Summer Meat and Cheese Board Step-by-Step

Jump to:

• What goes on a summer charcuterie board?
• How to arrange a summer meat and cheese board
• Tips and tricks
• Recipe

Eat the rainbow on a summer-themed meat and cheese board

The best way to celebrate summer isn’t with fireworks or trips to the beach. It’s with a Summer Meat and Cheese Board! Learn which cheeses and produce are best for this vibrant time of year before indulging in this packed grazing board.

Much like my step-by-step instructions for Spring Meat and Cheese Board and Fall Meat and Cheese Board, this summertime snacking board features seasonal produce and complimentary meats and cheeses. It’s a breeze to put together and the best excuse to head to your local farmer’s market. Make a pitcher of this simple party-ready white wine sangria to pair with it, then watch as your guests fall for this perfect summer snack!

What goes on a summer charcuterie board?

Whether you’re making this charcuterie board for the beach, backyard barbecues, Fourth of July, or a picnic, it needs to feature a variety of light and fresh flavors. After all, that’s what many people are into during this time of year. There’s plenty to choose from, from sharp and tangy cheeses to juicy stone fruit:

Cheese

This is the star of the show! I recommend including three to four types of cheese on your board, depending on how many people you’re serving. Buy from each of these categories to give your board complexity and personality:

• Aged cheese: Like sharp cheddar or Vermont Cheddar from Cabot. This type of cheese has been left to ripen for weeks, months, or years. As it ages, it develops a more complex flavor profile and interesting textures. This depth pairs particularly well with the cherry tomatoes on the board.
• Bloomy cheese: Bloomy cheeses are known for their white rinds with an almost “funky” flavor (in a good way!) and creamy centers. Mt. Tam from Cowgirl Creamery is a favorite of mine. It’s a triple cream cheese with a bloomy rind and salty undertones that compliments sweet and tart stone fruit, nectarines, and more (learn more about pairing fruit with cheese here). 
• Blue cheese: This semi-soft cheese is known for its strong flavor, smell, and veins of blue “mold”. Point Reyes Blue Cheese is my go-to for meat and cheese boards. It’s a mild cow’s milk variety that pairs well with fruit spreads and nuts, and is perfect for introducing to blue cheese skeptics.
• Fresh cheese: AKA young, soft cheese. Fresh cheeses are usually very creamy, fluffy, and spreadable. I used small balls of mozzarella cheese (like Perle or Ciliegine) because they’re easy to grab and pair wonderfully with tomatoes. You can also use goat cheese, ricotta, or feta.

Fruits and vegetables

Summer is a magical time for produce, and we want to show that off on our board. There are almost too many seasonal fruits and veggies to choose from! You can use what you like, what will pair best with the meats and cheeses, or use this list for inspiration:

• Tomatoes - Cherry or grape tomatoes.
• Stone fruit - Apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, etc. 
• Fresh figs - If you can find them. If not, fig jam is almost always available in well-stocked grocery stores.
• Berries - Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc.
• Melon - Cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon.
• Other fruits - Grapes or nectarines.
• Fresh herbs - Basil, rosemary, or mint can fill in some of the empty space.

Are you serving this board around dinner time? Add depth and heartiness with grilled zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, summer squash, or halved peaches.

Meat

You’ll almost always find thinly sliced charcuterie on meat and cheese boards, no matter if they’re small and humble or made to impress. They’re a salty and fatty treat that goes well with everything.

Salami is always welcome on a summer charcuterie board. I used Creminelli's Sporessata and Sopressa which are both SO GOOD!

Summer produce and cheese are the real stars of this summer board, however, you can choose up to three varieties of charcuterie if you need to please a few meat lovers. In this case, go with prosciutto, soppressata or whatever you already have on hand!

Everything else

Last but not least, finish off the board with complimentary snacks and spreads. Fill small dishes and bowls with a variety of nuts (like Marcona almonds or pistachios), honey, fruit jams, and Castelvetrano olives. Any leftover empty spaces can be filled with crackers and easy-to-make crostini.

How to arrange a summer meat and cheese board

The #1 rule of charcuterie boards is that there are no rules! However, if you’d like the presentation to be as appealing to guests as possible, follow this step-by-step guide:

Tips and tricks

You’re almost ready to put your summer cheese board together! Keep these tips in mind before you grab your serving platter:

Recommended equipment

The board is the most important piece of equipment here. I love using this giant Boos block cutting board, but you don’t need anything fancy; layer everything on a serving tray or even a dinner plate. The only other pieces of equipment you need are small bowls, cheese knives, and cutlery for serving.

Serving sizes

Keep the number of guests in mind when you’re figuring out how much to put on your charcuterie board. Plan for each guest to eat around 2 to 3 ounces of cheese and 1 to 2 ounces of meat. If you plan on serving more party-ready snacks and appetizers alongside the board, cut the amounts down. 

Assembling ahead of time

You can almost fully assemble the cheese board ahead of serving it. Keep any crackers or bread separate, then wrap the almost assembled board in plastic and keep it in the fridge. 

Let it sit on the kitchen counter for 1 hour ahead of serving so the cheese can come to room temperature. Add the crackers and any last-minute space-fillers, then serve.

Recipe