Today we’re talking #cheeseboardgoals. This is something I take very seriously! Now that we can have friends over again (yay!) the cheese board is one of my go to things to serve. A beautiful cheese board is perfect for large holiday parties or small girls nights and it’s so much easier and more versatile to cater for than an elaborate plated meal. Plus they just look so inviting with many different colours and textures.
They can also be as easy and budget friendly or elaborate and fancy as you like! In fact, most supermarkets now stock a fantastic selection of cheeses, along with quality charcuterie sliced to order, fancy olives and antipasto ingredients.
At it’s most simple, the cheese board requires no cooking – just some artful arrangement of your favourite cheeses, deli meats such as salami or prosciutto, crackers and accompaniments. You can add nuts, fresh or dried fruit, olives, cut up vegetables, pickles and chutneys – whatever you like best! I’m not here to tell you how to make a cheese board today. My best advice is to go with what YOU like… and if you need some inspiration for how to make it look amazing, go check out Pinterest or Instagram!
What I do what to talk about is elevating your cheese board with some homemade elements too. I love to have a mix of store bought and homemade additions. This is a way to make it uniquely yours with touches that you can’t just go and buy at the supermarket.
Six recipes to take your cheese board to the next level…
1. Homemade Seeded Crackers
For me, the most important thing on your cheese board, after the cheese itself is the crackers. They are your vehicle for eating all of that delicious cheese! While I do love a fancy cracker on occasion, I also love making my own when I have more time. This recipe is incredibly easy to make – all your need is four ingredients and a rolling pin! I love to experiment with the toppings too, from sesame and fennel seeds to fresh rosemary. They look rustic and homemade but that’s the best part because hey, you made them!!
2. Crumbed Feta with Roasted Grapes and Honey
Now this is one way to take your cheeseboard game to a whole other level! This is a fantastic vegetarian appetiser and a total crowd pleaser! I mean, it’s fried cheese after all – how can you go wrong? The grapes and honey add sweetness that offsets the salty crumbed feta beautifully. The fresh thyme and oregano add a pop of contrasting colour and lovely flavour. It’s a lovely mix of flavours and textures, served with crusty bread.
3. Spiced Nectarine Chilli Chutney
I absolutely love this chutney that straddles the line between sweet, savoury and spicy perfectly. Trust me when I say you need to make this one. We are still making our way through the jar of this that I made and it’s so delicious with cheese, especially with a sharp, crumbly cheddar. This recipe is also the perfect introduction if you’re new to making chutney because it’s very simple to make. You can make this chutney well ahead of time and stored for up to a few months in the fridge.
4. My Favourite Zucchini Pickles
I love serving pickles on a charcuterie board. While gherkins are the most common choice, I love these homemade zucchini pickles just as much. They are also super versatile and I promise you will love them on burgers and toasties just as much as your cheese board.
5. Beetroot Hummus
I always have the ingredients on hand to make a quick batch of basic hummus but there are countless ways to dress up this delicious dip and make it a showstopper. You could add herbs, chilli, roasted pumpkin or sweet potato. Or try this recipe for Homemade Beetroot Hummus. This is so easy to put together in a food processor and tastes much better than store bought.
6. Homemade Tomato and Chilli Jam
Now this has become one of the most popular recipes on my site and for good reason! It’s sort of become my signature and I love making it to give to friends as edible home-made gifts. I always make sure to have a batch of Tomato and Chilli Jam in the fridge at all times – it’s our favourite! It is so delicious with cheese and great to have on hand at all times. Perfect for a last minute cheese board if we have guests, or even an impromptu Friday night lockdown cheese board and Scrabble game!
I hope this post has given you some ideas for little homemade touches that will elevate your next cheese board. I honestly think I will be constantly updating this post for years to come as I come up with even more recipes that go great with cheese! If you try any of these, please tag me @spicyicecream on Instagram because I always love to see the recipes you guys make. And I truly hope that you all enjoy the upcoming festive season with all of your family and friends!