Everyday Cheese Board
on Jun 24, 2019, Updated Apr 19, 2024
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The options are endless for this Everyday Cheese Board, but the trick is to get a solid combination of flavors, textures, and colors on the board! I like cheddar, Colby jack, and Swiss cheeses with jam, mustard, various types of crackers, olives, and fruit.
Everyday Cheese Board
Does it get any better than a giant platter of your favorite cheeses with all the other finger foods that you love? I think not. I could eat from a cheese board every night for dinner, if it were an option — and with the amount of variety for creating different types of simple cheese boards, you almost could!
My whole approach to building a cheese board is to make sure I have enough flavors, textures, and colors to be able to create several tasty bites that are different and assorted. You want some sweet options and some savory; some soft cheeses and some firm; and some crunchy additions and some chewy.
I always start with the cheese when building a cheese board — go figure. It is the most important ingredient, after all! You can play with cheddar, Colby jack, and swiss — all very approachable but different flavors — or toss in some goat or brie for a little more funk. Then, start layering all your additions! Different types of crackers are great for creating dimension on the board. Get some seedy, buttery, and differently shaped ones. Then, add some mustard, jam, honey, fruit, olives, nuts, dried fruit or any other snackable and stackable items! Have fun with it!
What goes on a cheese board?
What DOESN’T go on a cheese board, is a more appropriate question! Really! You can add just about anything you love that’s bitesized to a cheese board: berries, mixed nuts, dried apricot, sliced dried sausage, bits of toffee, roasted garlic. And, of course, cheese. Always add plenty of cheese! The best part about cheese boards is that so many things pair well with cheese. You can scavenge through your pantry and fridge and add your favorite pretzels, or jam, or seeded mustard, and they’d all be perfect!
What can I use if I don’t have a cheese board?
You don’t need a 50-buck fancy wooden cutting board to assemble a cheese board. You can use literally anything that’ll fit your ingredients — and sometimes a piled-on, overcrowded look is cuter, anyway! Use any old (clean) cutting board, a marble slab, a large serving platter, a plate, or even a cookie sheet. Pretty much anything large and flat will get the job done.
How do you assemble a cheese board?
I like to start with cheese when assembling a cheese board. You can cut a few slices of each varietal and put a pretty cheese knife next to each flavor before piling on the other additives. After you have your cheese ready to go, add crackers, fruits, dips, and any other flavors you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to fill up the surface area! The whole point of cheese boards is to provide plenty of options and flavor combos.
Every Day Cheese Board
Ingredients
- Cheeses – sharp cheddar, Colby jack, and swiss
- Crackers – look for a wide variety of shapes and textures, some buttery, some seedy, etc.
- Fruit – thinly sliced apples are always a great idea and so are berries
- Extras – seasonal fruit, dried fruit, nuts, and olives
- Condiments – a whole grain mustard, some kind of jam, and honey are all musts
- Board – wood board marble slab, cookie sheet, plate — it all works
- Cheese knives
Instructions
- Arrange the cheeses first (the most important ingredient, after all), and then place the rest of the crackers, nuts, fruit, and other items around the cheese.
- Finish with a garnish (seasonal items, dried fruit, and even other organics, like leaves, herbs, or whole apples work great), and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t think you need anything fancy — it’s just the right combo of simple ingredients.
- When eating a cheese board, making flavor combos on your cracker is half the fun. Add cheese, mustard, a slice of apple, and a drizzle of honey to your cracker. The combinations are endless but half of the fun of eating from a cheese board.
Nutrition
Other cheese board ideas:
- My Favorite Classic Cheese Board
- Valentine’s Chocolate and Cheese Board
- DIY Christmas Cheese Board for a Party
- Easy Fall Apple and Cheese Board
- Halloween Cheese Board
More appetizer and dip:
- Classic Layered Bean Dip
- Pepperoni Pizza Sticks
- Summer Tomato Bruschetta
- Parmesan Pretzel Bites with Parmesan Dipping Sauce
- Loaded Baked Potato Dip
- Simple DIY Hummus Platter
- Mango Salsa
The options are endless for this Everyday Cheese Board, but the trick is to get a solid combination of flavors, textures, and colors on the board! I like cheddar, Colby jack, and Swiss cheeses with jam, mustard, various types of crackers, olives, and fruit.
