Featuring an array of sweet indulgences and a few savory snacks, this Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board is the perfect treat to share with your sweetheart!
Why go out on Valentine’s Day when you could be snacking on this Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board in the comfort of your own home? Whether you’re making a cozy board for two or a more elaborate appetizer for your Galentine’s Day party, this guide will show you how to make a Valentine’s snack platter that has everyone making heart eyes!
And make sure to check out our Ultimate Charcuterie Board Guide for a detailed look at putting together an epic snack platter!
Charcuterie ingredients
This Valentine’s Day charcuterie board has a few savory ingredients and lots of sweet elements. You can mix and match to get your perfect ratio of sweet and salty!
Meat
It’s not a charcuterie board without the meat! I used thin sliced salami to create salami roses for this Valentine themed board.
Creating a salami rose is much easier than you might think and takes just a minute, but you can also simply arrange the meats in a single layer or fold them in halves and quarters.
Cheese
Because this board will have more dessert elements than a typical charcuterie board, you’ll only need one cheese (or two if you’re a cheese fiend).
Brie is my go-to cheese for a Valentine’s Day charcuterie board because it pairs well with sweet ingredients, such as fruit, jam, honey and candied nuts!
Crackers and cookies
Choose three crackers and cookies, each from one of the following categories. Think about the other ingredients on your Valentine’s Day charcuterie board and pick elements that will pair well with your meat, cheese, dips and accents.
- Savory cracker: This cracker should pair well with your meat and cheese. I went with fig and olive crackers. Pretzels are also a great option and pair well with both sweet and savory items.
- Sweet cracker or thin cookie: I used butter almond thins as my sweet cracker, but I’ve also used graham crackers for this board in the past. Ideally, this option is something that you can layer with the dips and fruit you choose.
- Cookie: I used shortbread cookies, which pair well with Nutella and strawberry jam. My favorite combination on this board is actually a shortbread cookie, topped with nutella and strawberry slices!
Fruit
Choose one or two fruits. This is your chance to add a pop of color to the board to really enhance the Valentine’s Day vibe! Here are some of my favorite pink and red fruits:
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Apples
- Cherries
- Pomegranate arils
Dips and spreads
I like to use two dips, but you could add a third if you’re making the board for a larger group.
I almost always go with one chocolate option and one fruity option. I chose Nutella for the chocolate option, which pairs well with fruit, pretzels and shortbread. And for the fruity option, I picked a strawberry jam, which works well with both sweet and savory items. It pairs well with brie cheese and is great on shortbread!
Other great ideas include whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate mousse and cream cheese dip!
Heart accents
Adding heart-shaped accents to your Valentine’s Day charcuterie board is the last step. This is also a great way to try all of the fun Valentine’s Day items at your favorite grocery stores!
I chose three Valentine’s Day candies from Trader Joe’s and ALDI as my accents: jelly bean hearts, Belgian chocolate hearts and chocolate truffle hearts.
Other fun options could be heart-shaped macarons, heart-shaped crackers or conversation hearts!
Step by step instructions
This Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board is super easy to make! As a general guideline, start with your largest items and move to the smallest. Fill in any gaps on your board with your heart-shaped accents.
Step 1: Place any small bowls or dishes on the board. Make sure they are evenly spaced throughout the board.
Step 2: Add the meat and cheese. You can pre-slice the brie cheese into wedges. The salami can formed into salami roses or folded into halves or quarters and then arranged on the board so they’re overlapping.
Step 3: Add the crackers and cookies. Arrange the savory crackers around the salami or brie. Place the cookies and sweet crackers near the Nutella and jam. If you have extra crackers and cookies, keep them nearby for easy refills.
Step 4: Add the fresh fruit. Cut any larger fruits into bite-sized pieces. Evenly space the fruits out so the pops of color on the board appear balanced.
Step 5: Fill in any gaps on the board with accents. The heart-shaped accents are the final touch for your Valentine’s board!
Storage
While some elements of this Valentine’s Day charcuterie board can be prepared a day in advance, I don’t recommend arranging the elements on the board until just an hour or two before serving.
To prep this board, I often cut and arrange the cheese and salami ahead of time. I also cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces as needed. Then when it’s time to serve, it takes just minutes to arrange everything on the board!
Pro tip: If you’ll be transporting your board, I recommend using a rimmed tray or platter to help keep all of your elements in place. Then wrap individual dishes (like the Nutella and jam) with plastic wrap and wrap the entire board in a layer of aluminum foil.
Recipe variations
Looking for even more Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board ideas? These options will take your snack platter to the next level!
- Arrange your charcuterie in a heart box. Those big chocolate heart boxes can be emptied out and used as a charcuterie container. Bonus? The lid makes it perfect for transporting and you get to eat all the chocolates inside.
- Go all in on the sweets. Forget the brie and salami and make a dessert charcuterie board by adding a few extra treats. I recommend choosing two larger elements to replace the meat and cheese, such as chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes, popcorn, homemade marshmallows or mini pastries!
- Add extra hearts. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut a small heart out of your brie. Fill the heart indent with red jam or fruit!
- Swap the nutella for chocolate fondue. And make sure to include lots of elements that can be dipped in the chocolate fondue, like strawberries, graham crackers, pretzels and marshmallows!
FAQs
I used a metal serving tray for this board, but you can really use almost anything! A wooden board or tray, a regular cutting board, or even a large plate (if serving just two people).
While you can prep the individual ingredients ahead of time, I recommend arranging the board just an hour before serving. This keeps the fruit from releasing moisture onto the board and helps keep cookies and crackers crispy.
I like to serve this board after dinner. While there are a few savory elements, it’s almost like a dessert grazing platter. Serve with your favorite wine and enjoy!
And if you need Valentine’s Day dinner inspiration, I highly recommend our Reverse Sear Filet Mignon or Rack of Lamb with Dijon Mustard Sauce.
To really give your charcuterie board a Valentine’s Day makeover, go heavy on the pinks, reds and purples. Consider color when choosing your fruits, jam and accents. You can also add extra heart-shaped items, such as cookies and crackers. And to take it to the next level, try garnishing your board with edible flowers!
And if you’re loving this Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board, make to check out these posts for more inspiration:
Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Curation
- Cuisine: Global
Ingredients
- Nutella
- Jam or preserves
- Thin sliced salami
- Brie cheese wheel
- Savory crackers (fig and olive crisps, sesame crackers, pita chips, etc.)
- Sweet crackers (graham crackers, almond thins, etc.)
- Shortbread cookies
- 1–2 types of red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, cherries, etc.)
- 3 types of heart-shaped accents (jelly beans, macarons, truffles, chocolates, conversation hearts, etc.)
Instructions
- Spoon the Nutella and jam into small bowls and place on the board. If you’ll be serving any of your candy accents or fruits in small dishes, you can also place them on the board.
- Add the salami and cheese. Cut the cheese into wedges for easy serving. The salami slices can be used to make several salami roses. Alternatively, folded the salami slices in half once or twice and arrange them on the board so they are overlapping.
- Add the cookies and crackers. Place the savory crackers around the salami and arrange the sweet crackers and cookies around the jam and Nutella.
- Arrange the fruits on the board. Cut the fruit into bite sized pieces and evenly space throughout the board for pops of color.
- Fill in any gaps with the accents. Try to place the sweet accents around other sweet ingredients. If you have any savory accents, they can be placed near the salami or cheese.
Notes
Serving size: This board is quick to make for 2 people, but can also be easily scaled up to feed a crowd!
Make ahead: While you can prep the ingredients ahead of time, I don’t recommend adding the crackers, cookies or fruit to the board until right before serving. The crackers can get soggy when stored in the fridge and the fruit will release moisture onto the board.
Arranging the board: As a general guideline, start with the largest items and move to to the smallest items. Use the accents to fill in any gaps.
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