This time of year is the best for many reasons, but mostly because it involves so many gatherings with family and friends. If you’re hosting a party this year, consider making a big charcuterie board as your hero appetizer. It looks totally fancy but is SO easy to put together. This Trader Joe’s holiday charcuterie board includes everything you need for a delicious spread including cheese, meats, fruits, olives, and a few little treats. At the bottom of this post, I included a grocery list to make shopping easier for you. I also added a few more possible charcuterie board options from Trader Joe’s.
Note that when it comes to putting the items on the board, I usually start with the cheese, adding in the meats and crackers, and then fill in with the smaller items, like fruits and nuts. Lastly, add some fresh garnishes like rosemary to make it more festive. I’m not one to spend time making my meats into roses or anything like that (I just throw them on there!) but here is a tutorial if you want to go all out.
Also, if you’re packing your charcuterie board to take to a party, try using this charcuterie board with a lid for easy transport.
The Cheeses
If you saw my fall charcuterie board, you know that I like to keep my cheese to the well-loved mild varieties that are crowd pleasers. For this holiday charcuterie board, I switched out the brie for this cranberry chevre cheese which is a soft goat cheese coated in a chunky cranberry spread. It’s so yummy to slice up on crackers. I also added a flavorful gouda cheese, and a new favorite French cheese called comté that I’ve been loving lately. It has a mild, creamy flavor.
The Meats
I love that Trader Joe’s sells these variety packs of deli meats that are perfect for a charcuterie board. This exact one has salami, prosciutto, and capocollo. I also picked up this pack of sopressata which is usually near the deli meats but not refrigerated. It’s kind of like summer sausage.
Fruit & Nuts
This is the part of the charcuterie board where you can get really creative. You can even make your own candied walnuts or pecans, but we’re going for easy here. Trader Joe’s has a variety of mixed nuts to include. We also love the Nuts About Rosemary Mix and the Mesquite Smoked Almonds.
When selecting fruit for your board, I suggest going seasonal or incorporating the colors of the season. I went with red grapes but also consider adding sliced pears or apples, pomegranate seeds, or dried fruits like dates, figs, or cranberries.
The Crackers
I typically include The Trader Joe’s Cracker Assortment that comes with a few varieties of crackers, but my store was out. Instead, I picked up these Pita Bite Crackers which I often use in charcuterie boards as well plus the Organic French Baguette. I love baguette slices with some spreads like mustard or fig butter.
The Treats
No charcuterie board would be complete without some fun treats, and Trader Joe’s is perfect for this. I went with their Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars, Dark Chocolate Peppermint Covered JoeJoe’s (so rich and delicious!), and Mini Peppermint Meringues. There are SO many options to choose from. Get what looks good to you!
The Extras
The last items I included in this board were some garlic stuffed green olives, some fresh rosemary for garnish, and the Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce which tastes lovely spread on baguette with a bit of charcuterie.
Grocery List
Double Cream Gouda Cheese (or any gouda variety)
Cranberry Chevre
Comté Cheese
Gourmet Deli Selection
Trader Joe’s Sopressata Uncured Salami
Candied Pecans
Red Seedless Grapes
Pita Bite Crackers or Cracker Assortment
Organic French Bread
Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars
Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint JoeJoe’s
Mini Peppermint Meringnues
Fresh Rosemary
Colossal Olives Hand Stuffed With Garlic Cloves
Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce
More Items To Add:
Fig Butter
Triple Cream Brie
Unexpected Cheddar
Mesquite Smoked Almonds
Nuts About Rosemary Mix
Pomegranate Seeds
Pear or Apple Slices
Dried Figs
Elevated Cracker Assortment
Candy Cane Chocolate Covered Almonds
If you’re heading to or hosting a holiday party this season, make this easy charcuterie board and impress all the guests!
Shop Charcuterie Boards
Read More:
Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine
Holiday Gift Ideas For The Hostess
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