options:

    • Store bought crackers. Many are accidentally vegan (just double check the ingredients). We really like rosemary crackers.
    • Our homemade Easy Vegan Crackers.
    • Breadsticks or grissini
    • Tortilla chips
    • Slices of French baguette
    • Homemade Crostini
    • Vegan Cheese Straws

    Vegan meats

    You don't have to include vegan meat alternatives, but they can be a nice addition - especially if you want to recreate the look of a traditional charcuterie board. Here's some vegan meat products you could use:

    • Slices of Vegan Chorizo (we made our own from scratch and it's so good!)
    • Vegan pepperoni
    • Deli Slices, such as Tofurkey Deli Slices or try one of these homemade vegan deli meats by 86 Eats. 
    • Vegan ham slices, for example by Quorn (UK) or Sweet Earth (US)
    • Vegan Pastrami by Squeaky Bean (we love this!)

    Vegan cheeses

    Use your favourite store-bought dairy-free cheese or make your own at home. Try and get a variety of hard and soft vegan cheeses. We can recommend:

    • This Sunflower Seed Cheese (great for a nut free option)
    • Cashew Cheese
    • Nurishh Plant-based Alternative to Camembert 
    • Applewood Vegan or Sheese Smoked 
    • Vegan Cream Cheese by Violife or Tofutti
    • Vegan Feta

    For artisan vegan cheeses, then Miyokos Cheeses are a great option in the US. In the UK, you might like to try the speciality cheese by I’m Nut OK and Tyne Chease, both available online at the .

    Fruits

    One of the best ways to bring a vibrant pop of color into your board is with fresh fruits. Choose fruits at the peak of their season for the best taste!

    • Strawberries
    • Raspberries
    • Blueberries
    • Apples
    • Apricots
    • Peaches
    • Plums
    • Kiwi
    • Oranges
    • Figs

    Vegetables

    We think a good charcuterie board should include some veggies! They add a refreshing and welcome contrast to the more indulgent items. You could include:

    • Raw veggies, like carrot and celery cut into sticks
    • Cucumber slices
    • Radishes (you can even carve these into pretty flowers)
    • Bell peppers
    • Fresh cherry tomatoes

    Dips

    Hummus is a popular option that's easy to pick up at the shops, but there's loads of creative vegan dips you can make. Here's some of our favourite recipes:

    • Vegan Tzatziki
    • Vegan Pesto
    • Vegan Satay Sauce
    • Mushroom Pate
    • Baba ganoush

    Condiments

    • Red onion marmalade
    • Chutney
    • Olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping
    • Mustard
    • Cranberry Sauce

    Antipasti

    • Roasted red peppers
    • Sun dried tomatoes
    • Olives
    • Artichokes
    • Pickles or cornichons

    Extras

    To complete your board think about what other items might complement your main ingredients. Here’s some great bonus items to include! 

    • Roasted nuts - we love our Sweet and Spicy Nuts
    • Dried fruits, like cranberries or apricots
    • Savoury bites like falafel or vegan sausage rolls
    • Baked treats like cookies or our Vegan Brownie
    • Dark chocolate 
    • Chocolate truffles - we love our Rum Truffles or Chocolate Orange Truffles.
    Someone picking a grape from a charcuterie board of vegan cheeses and deli slices, fresh fruit, crackers, and more.

    Themed vegan charcuterie board ideas

    Charcuterie boards are perfect for parties and special occasions! They are a great way to feed a crowd and get people talking.

    We've organised this section of ideas by season and holiday so you can be inspired to create your own vegan boards for whatever you are celebrating.

    Your imagination is the only limit!

    Valentines

    Make a seductive vegan Valentine's charcuterie board for two with lots of juicy fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and grapes.

    For dips, we love our vegan chocolate fondue recipe, a bowl of vegan cream cheese and some almond or cashew butter.

    You can also have fun making some homemade treats together like our chocolate truffles, vegan brownies or chocolate salami.

    Some heart shaped cookies like our vegan Linzer cookies, puff pastry palmiers or pretzels make a lovely romantic touch!

    Thanksgiving

    You can create an amazingly cute Thanksgiving holiday board in the shape of a Turkey, like these examples!

    Use a pear sliced in half for the head, and use tiny bits of dairy-free cheese to make the face, with cranberries or peppercorns for the eyes.

    Then create semicircles of ingredients around the head to create the rest of the body.

    Elements such as pretzels, pecan and leaf shaped cookies or crackers work really well for a Thanksgiving themed platter.

    Christmas

    Use a colour scheme of red, green and gold to inspire your vegan Christmas charcuterie board. 

    Try combining elements such as raspberries, grapes, pistachios, cranberry relish, sprigs of rosemary, vegan blue cheese, pomegranate arils, homemade crackers or vegan cheese slices cut into stars or mini Christmas trees. 

    Get creative with your composition and arrange your board in the shape of a Christmas tree or wreath.

    And don't forget to add some delicious Vegan Christmas Cookies or our Chocolate and Orange Truffles. 

    Birthdays

    A personalised vegan snack board makes an awesome birthday treat.

    Get creative and bake sugar cookies to spell out their name, or happy birthday. You can even make the whole board in the shape of the number of years they are celebrating.

    Vegan cupcakes, sprinkles and candles are a fun addition to a birthday themed board.

    Seasonal boards

    One lovely idea for vegan charcuterie boards is to make them fit with the season.

    For spring, choose vibrant green dips and veggies such as green hummus, radishes or pea shoots.

    In summer, you can create a board filled with berries and soft fruits, paired with silky vegan cream cheese, breadsticks, olives and refreshing vegan tzatziki garnished with fresh herbs. 

    In fall, look to pumpkin, apple and nuts for your inspiration! Think nut based cheeses, pumpkin pate, crisp apple slices, candied pecans, and grapes. 

    And for winter choose oranges, pomegranate, dried fruit such as dates, beetroot hummus, spiced nuts, soft vegan cheeses and cranberry sauce

    Dessert boards

    You can also just make a vegan charcuterie board for dessert! Imagine mini vegan desserts or cookies, served alongside nut butters, vegan marshmallows, strawberries and chocolate fondue.

    How to build your board

    Here's our step by step guide on how to assemble your own vegan charcuterie board!

    First, let's start with what size board to choose.

    For a small gathering or two person meal, you can use standard size wooden chopping board of around 9 x 13 inches or 34 x 23 cm.

    For a party, you are going to want a larger board or possibly several depending on the number of people you are serving. The one pictured here measures around 18 x 14 inches or 45 x 35cm and serves around ten people.

    If you don't have a large board, you can also use a sheet of parchment paper and arrange the items in situ.

    In addition to a board, you will want some small bowls for serving dips, tiny dishes and spoons for condiments and knives for the vegan cheeses.

    Now let's get building your amazing board!

    Step by step

    Step 1: Add Vegan Cheeses

    Arrange your vegan cheeses spread out evenly across the board.

    Cut vegan cheese blocks into slices or use presliced vegan cheese. For whole cheeses, cut a few slices to get them started.

    If you are serving a baked vegan cheese, then put a placeholder dish of a similar size in place that you can exchange. And for very soft cheese, serve in a small bowl or dish.

    Various types of vegan chese alternatives arranged on a wooden board, leaving plenty of space for more food added in between.

    Step 2: Add Vegan Meats

    Arrange small slices in a fan or curve. Larger slices can be folded into quarters and arranged into fan shapes, or cut in half and rolled up.

    Whole items like vegan chorizo should be at least partially sliced to encourage guests.

    Vegan cheeses and ready-to-eat meat alternatives arranged on a wooden board.

    Step 3: Add Condiments, Antipasti and Dips

    These are wet foods, so you want to serve them in small bowls or ramekins so that they don't affect the other items. Place them on the board before it gets too crowded, so they get the space they need.

    Arrange any condiments that go well with a particular vegan cheese together.

    Vegan cheeses, ready-to-eat meat alternatives on a wooden board with bowls of olives, pickles and onion chutney.

    Step 4: Add Bread and Crackers

    Next to the cheeses, add a variety of vegan crackers or other breads. Arrange them in small stacks or fanned out.

    Remember you can top up these items as you go, or serve the crackers on an additional board or plate to save space.

    Arranged on a wooden board, three types of crackers, various vegan cheeses, ready-to-eat vegan deli slices and small bowls of olives, pickles and chutney.

    Step 5: Add Fresh Fruit and Veggies 

    Cut your fresh fruits and veggies into slices or sticks for easy snacking. Arrange several portions of the same items in different places on the board for easy access and visual balance.

    Arranged on a wooden board, various types of crackers, vegan cheeses, ready-to-eat vegan deli slices, fresh fruit and vegetables, olives, pickles and chutney.

    Step 6: Add Nuts, Dried fruits and Extras

    Now fill the remaining gaps with small items like dried fruits, nuts and squares of dark chocolate or any other bonus items.

    The full charcuterie board consisting of various types of crackers, vegan cheeses, ready-to-eat vegan deli slices, fresh fruit and vegetables, olives, pickles and chutney and topped off with choocolate, nuts and dried fruit.

    Step 7: Final Touches

    To finish, add some utensils - small spoons for condiments and dips, and sharp knives for the vegan cheeses and meats. You can also add a couple of sprigs of fresh herbs for a lovely finishing touch!

    Top tips

    Work in odd numbers to help you with composition. It's easier to arrange 3 or 5 types of similar items in a pleasing arrangement.

    Spread out similar coloured items across the board to help bring balance.

    Any wet ingredients should be placed in a small bowl (such as olives or artichokes) to stop them from affecting other items.

    Pre slice items to encourage your guests to dig in. Cut our wedges of vegan cheese wheels to help them get started.

    Place complementary items next to each other, such as cheese and chutney, crackers next to dip, or chocolate with strawberries.

    If you are serving grapes, cut the bunches into small groups of 3 grapes to make it easier for your guests.

    Portion guide

    As a guide, aim for roughly 3 oz or 85g of vegan meats and cheese per person when serving a charcuterie board as an appetiser or with other food at a party.

    For a main meal, you will want to double the amount. So estimate around 6 oz or 170g combined of vegan meats and cheeses.

    Use the adjustable servings in the recipe card below to help you easily figure out how much food to serve up for any number of guests!

    A top down partial view of a vegan charcuterie board. A hand is picking up a cracker.

    More delicious vegan recipes

    We hope you have an awesome time building your own amazing vegan charcuterie board! Here are three more of our most popular recipes for the holiday season:

    The BEST Vegan Nut Roast

    The easiest and most delicious Vegan Tiramisu!

    And this heart-warming Butternut Squash Soup.

    📖 Recipe

    A vegan charcuterie board filled with vegan cheeses, meats, crackers, fruits, veggies and antipasti.

    How to Make an Epic Vegan Charcuterie Board

    by Sophie & Paul
    5 from 1 vote
    Let's build an amazing vegan charcuterie board! Filled with a delicious variety of vegan cheeses, vegan meats, dips, veggies, fruits, crackers and more. You can customise and theme your snack board to suit any occasion!
    Print Pin Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Makes: 10
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American

    Equipment

    • large wooden board

    Ingredients
     

    • 10 oz (280 g) vegan hard cheese vegan cheese slices, vegan cheddar, vegan mozzarella block, smoky vegan cheese ...
    • 10 oz (280 g) vegan soft cheese vegan camembert, sunflower seed cheese, vegan feta, vegan cream cheese ...
    • 10 oz (280 g) vegan meat vegan pastrami, pepperoni, ham, chorizo, deli slices ...
    • 10 oz (280 g) dips and condiments hummus, mushroom pate, tzatziki, satay sauce, vegan pesto, baba ganoush, red onion marmalade, apple chutney, mustard, cranberry sauce ...
    • 7 oz (200 g) antipasti olives, sun-dried tomatoes, grilled artichokes, roasted peppers, pickles, gherkins or cornichons ...
    • 10 oz (280 g) crackers or breadsticks, crostini, vegan cheese straws, tortilla chips, baguette ...
    • 20 oz (560 g) fresh fruit apple, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, figs, oranges, peaches, plums ...
    • 10 oz (280 g) fresh vegetables sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, celery, bell pepper, radishes ...
    • 10 oz (280 g) sweet or savoury extras dried fruit, nuts, dark chocolate, truffles, cookies, brownies, falafel, vegan sausage rolls ...

    Instructions
     

    • Add Vegan Cheeses
      Arrange your vegan cheeses spread out evenly across the board.
      Cut vegan cheese blocks into slices or use presliced vegan cheese. For whole cheeses, cut a few slices to get them started. If you are serving a baked vegan cheese, then put a placeholder dish of a similar size in place that you can exchange. And for very soft cheese, serve in a small bowl or dish.
    • Add Vegan Meats
      Arrange small slices in a fan or curve. Larger slices can be folded into quarters and arranged into fan shapes, or cut in half and rolled up. Whole items like vegan chorizo should be at least partially sliced to encourage guests.
    • Add Condiments, Antipasti and Dips
      Place your condiments, antipasti or dips in small bowls or dishes and arrange them on the board. Arrange any condiments that go well with a particular vegan cheese together.
    • Add Bread and Crackers
      Next to the vegan cheeses, add a variety of vegan crackers or other breads. Arrange them in small stacks or fanned out.
      Remember you can top up these items as you go, or serve the crackers on an additional board or plate to save space.
    • Add Fresh Fruit and Veggies 
      Cut your fresh fruits and veggies into slices or sticks for easy snacking. Arrange several portions of the same items in different places on the board for easy access and visual balance.
    • Add Nuts, Dried fruits and Extras
      Fill in the remaining gaps with small items like dried fruits, nuts and squares of dark chocolate or any other bonus items you wish to include.
    • Final Touches
      To finish, add some utensils - small spoons for condiments and dips, and sharp knives for the vegan cheeses and meats. You can also add a couple of sprigs of fresh herbs for a lovely finishing touch!

    Notes

    Use this recipe as a guide to create your own amazing vegan charcuterie board. Every one is unique and a chance to express your creativity!
    As a rough guide to portioning, aim for about 3 oz or 85g of vegan meats and cheese per person when serving a charcuterie board as an appetiser or with other food at a party.
    For lots more ideas of what to serve on a vegan snack board, read the post for ingredient suggestions and for holiday and themed board inspiration.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1327mg | Potassium: 329mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 5114IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 9mg

    This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment to let us know! Share a photo and tag @veganonboard - we love to see what you make!
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