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Crowd-Pleasing Friendsgiving Charcuterie Board on a Budget

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A budget-friendly charcuterie board perfect for Friendsgiving, featuring affordable meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits, and vegetables arranged on a single board for easy grazing. This recipe proves you don’t need fancy ingredients or perfect plating to feed the people you love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz salami, sliced (store-brand hard salami or genoa)
  • 8 oz pepperoni, sliced (from deli counter)
  • 6 oz prosciutto (ask for ends at deli counter for discount)
  • 8 oz deli ham, thick sliced and cut into strips
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar, cubed
  • 8 oz pepper jack, sliced
  • 4 oz brie or camembert
  • 4 oz goat cheese log
  • 1 box water crackers
  • 1 box wheat crackers
  • 1 baguette, sliced and lightly toasted
  • 1 box pretzel thins
  • 1 cup red grapes, washed and stemmed
  • 1 apple, sliced (tossed in lemon water to prevent browning)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup baby carrots or cucumber slices
  • 1/2 cup mixed nuts (salted or unsalted)
  • 1/4 cup honey or fig jam
  • 1/4 cup olives or pickles
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries or apricots

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients (5 minutes): Wash and dry the grapes, cherry tomatoes, and any other produce. Slice the apple and toss it with a little lemon juice to keep it from browning. Cut the hard cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack) into 1-inch cubes. Slice the baguette into thin rounds and lightly toast them in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes if you want extra crunch.
  2. Set out your bowls (2 minutes): Place your small bowls or ramekins on the board first. Fill one with honey, one with jam, one with olives or pickles, and one with nuts. This creates anchors for the rest of the arrangement.
  3. Add the cheeses (3 minutes): Place the cheese in different areas of the board, not all clustered together. Put the brie on one side, the cheddar cubes near the middle, and the goat cheese on the opposite end. This encourages people to move around the board and try everything.
  4. Layer the meats (3 minutes): Fold or roll the sliced salami and pepperoni and place them near the cheeses. I like to make little salami roses by folding slices in half, then rolling them up. For prosciutto, just drape it in loose ribbons — it looks elegant with zero effort.
  5. Fill in with crackers and bread (3 minutes): Arrange crackers and baguette slices in small clusters around the board. Don’t spread them evenly — group them in little piles so it looks intentional and abundant.
  6. Add fruits and vegetables (2 minutes): Tuck the grapes, apple slices, cherry tomatoes, and baby carrots into the empty spaces. This fills out the board visually and adds freshness.
  7. Finish with dried fruit and garnishes (2 minutes): Sprinkle dried cranberries or apricots over the board. If you have fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, tuck a few sprigs in for color. Drizzle a little honey over the brie or goat cheese for a beautiful finish.
  8. Serve immediately or chill briefly (30 minutes max): This board is best at room temperature, so if you’ve made it ahead, let it sit out for 20 minutes before serving. The cheese softens, the flavors meld, and everything just tastes better.

Notes

Prep all ingredients the night before and assemble just before serving. Take cheese out of fridge 30 minutes before serving for best flavor. Keep crackers separate from moist items until serving to prevent sogginess. For a vegetarian version, skip meats and double up on cheese and vegetables. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free crackers and skip the baguette.

Nutrition

Keywords: charcuterie board, Friendsgiving, budget-friendly, appetizer, party food, grazing board, cheese board, meat and cheese platter

Find it online: https://flurpchef.com/crowd-pleasing-friendsgiving-charcuterie-board-on-a-budget/