Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Use some shortcuts from the grocery store to put together everything on this Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board in 30 minutes or less, with the beautiful colors and flavors of autumn.

Coming up with charcuterie board ideas is something about my job that I simply never tire of. I’ve already done everything from a Halloween charcuterie board to an Easter charcuterie board to a huge platter of Valentine’s snacks, but I’m not nearly out of new boards to create.

While many of my existing ideas, including jarcuterie and the wine and cheese board (and even my butter board) are already quite perfect for Thanksgiving appetizers, I wanted to create a fall charcuterie board that was truly specific to this holiday.

Below, I’ll walk you through how I shop for and build this lovely Thanksgiving charcuterie board. I guarantee you it’s easier than it looks!

How to shop for a Thanksgiving charcuterie board:

My favorite way to shop for a charcuterie board, individual charcuterie cups, or even a brunch buffet is to go to a well-stocked (maybe upscale) grocery store and simply look around. I don’t make much of a list or a plan before I get there!

But, I do try to keep in mind the theme for that board. In this case, Thanksgiving (or just autumn in general is fine). To me, that mainly means focusing on fall colors, like oranges, reds, yellows and browns for this fall charcuterie board.

Luckily, lots of things that are in season right now, like persimmons and pomegranates, fit the color scheme for this Thanksgiving charcuterie board perfectly.

Most crackers and cheeses and meats blend right in here, too. And then I keep my eye out for any little special touches I can add that reinforce the theme, like maybe something shaped like a pumpkin or turkey or leaf?

I used Olli Antipasto Trays as the base of my fall charcuterie board.

Sometimes I simply don’t feel like spending a ton of time browsing the dozens (sometimes hundreds) of cheeses and charcuterie available at the store. I want something more grab-and-go, so I can focus on the special little touches.

If you feel the same way, Olli Antipasto Trays are your new best friend. Keep a few in your fridge and you’re ready to make an Autumn charcuterie board any time you’d like!

I grabbed a few of these trays and used the following items from them on my Thanksgiving charcuterie board:

• Sopressata salami – made with pepper and garlic, it’s so savory with just a little heat.
• Calabrese salami – this one is for the spice lovers!
• Genoa salami – this mild salami is loved by all ages.
• Parmesan cheese – sharp and crumbly, a perfecting pairing for the rich salamis (and shredding on top of chicken parm soup).
• Cheddar cheese – this farmhouse cheese will definitely be a crowd pleaser on this fall charcuterie board.
• cheese curds – here in the Midwest, nobody is saying no to a Cheddar cheese curd!
• pickled cornichons and onions – I have to have something pickled on all my charcuterie boards, and this combo can’t be beat. Love these on a football charcuterie board.
• Frescatrano olives – these bright green beauties are imported from Greece.

A few other items I added to round out the spread:

The Olli Antipasto Trays gave me a great start, but I also added some small seasonal touches in the spaces between the meats and cheeses on my Thanksgiving charcuterie board:

• dried apricots – their bright orange color is perfect, but the flavor is what draws me to these.
• dried candied orange slices – a fun, sweet little pop of orange.
• persimmons – whole and sliced persimmons are seasonal and special.
• mandarin oranges – I peeled them and placed them on the board whole, and I kind of thought they resembled pumpkins. Wouldn’t you agree?
• apple slices – it wouldn’t be autumn here in Michigan without some apples! Keep my apple mug cake in mind for an easy dessert this fall.
• pomegranate seeds – my special weapon for making any fall or winter dish just a touch more beautiful, including my Thanksgiving salad, lamb lollipop recipe and vegan lentil curry.
• pecans – these add great crunch, but any type of nut you prefer is perfect.
• maple leaf cookies – I love to add a sweet nibble to my charcuterie boards, and maple leaf cookies couldn’t be more perfect. Buy them or make your own.
• honey – so good for drizzling over any of the cheeses!
• Thanksgiving pie truffles – I couldn’t resist this adorable addition.
• crackers – always great on a fall charcuterie board, or toasted bread works too!

Other great additions:

You don’t necessarily need to add anything else to your Thanksgiving charcuterie board ideas other than what I’ve listed above. But, if you’re having a large gathering and want to bulk up your spread, I have a few ideas!

Instant Pot apple butter is a sweet addition that pairs wonderfully with charcuterie and cheese. You can offer it in place of the honey, or in addition to!

Phyllo cup appetizers are kind of like a modern take on cheeseball and crackers, and they’d nestle right into this fall charcuterie board perfectly.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Olli Salumeria. All opinions are 100% my own.