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Welcome to your guide on how to build the perfect vegetarian cheese board. From the crunchies to the savories and everything in between, it’s really as easy as counting to 5! With this foolproof system for building an epic vegetarian cheese platter, you’ll be out of the kitchen and impressing your guests in no time!
save this recipe!No matter what you call them, cheese boards are a delight. An assortment of finger foods with a million different flavor combos — who wouldn’t love them?
But the truth is, I’ve always been a bit intimidated by these boards. There are so many types, and how in the heavens are you supposed to know which cheeses pair with which whats (you know?)?
To simplify it, I decided to start following a formula for building the perfect board, and it hasn’t betrayed me yet!
Reader rating
“The system worked well and made my charcuterie board a success with my guests!” —Jennifer
What goes on a cheese board?
This 1-2-3-4-5 formula creates the ultimate vegetarian cheese board. It provides the perfect ratio of cheese to cracker options, involves some fruit and veggies, and even throws a fruit compote! Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements!
- One fruit compote
- Two savory things
- Three fruits and/or veggies
- Four cheeses
- Five crackers and/or breads
How to build your cheese board
A good cheeseboard is just as much about the presentation as it is about the ingredients on it. So, to make sure everything fits well on your board, we’ll build it backward: 5-4-3-2-1! This is a quick overview, but you can jump to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.
Five Crackers or Breads
These are the base of everything on the cheeseboard, so don’t skimp out here!
Four Cheeses
You may be thinking, “That’s a lot of cheese.” You are correct. But too much cheese? Heck no. Traditionally, to get a lot of flavors and textures up in there, you’ll want to go with:
- something old
- something new
- something goat
- something blue
Check out our cheese variety guide to help pick your cheeses! To make it easy to enjoy, cut up any of the firmer cheese into bite-sized pieces so they can be easily paired with the crackers; no cutting is required.
Pro Tip
Two classic pairings are gouda with nutty or grain crackers and cheddar with plain crackers.
Three Fruits or Veggies
Something light and fresh, like crunchy apples, strawberries, sliced cucumbers, sliced bell peppers, or grapes to balance out the salty cheeses, makes for the perfect combination.
Two Savory Things
Go with two savory goodies like marinated olives, salted nuts, or even vegan pepperoni. This is my favorite part of the board because it’s a small step that adds so much variation and flavor!
One Fruit Compote
Finally, add a fruit compote, apple butter, or jam!
Charcuterie Board Assembly Tips
- Space it Out: When placing the different foods, I like to space them out to make sure that the different types of items are intertwined together, and I don’t wind up with bread or fruit “pockets,” so to speak.
- Pairs that Play Nice: To make it easy for guests to enjoy, nice pairing items should be placed side by side. This could mean bread next to a spreadable cheese or plain crackers next to a cheese with a bite!
- We Love Color: Finally, consider color when placing items. By arranging colorful items in different spots throughout the board, the colors look well-balanced and almost too good to eat! Take a peek at the image above and notice how the fruit and veggies are spaced out for flavor balance and cohesive color placements.
How To Build The Perfect Vegetarian Cheese Board
Ingredients
Five Crackers or Breads
- Use a variety of textures and flavors, such as flavored crackers, chunked sourdough, and pita triangles
Four Cheeses
- Something old, such as aged gouda, parmesan, sharp cheddar, or any hard cheese
- Something new, such as mozzarella, brie, or any soft/semi-soft cheese
- Something goat, such as soft or hard goat cheese, or something funky-ish like feta
- Something blue, such as soft or hard blue cheese
Three Fruits or Veggies
- Sliced fruits and veggies bring a pop of crunch and flavor, such as apples, grapes, bell peppers, cucumbers, etc.
Two Savory Things
- Use a variety of textures and flavors, such as olives, nuts, plant-based pepperoni
One Fruit Compote
- Choose a sweet or spicy compote, such as pepper jelly, cranberry sauce, apple butter, etc.
Instructions
- Crackers/Breads: Cut or slice bread that requires cutting. Arrange crackers and breads onto your cheeseboard, spacing them out in little piles on the board to fit other ingredients in between.
- Cheeses: Cube or slice cheeses that require cutting. Arrange cheese on the board, trying to arrange cheeses next to crackers or breads that go well together.
- Fruits/Veggies: Slice fruits and veggies that require cutting. Arrange them on the board in the free spaces between the cheese and crackers.
- Savory: Place savory ingredients into bowls as needed (such as olives). Arrange them on the board in the free spaces.
- Compote: Place compote in a small bowl and place on the board.
- Serve: Fill in any gaps in the board with leftover ingredients. Set cheese knives and toothpicks around the board as needed for serving.
Notes
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Love the cheeseboard instruction. You really make putting together a quality board easy. I always just threw on whatever. Shout out to your Castillo sponsor. I loved their garlic and creamy Havarti both of which I found for $1.80.
Thanks, GW! 🙂 It really is so easy, and as long as you have some savory, sweet, fruity, and cheesy whatevers, you’ll be good to go! And isn’t that garlic one so great?
The system worked well and made my charcuterie board a success with my guests!
I appreciate this clear formula and tips. They make very good sense and will be easy to follow.
This is my first attempt at a cheese board. Here you broke it down and made it simple to execute. Thank you.
5-4-3-2-1. That is a great rule. I always just tossed it together.
And it showed. Thanks
This looks really helpful. I appreciate that it’s meatless. One BIG question: how many is it supposed to serve?!
It really depends! I didn’t include measurements here because it totally depends on the crowd, if there are other snacks on the table etc.
Thank you so much! Here I am with boring old fruit/veggie trays when such delightful vegetarian charcuterie exists. I can’t wait to put one together.
I’m so happy this was helpful for you! Happy eating! 🙂
My family loved this!