Wondering how to make a Charcuterie Wreath for the holidays? It couldn't be easier! Use our handy guide and recipe to customize your own charcuterie wreath, plus get wine pairings, appetizer ideas and more.
Our favorite cheeseboard professionals, Fig & Honey Lavish Grazing, shared their best wreath building tips - the photos in this post are their handiwork. We've made it our own, and you can too!
First things first: what kind of celebration is happening, and how many guests are you serving?
Is the event in the daytime, or at night? Will alcohol - specifically wine - be available, and do you want to pair your charcuterie wreath with those wines? Are appetizers the main meal? Who are the guests, and what will they enjoy?
Pro Tip: if kids are in the mix, you can always make a kid-friendly spread and a separate wreath for adults, so you aren't trying to direct little hands away from strong cheeses you know they won't like.
How many appetizer servings do you need for a party?
For appetizers served before a meal, plan for 6-8 servings per person for cocktail hour. If you're serving only appetizers at an event during a mealtime, you should plan for 12-15 servings per person for a 2 hour lunch event, or 15-18 servings for a 2 hour dinnertime event. The trick is defining a "serving" - one serving of charcuterie would be 1 ounce of protein (meat or cheese) PLUS the related crackers, fruit and spreads. For reference, a serving of a bite-size appetizer (think a meatball on a stick) would be two. BH&G has a great guide for hosting an appetizers-only party.
How many meats and cheeses should you choose for your charcuterie wreath?
A good rule of thumb for a charcuterie wreath to serve 4-8 people is 4-5 types of meat and cheeses total, and add 2 more selections for each additional four guests. (So, a charcuterie spread for 16 people should have 8-10 types of proteins.) One note: if you know a particular cheese will be popular, but more of that type!
Add an assortment of produce + more:
Think about colors, textures and shapes - the whole point of a charcuterie wreath is for it to be decorative and delicious!
Fresh Produce: pomegranate arils, pears or apple (dip slices in lemon juice), grapes, figs, citrus and persimmons are all good choices
Dried Fruit + Nuts: citrus rounds, prunes, dried apricots, almonds and pecans are each at home with charcuterie
Crackers + Toast: chose at least two carb options, crostini, decorative crackers and breadsticks are all solid choices
Cured Goods + Dรฉcor: add olives and pickles with the brine drained, and edible flowers or fresh herbs to make it look great!
Which wines are best with charcuterie?
Most professionals, including Amanda from SommVivant, suggest Sauvignon Blanc as the go-to white wine for cheese pairings, but sparkling wine is even better. The bubbles and acidity in dry sparkling wines can cut through the fat left on the tongue from both cheese and salumi. If you'd like to serve red wine with a charcuterie display, Zinfandel is an excellent choice for an all-round charcuterie pairing.
Here's a guide from California Wines about the best cheeses to pair with Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Add some appetizers!
You can add a few appetizers to your charcuterie wreath, or serve them in addition. Here are a few suggestions:
- Prosciutto-Wrapped Prunes
- Roasted Garlic Pumpkin Hummus from Salt & Wind
- Roasted Mushroom Gorditas from Hola Jalapeno
- Grape, Walnut + Sage Compote over Brie from CA GROWN
- Mini Stuffed Peppers with Olives and Pepper Jack from CA GROWN
- Endive Cups with Pancetta & Pomegranate
How to Make a Holiday Charcuterie Wreath
Ingredients
- 1 lb 3-4 types of cheeses: Soft: Triple Cream, Brie, Chรจvre | Semi-Hard + Aged: Toma, Cheddar, Gouda | Flavored + Blue: Pepper Jack, Blue, Gorgonzola, Truffle or Wine-Infused
- 1 lb 2-3 type of salumi: Prosciutto, Salami, Coppa, Mortadella
- 2 types of bread: Crackers, Breadsticks, Crostini
- 2 lbs fresh produce: Grapes, Citrus, Figs, Pomegranate Arils, Persimmons
- 6 oz dried fruits: Prunes, Dried Citrus, Apricots
- 4 oz nuts: Almonds, Roasted Pistachios, Pecans
- 1-2 cured: Olives, Pickles
- Edible Flowers + Fresh Herbs
Instructions
- Slice or wedge the cheese and salumi if needed
- On a platter or board, arrange the cheese and meat at different areas, putting a section of each type of cheese or salumi across from each other so guests can reach each protein from either side.
- Tuck the breads in near the proteins.
- Arrange the fresh produce around the cheese and meat to form a circle and make the wreath.
- Add the dried fruit and nuts around the wreath, alternating colors and textures.
- Tuck in olives or pickles to open areas, and decorate with flowers and herbs.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Photos by Alycia Moreno
Check out my friend Sarah's Christmas Charcuterie Board too!
This Christmas Charcuterie Board with all the naturally red and green ingredients for the season has high wow-factor with low effort, which is exactly what you want during the holiday chaos.
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