If you plan on hosting a breakfast or brunch party, try making a breakfast charcuterie board. A breakfast board or platter is an easy way of impressing your guests. The best part is that it’s actually very simple to make!
If you want to make a charcuterie board for your next brunch party, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to make a breakfast board at home, from the essential items it must have, to charcuterie board ideas, to some great dishes and platters to add to your home.
What is a Breakfast Charcuterie Board?
A breakfast brunch charcuterie board is a wood board filled with your favorite breakfast items. Foods you can display on a brunch board are pancakes, fresh fruit, eggs, and bread. But you can add any foods you like, like these crescent cinnamon rolls! If you can dream it up, you can put it on your board.
A breakfast charcuterie is great for any occasion, like Mother’s Day or an anniversary. It can also become a fun activity to do with family or friends. And the best is that you can do it with the food, tools, and dishes you already have at home.
What Traditionally Goes on a Charcuterie Board?
Foods that traditionally go on a charcuterie board are cheese and cured meats. Bread, fruit, and vegetables are also common additions. Keep reading to learn what foods you need to make an epic charcuterie board.
- Meats. A traditional charcuterie board has meat as its main star. Examples of cured meats you can use are prosciutto, sausage links, smoked bacon, and salami.
- Cheese. You can add a variety of flavors and textures by adding different types of cheeses. Types of cheese you can add are gouda, cream cheese, brie, and Manchego cheese.
- Fruit and vegetables. Fresh fruit and seasonal vegetables are a great addition to any cheese board. Some items you can add are strawberries, olives, grapes, peppers, carrots, and tomatoes.
- Bread and crackers. Multigrain or herbed crackers are a good option because they go great with most cheeses. The best bread for a charcuterie board is sourdough bread, ciabatta, and baguettes. But you can also add baked goods like mini muffins or croissants.
- Nuts. Pairing nuts and cheese is very simple and it will bring your charcuterie board to a whole other level. You can add any nuts you like, such as almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts!
- Dips. Dips and spreads are a must! You can add small bowls with cheese dip, hummus, or this bacon and onion jam.
Making a Brunch or Breakfast Charcuterie Board
Making a brunch or breakfast charcuterie board is very simple. You don’t need many tools and you can use any foods you already have at home. Keep reading to learn what tools and ingredients you need to make a charcuterie brunch board!
Equipment and Tools
To make a breakfast charcuterie board, you’ll need a variety of kitchen tools. You’ll need different types of kitchen knives and a cutting board to slice fruit. And you’ll need pans and a spatula for cooking things like fluffy pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausages.
A waffle maker is a must if you want to add mini waffles to your brunch board. Other tools you might need are spoons, bowls, measuring cups, and a whisk. You’ll also need a hardwood charcuterie board and a set of 4oz ramekins or ceramic dishes for plating.
You should look for a charcuterie board made with teak, hard maple, American Cherry, or acacia. This hand-crafted acacia cheese board is great for large gatherings. And this all-in-one lazy Susan cheese board is ideal for a small brunch with friends or family.
Ingredients
A brunch charcuterie board is great for making your favorite breakfast foods. From hard-boiled eggs to pancakes topped with maple syrup and whipped cream. Here are some foods you should include in your breakfast charcuterie board:
- Pancakes and waffles. Pancakes and waffles are a must on any breakfast board. Flour, eggs, milk, butter, sugar, and salt are ingredients you’ll find in any waffles or mini pancakes recipe.
- Fruit. Strawberries, bananas, and blueberries are great additions to a breakfast charcuterie board. You can slice the fruit or use this fruit cutter set to cut the fruit into cute shapes!
- Eggs. Eggs are a breakfast staple, so they are a must when making a breakfast charcuterie board. Scrambled and sunny-side-up eggs are not ideal. Instead, you can make hard-boiled eggs, or these bacon, eggs, and cheese pinwheels.
- Meat. Breakfast meats are a great way of incorporating protein into your brunch board. You can include country ham, sausage links, and crispy bacon.
- Bread. Like a traditional charcuterie board, a breakfast board isn’t complete without bread. Savory bread, like Irish soda bread, baguettes, or sourdough, is a must. Baked goods like mini cinnamon rolls, donut holes, and mini croissants are also great.
- Jams and sauces. To make your breakfast platter organized, you can add small bowls with jams and sauces. Things you can include are jam, maple syrup, peanut butter, and chocolate sauce.
- Toppings. If you’re serving pancakes, crepes, or french toast, you’ll want to include toppings. Some great options are nuts, whipped cream, yogurt, chocolate chips, and granola.
Once you have everything you need, you can assemble your breakfast charcuterie board. Start with the biggest foods, such as bacon, eggs, bread, and pancakes. Then, fill the open spaces with smaller items like fruit, nuts, and other toppings.
Can I make my charcuterie board ahead of time?
Yes, you can make a charcuterie board ahead of time. But you’ll have to compromise on what you add to it. Add foods that you can make ahead of time, such as fruit, muffins, bread, or these bacon and gruyere egg bites.
If you want to add other items like bacon, pancakes, and waffles, you’ll have to prepare them on the same day. You can make these things ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven. To do this, assemble everything into a baking tray with parchment paper and put it in the oven at a low temperature.
Vegan and Gluten-Free Brunch Board Options
You make a breakfast charcuterie board even if you have any dietary restrictions. There are many alternatives for breakfast fans with a gluten-free or plant-based diet. Keep reading to learn more about vegan and gluten-free brunch board options!
The Best Vegan Brunch Board Options
You can make a vegan bunch board with all your breakfast favorites. Replace foods like eggs, ham, cheese, yogurt, and pancakes with vegan substitutes. Here are some ideas you can include in your vegan brunch board:
- Fruit. You can fill your vegan charcuterie brunch board with all kinds of fresh and dried fruit. Some fruits you can add are strawberries, bananas, peaches, and blueberries.
- Vegan eggs. There are plenty of vegan egg alternatives you can add to your breakfast board. Like tofu scramble and vegan egg substitutes like Just Egg.
- Vegan meat. You can buy plenty of plant-based meat alternatives to add to your brunch board. From seitan ham to vegan breakfast sausage patties.
- Pancakes and baked goods. Mini pancakes and baked goods are great finger foods you can add to a brunch charcuterie board. You can try making these mini cheesecakes, this cinnamon coffee cake, or even this two-ingredient pumpkin dump cake. Here’s a great article about turning nearly any baking recipe vegan.
- Toppings. Nuts make great toppings. Other toppings you can add are chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and vegan chocolate sauce.
The Best Gluten-Free Brunch Board Options
If you’re on a gluten-free diet, you can still make a brunch charcuterie board at home! Just replace bread, pancakes, and baked goods with gluten-free options. Here are some ideas:
- Waffles and pancakes. You can make gluten-free oat waffles or pancakes for your breakfast board. And you can top them with fresh fruit, maple syrup, chocolate chips, and nuts.
- Bread and cookies. You can buy or make gluten-free savory bread. You can also add other baked goods like these oatmeal and raisin gluten-free cookies!
- Eggs and meat. Adding eggs and meat, like bacon and sausages, can help you add protein to your brunch board. And don’t forget to also add different types of cheese.
Other Types of Charcuterie Boards
We’ve talked about traditional charcuterie boards, cheese boards, and breakfast boards. But there are other types of charcuterie boards, like dessert and fruicuterie boards. Keep reading to learn more about these different types of charcuterie boards.
Dessert Charcuterie Boards
Dessert boards can be filled with items such as baked goods, fruit, chocolate, and candies. Making a dessert charcuterie board at home is very simple. And it’s a great idea for special occasions like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.
Fruicuterie Boards
Fruitcuterie boards are charcuterie boards filled with fresh fruit and, sometimes, cheese. They are a great alternative for those that don’t eat meat or are looking for a healthy snack.
Themed Charcuterie Boards
If you’re planning a theme party, you should make a charcuterie board that goes along with it. A theme charcuterie board is a fun and easy way to impress your guests.
Seasonal Charcuterie Boards
A seasonal board is filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables. A great example is this summer charcuterie board. It’s a fun and easy way of incorporating healthy foods into your diet!
Charcuterie boards are very versatile. There are many different kinds of charcuterie boards to appease everyone. From cured meat lovers to breakfast fans.
In this article, we’ve covered everything you should know about charcuterie brunch boards. As you can see, they are very simple to make and can easily impress your guests. So make sure you make a breakfast charcuterie board for your next brunch party!
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