Charcuterie vs. Cheese Board: the Perfect Fall Spread With Everything From Trader Joe’s
As the temperatures get cooler, the leaves start to change (I love fall!), and we move to indoor entertaining, it’s the perfect time for a seasonal charcuterie or cheese board. Fall colors, textures, and flavors highlight these boards, making them the perfect way to bring people together. Whether it’s for a casual weekend get-together, a cozy fall dinner party, or Thanksgiving entertaining, it’s the ideal time to make a charcuterie and cheese board. They’re easy to assemble, endlessly customizable, and always look great on the table.
For fall, or any season for that matter, I like to think beyond the basics and mix in seasonal elements like roasted nuts, spiced jams, honey, figs, pears, or slices of crisp apple. I like to get creative with the presentation and love using things like mini carved-out pumpkins to hold jam and spreadable cheeses like Boursin. It’s such a simple touch, but it instantly makes the board feel festive and just right for the season. And after you’re done using them for the spreadable cheeses and jam, they work perfectly as little vases for small flowers.
For this particular charcuterie and cheeseboard, we made it without nuts as one of our guests had a nut allergy.
What makes a beautiful fall board so fun is the balance: a variety of flavors (sweet, salty, savory), a mix of textures (creamy, crunchy, chewy), and, of course, some thoughtful styling mixed in. With a few easy tips, you can create something that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Charcuterie Board vs. Cheese Board: What’s the Difference?
Traditionally, a charcuterie board focuses on cured meats like prosciutto, salami, soppressata, and pâté. They are often paired with complementary items like mustards, pickles, and crusty bread. A cheese board, on the other hand, typically features a variety of cheeses, often accompanied by additional items such as fruit, nuts, jam, and crackers.
But these days, the lines between the two have blurred. Modern boards often feature a mix of both — cheeses right alongside thinly sliced meats, seasonal fruit, olives, and spreads. Whether you call it a charcuterie board or a cheese board, the idea is the same: to create a beautiful and abundant spread that invites guests to sample and share.
So don’t worry too much about definitions — focus instead on building a board that feels seasonal and welcoming. For fall, that might mean warm colors, rustic textures, and a few touches like mini pumpkins or autumn leaves tucked in for decoration.
The 3-3-3-3 rule for charcuterie boards
Food bloggers and writers popularized the 3-3-3-3 rule for charcuterie and cheese boards. It’s a simple way of reminding us to use 3 types of cheeses, 3 types of meat, 3 types of starches, and 3 accompaniments. And while I don’t always follow this rule, I do like the concept of variety and balance. You may not always see 4 different 3s in my boards, but you will always see a variety of colors, flavors, and textures, which is actually the spirit of the rule.
Choosing the right board
The board you choose sets the tone for your presentations. I like to use the farmtable plank board we made from rustic wood and stained black. You can find that post here. But I also have a large marble cutting board that I often use. You can see how I used it in this post.
What you’ll need
Containers
- Small bowls of different shapes and sizes
- Small baskets
- Cheese knives
Ingredients (I got all of mine from Trader’s Joe’s)
Cheeses
- 2–3 varieties of cheese (a mix of soft and hard)
Examples: brie, aged cheddar, gouda, goat cheese, blue cheese - Optional: serve soft cheeses inside mini carved-out pumpkins
Cured meats
- Thinly sliced prosciutto
- Salami or soppressata
- Speck or thinly sliced ham
Seasonal additions
- Fresh figs, pears, or apple slices
- Clusters of grapes or pomegranate seeds
- Dried figs, apricots, or cranberries
- Roasted or candied nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds)
- Crackers, crostini, or baguette slices
Garnishes
- Fig jam, apple butter, or honey
- Fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme
- Cornischons or olives
- Edible flowers or autumn leaves for decoration
Layering
Once you’ve settled on the board you’ll be using, next comes the layering, which is what will make your charcuterie and cheese board unique. I like to start with small bowls or dishes, or maybe some ramekins for items like fig jam, soft cheeses, and nuts. For this board, I also used mini hollowed-out pumpkins for the Boursin cheese. They just look and feel like fall!
Now, I layer in the cheeses I’ve selected. Next, I add some crackers or bread slices if there’s room. If not, I place the bread or crackers in small baskets and set them next to the board. Then, I layer in the cured meats. You can arrange by overlapping, or you can roll them up or fold them over and tuck them in and around the bowls and cheeses. What I love most is that there is no right or wrong way of doing this. It just depends on what you think looks good.
And last, I might layer in some grapes, apples, or figs and then tuck in some fresh herbs and nuts around the meats and cheeses. If I have any left in my garden, I also mix in some edible flowers.
As you layer, think about color and texture. Deep reds from cured meats, creamy whites from cheese, the warm orange of pumpkin, it’s all part of creating that cozy fall look.
Once everything is arranged, step back and take a look. And remember, it doesn’t need to be perfect. The beauty of a seasonal board is in its variety, abundance, and the feeling it creates.
To make it easy, I got all the cheese and meat, crackers, jam, and fruit from Trader Joe’s
I don’t have a secret to picking the cheese type or cured meat. The kind of cheese and meat you choose is up to you and what you like.
I usually start at the cheese section in the grocery store and choose the cheeses that look good to me on that particular day. However, it’s important to have a selection of cheeses that includes both soft and hard cheeses in different shapes and sizes. I think the different shapes and sizes are important in the layering and presentation of the board.
Once I’ve chosen my cheeses, I move on to the meat section. Thinly sliced salami and soppressata are always a favorite. But I also like to add in some prosciutto or other types of soft ham.
Creativity and style
A fall charcuterie and cheese board isn’t just an appetizer. It’s a celebration of the flavors and colors of the season, along with a display of your creativity and style. With a few simple ingredients and creative touches like mini pumpkins, you can create something beautiful, delicious, and perfectly cozy for any seasonal gathering.
I love that you included cheese boards! Since I had colon cancer 13 years ago I don’t eat cured meats any longer. They are a class one carcinogen. Sometimes I miss salami but have experimented with alternative foods such as dried fruit, sardines, pickled herring and smoked salmon or trout. And of course nuts. Jicama sliced and cut into shapes with small cookie cutters is always a hit. And olives!! Boards are a big hit at parties and often very little left. Year around it’s an easy way to entertain.
Hi Leslie! Good to know about cured meats! I love your idea of Jicama sliced and cut into shapes. I always forget about jicama!