How to Make a Cheese Board That Will Be the Star of the Party
Use our cheese board ideas, tips, and tricks for an impressive—and beautiful—party appetizer.
When you’re having friends over, the best way to host is to keep appetizers stress-free, and minimize the number of dishes piling up in the sink. Skip the hors d'oeuvres and opt for a beautiful cheese board with all the fixings instead. It’s a pick-your-own-adventure way to start the party, as guests choose and assemble their perfect bite.
It’s your job to assemble a beautiful spread that offers many possibilities. There are endless cheese board ideas; you need to select what works for you and your crowd, and portion and position options so everyone can reach in and enjoy. Learn how to pick the best cheeses, what to serve with them, and how to make the cheese board of your dreams.
Related: How to Create a Well-Rounded Grazing Board, the Easiest Way to Feed a Crowd
Quality Over Quantity
Don't fuss too much. Go with the basics and a few seasonal additions. We suggest you pair three to five cheeses with crusty bread or crackers, fruit, nuts, a savory component, and something sweet. Your board doesn't need to be the size of a football field—unless you're hosting the team! And the board doesn't need to be jam packed, space is a lovely element and makes it easier for guests to reach in without destroying a section of the board.
Choosing the Cheeses: Variety Is Key
Since cheese is the main attraction, part of the fun is the thought put into the selection—the flavors and story behind each cheese can become a topic of conversation. Aim for variety in the type of milk, age, and texture, as well as in shape and color. Try to make the platter visually appealing and diverse in flavor. Switch it up between creamy, semi-hard/hard, and aged, and include no more than one goat or blue cheese. Consider what the cheeses will look like on your board: go with a wedge or two, a round, a single-wheel cheese, and a pyramid. If using multiple wedges, cut them into different sizes.
Tips
How much cheese do you need? Estimate 1 pound of cheeses for every five guests.
Creamy Cheese
You'll want something creamy, as triple crème cheese is always a crowd-pleaser.
We like Brillat Savarin, which is a super-creamy cow's milk cheese, or Nettle Meadow Kunik, which is a single wheel made from goat's milk.
For a creamy cheese with a bit of a bite, pick out a nice Taleggio or pick up a wheel of Jasper Hill Creamery's Harbison cheese, which is so creamy that it's basically a dip. To eat the Harbison, slice off the top of the cheese and dip away.
Hard or Semi Aged Cheese
Don't forget to add hard or semi-hard cheese, it's another winner and brings textural contrast to the cheese board.
Aged cheddar, such as Cabot Clothbound Cheddar or Tickler Cheddar, is the move in this category—both have sophisticated flavor and a crystallized texture.
Bright-orange Mimolette is a head-turner-the craggy French cheese is almost caramel-y in taste, with a smooth, fudgy finish.
If you think your guests would prefer something milder, try nutty Gruyère or Manchego, which is made from sheep's milk.
Blue Cheese
Blue cheese has its place on every cheese platter, but it's rarely the most popular among guests, so it's best to typically only put one out. You can't go wrong with Bayley Hazen Blue, which has a lovely creamy balance to it, or Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue, which is crumblier and cold-smoked over hazelnut shells. Peppery Roquefort or pungent Stilton are also two standbys in this category.
Goat Cheese
If you plan to serve goat cheese, Bucheron is a fantastic choice (it's a chevre that is sliced into oval rounds with a delectable creamline around the ash). Or try a creamy ash-ripened goat cheese like Humboldt Fog, which has a striking blue line of ash running through the center of the wedge. Both are standouts on the board in terms of appearance. Another interesting goat cheese is Rivers Edge Up in Smoke, which is smoked over alder and hickory chips and wrapped in smoked maple leaves—it's just the thing for fall or winter platters.
Must-Have Accompaniments
Serve a few vehicles for the cheese, including one crusty bread (a baguette or olive bread is ideal) and a few types of crackers. Consider adding a meat component, and we advocate for fresh fruit on your cheese platter.
Crackers
Water crackers are always great because they're plain enough to pair with flavorful cheeses.
These homemade Pistachio-Raisin Crisps are a winner, but if you don't have time to whip up your own, Jan's Farmhouse Crisps are an excellent substitute.
Consider offering a gluten-free option, like Mary's Gone Crackers or simple rice crackers.
Avoid garlic- or onion-flavored bread or crackers, as they will overwhelm the flavor of the cheese.
Cured Meats
The focus is on the cheese but cured meats like prosciutto or jamon serrano are a wonderful complement. Or dried sausages would be delicious, too: Serve a couple whole so that they look pretty on the platter and slice up the rest to make them easy for people to snack on.
Fresh Fruit
One of the best ways to complement salty cheese is with fruit.
Go with what is in season, from ripe pears and apples in the fall to stone fruits in the summer. For those times of year when fresh fruit is less plentiful, consider grapes or kumquats.
If you want to go the dried fruit route, Turkish figs, prunes, and apricots are all wonderful choices.
Optional (but Recommended) Cheese Board Ideas
Fill out your cheese board with these optional extras.
Marcona almonds or other nuts: It's nice to have some crunch on the platter.
Something pickled or marinated: Try Castelvetrano olives, cornichons, or artichokes, any of these are perfect for balancing the richness of the cheese. For an easy upgrade, toss your olives with strips of citrus zest, fresh woody herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, a bay leaf, a chile, and lots of olive oil, then let them sit overnight.
A sweet component: It may seem counterintuitive, but a sweet component like fig jam, guava paste, or honey, or a little wedge of honeycomb makes the platter picture perfect. The sweetness also complements some of the cheeses.
Creating the Cheese Board
You've shopped, now it's time to create an edible masterpiece.
Cheese tastes best at room temperature, so take it out at least an hour before guests arrive (large chunks and hard cheese may take a little longer). This way, it'll be ready to go when the party starts, and you'll be free to focus on other hosting logistics.
Be sure to place a different knife out for each type of cheese, and consider pre-cutting the cheese for your guests to avoid awkward fumbling (Do this while the cheese is still cold).
Decorate the platter: hardy rosemary and sage hold up well during the party. We rate them over delicate basil or parsley for this reason.
Read the original article on Martha Stewart.