This keto charcuterie board is a perfect snack or appetizer for a party, entertaining, or even date night! In this post, I'll show you step-by-step how to build a delicious, show-stopping charcuterie board that will wow your guests or that you can take to the next party or get-together.

What is a charcuterie board?

For those of you who are new to charcuterie boards (pronounced shahr-ku-tuh-ree), charcuterie basically means cold, cooked meats.

So when making a keto charcuterie board, the board is based primarily on deli meats or cured meats with an assortment of cheeses, nuts, pickles, or anything else that compliments the meat. All of which are beautifully arranged on a serving board.

Or if you're looking for more keto appetizer recipes, I think you'll love these deviled eggs with bacon and bbq meatballs with cranberry!

❤️ Why You'll Love This DIY Charcuterie Board: It is 1) Quick and easy to prepare. 2) A perfect make-ahead appetizer, snack, or small dinner. 3) Easy to customize with your favorite meats and cheeses. 4) Full of flavors and textures. 5) 100% gluten-free, low-carb, and keto!

Jump to:

• What is a charcuterie board?
• Choosing a board
• Selecting ingredients
• Assembly instructions
• How to serve
• Make ahead and storage
• Top tips
• Variations
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Choosing a board

First off, you'll need to select the board you are going to use. It can be large, small, and in any shape you prefer.

A small board is fun for date night, a picnic, or a night in. For a larger crowd, choose a large board or make two to give your guests plenty of options.

For the board, you can use a wooden cutting board, serving tray, or any flat surface.

Don't have a beautiful board or serving tray? No problem! There are some gorgeous charcuterie boards on Amazon to choose from! Or, simply line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. It will still look stunning and beautiful!

Selecting ingredients

Since charcuterie boards are primarily based on meats, I recommend using, at minimum, 3 different kinds of meats.

Meat

I prefer prosciutto, salami, and deli meat - but use whatever you prefer!

Here are meats that would work great on your board:

• Pancetta
• Salami
• Prosciutto
• Capicola
• Soppressata
• Pepperoni
• Chorizo
• Deli Meats

Cheese

Now, choose 2 to 3 different kinds of cheeses.

Here are some cheese ideas:

• Cheddar
• Goat Cheese
• Mozzarella Balls (great with tomatoes and basil!)
• Brie
• Manchego
• Havarti
• Gouda
• Pepper Jack (or any mildly spicy cheese)

Pickled ingredients

After that choose 1 or 2 pickled items (such as olives or pickles) to put on your board.

Pickled ingredients add flavor but also help to balance out the richness of the meats and cheeses on the board.

Crackers, fruit, nuts, and garnishes

When choosing items, be sure to choose foods with a variety of colors because you don't want your board to look boring! Look for some low-carb berries, such as strawberries or raspberries, to add pops of color.

Also, bright green fresh herbs, such as basil, fresh mint, and rosemary also make great compliments and add pops of color.

The same goes for texture, variety is key. Look for something bright and shiny, such as sugar-free jams, spreads, or olives, to go alongside the rougher, dryer ingredients such as keto crackers, nuts, and cheeses.

If possible, try to include the 4 S's on your board:

• Savory - meats & cheeses. I like to include at least 3 varieties of each.
• Salty - meats are salty, so that's covered. However, nuts and crackers can also be included for a saltier variety
• Spicy - no need to go overboard, but a spicy cheese or pepper jelly is always a good idea
• Sweet - low-carb berries, sugar-free jams or jellies, or even cubed keto bars will cover you on the sweet front.

Assembly instructions

You may think that once you have your ingredients you can just throw it all on your board and it will be gorgeous, but not so! It requires a little bit of strategy. But don't worry, I'll walk you through all of the simple steps!

1. Bowls

Every charcuterie board should include a few bowls.

Here are a few things that would work great in bowls:

• Ranch dressing with chopped veggies
• Hummus with keto crackers (or flackers for store-bought)
• Coarse ground mustard
• Sugar-free jams or jellies
• Keto Fruit Dip
• Olives
• Pickles

Bowls are also great for small nuts or any berries that may stain.

Once you have your bowls, place them around the board in a random fashion. The number of bowls will depend on the size of your board.

2. Meats & Cheeses

Next, add your meats and cheeses. For a prettier presentation, you want to fold the meat in a variety of ways.

If using prosciutto, I love making a beautiful ribbon at a diagonal across the board. To do this, hold each piece vertically and slowly lower it in one place, allowing it to fall over on itself.

If you can, make them light and airy with some of the edges pointed up for a beautiful ribbon shape.

For large circle slices, you can fold them in half twice into a triangle shape and line them up to create a border or arrange them like a deck of cards.

For large circle slices that aren't as flexible, you can just fold them in half one time.

💭Top Tip: Always fold the meats so they are light and not compacted.

Then add the cheese. If you can, use different shapes for the cheeses. Some can be cubed, some sliced, and some served as a wedge, such as brie cut into wedges.

In my more recent keto charcuterie boards, I've started adding sugar-free jam to the top of my brie. It's not only gorgeous with beautiful color and texture, but it tastes amazing too!

3. Crackers

While not required, having some low-carb keto crackers is a great addition to your charcuterie board!

I love whipping up some keto crackers from my Keto Breads Cookbook. However, if you prefer store-bought, Flackers are readily available and keto-friendly.

4. Fruit, Veggies, Nuts, & Garnishes

Now it's time to fill in all the remaining spaces!

If you have a particular veggie or fruit that goes with a dip (such as with ranch dressing, hummus, or fruit dip), place them close to their respective dips.

Otherwise, just fill in all the gaps on your tray with various low-carb fruits or berries, chopped veggies, nuts, & pickled items.

Then top it off with fresh garnishes, such as fresh rosemary, basil, and mint for beautiful pops of color.

Try to fill in all the spaces without leaving any bare spots. And that's it - you're done!

How to serve

After you make your board, it's a good idea to have a few small plates and utensils for serving so everyone isn't eating directly over the platter with their hands in everything!

Also, don't forget the bubbly! A dry red wine is a perfect low-carb option to serve with your charcuterie board 🍷

And don't let your low-carb charcuterie board sit out for more than 2 hours, maybe even less if the temperature outside is hot.

If it sits out more than 2 hours, the food may spoil and you run the risk of making your guests sick.

Make ahead and storage

• Make-Ahead: The meats and cheeses can be cut up to 1 to 2 days beforehand and stored covered in the fridge.
• Store: After assembly, it can be stored, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for a few hours up to overnight. Just be sure to add the crackers (and jam if using) just before serving, otherwise, they may get soggy.

Top tips

Even though there aren't specific rules, follow these tips for the best taste and presentation:

• Create variety. Give your guests plenty to choose from with lots of variety and textures!
• Fold and cut everything in different ways and fold the meats so they are light and not compacted. This will keep your low-carb board interesting.
• If serving to guests, be sure to include some common ingredients. Not everyone likes fancy meats and cheeses. Be sure to include a few basics, such as ham, turkey, or cheddar cheese.

Variations

Looking for more charcuterie board variations? Here are some fun ideas:

• Dessert Charcuterie Board. Make a board of sugar-free chocolate, low-carb berries, and keto desserts!
• Breakfast Charcuterie Board. Pair breakfast meats with coconut flour pancakes biscuits, and other low-carb breakfast foods.
• Italian Charcuterie Board. Pair Italian meats and cheeses such as mozzarella balls and provolone with marinated artichoke hearts and pepperoni garnished with basil. A Caprese Salad would also be delicious!

If you've tried this keto charcuterie board, please let me know what you think in the comments below!

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📖 Recipe