How to Make a Gorgeous Cheese Board in 30 Minutes

How to make the perfect cheese board for a party with 5 different cheeses! A fun vegetarian charcuterie board option that’s totally meatless but just as satisfying. Serve yours on any board or platter that you want, or use my round cheese board design as inspiration!

A cheese board is basically a meatless charcuterie board—with plenty of cheese, crackers, & other snacks, but no meat. It’s a great vegetarian party appetizer that always looks impressive, but it’s so simple to prepare. (And it can be fun!) I’ll walk you through how to arrange a pretty cheese plate in around 30 minutes, using whatever board, platter, or serving dishes you have.

What do you need for a cheese board?

• Cheeses. Choose 3-5 cheeses—including at least 1 hard cheese (like cheddar or Swiss) and 1 soft cheese (like goat or blue cheese). Plan for ~3 oz cheese per person if you’re serving an appetizer cheese platter, or 4-5 oz if it’s a main course.
• Crackers or Bread. Entertainment crackers, pretzel sticks, pretzel chips, pita bread, baguette slices—serve whatever you enjoy eating with cheese!
• Spreads. Both savory & sweet! Savory spreads like whole grain mustard & hummus are essential, but every cheese plate also needs something sweet, like fruit jam or honey.
• Fruit. Fresh fruits like berries, grapes, or apple slices are all tasty pairings on a homemade cheese plate, or you can include dried fruits like dried apricots or prunes.
• Vegetables. Options like cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, or snap peas can add color & freshness to a simple cheese plate.
• Snacks & Sweets. Goodies like crunchy cashews or rich dark chocolate squares can elevate your party cheese board to the next level!

Can I add meat to my cheese plate?

If you don’t need your cheese board to be vegetarian, you can absolutely add meat! My Ultimate Charcuterie Board Guide has loads of ideas for the best charcuterie meats to use, or check out the best budget charcuterie ingredients to keep your board affordable.

Best Cheeses for a Cheese Plate

The secret to a good cheese board is variety, so try to include cheeses with different textures, flavors, shapes, & colors. Soft cheeses tend to be creamier & spreadable, with more tangy & pungent flavors than hard cheeses. So I try to choose ~2 hard cheeses + 2 soft cheeses to make a nicely balanced cheese plate.

• Hard Cheeses: Cheddar, Swiss, Colby Jack, Gouda, Gruyère, provolone, pepper Jack. To cut down on prep work, buy pre-sliced hard cheeses or cracker cuts.
• Soft Cheeses: Goat cheese, brie, cream cheese or Neufchâtel, burrata, mascarpone. Try blue cheese if you enjoy a stronger, funkier flavor!
• Semi-Soft Cheeses: Muenster, Havarti, mozzarella slices or pearls. (Serve mozzarella pearls with toothpicks for snacking!)

What can I use for a cheese board?

If you don’t have a big wooden charcuterie board, use whatever serving dishes that you do have—and it’s okay to split things up into 2 boards if you need to. I used 2 wooden fruit bowls to set up this round cheese board design! If you use multiple dishes, it helps to choose a ‘main platter’ for the bulk of your cheeses & snacks, and a ‘side platter’ (or two) for items like dips, crackers & breads.

How to Make a Cheese Board Step-by-Step

1. If you’re using 2 boards or platters: Set up accompaniments like dips, spreads, crackers, & bread separately from your main cheese platter. (Shown above.)
2. Place large items on the cheese board first, like dip bowls & soft cheeses.
3. Add sliced cheeses, crackers & breads next, building around the larger elements on the board. (If you’re using a round board, it helps to fill in the curved edges of the board first.) You can line up cheese cubes, layer cheese slices in a line, or arrange items like crackers in piles—however you want it to look!
4. Fill in the board with fruits, veggies, & snacks. Try to place these items near cheeses you think they’ll pair well with.
5. Add garnishes & utensils before serving. Garnish your pretty cheese plate with fresh mint or thyme sprigs for a nice pop of color! Place spreaders or spoons in any dips or soft cheeses that may need them.