One big board, about 30 minutes of assembly, and enough cheese, meat and fruit for 20 guests to graze before dinner.
Recipe overview
- Serves: about 20 as a pre-dinner snack
- Hands-on: about 30 minutes, no cooking
- Buy: about 1½ pounds cured meat and 2 pounds cheese (planning estimates)
- Safe out: 2 hours, then refrigerate or swap in a fresh tray
A Christmas charcuterie board is a big tray of cheese, cured meat, crackers, fruit and small bites that guests pick at with their hands. For 20 people before dinner, plan on about 1½ pounds of meat and 2 pounds of cheese, laid out in six steps that take about 30 minutes.
The hard part isn't the arranging. It's buying the right amount, so the board doesn't look picked over in 20 minutes or leave you with a pound of brie on Boxing Day.
How much meat and cheese do you need for 20 people?
When the board is a snack before a meal, about 1 ounce of meat and 1½ ounces of cheese per guest is a good starting point. When the board is most of the food at an open house, double it. These are planning estimates, so round up if your crowd skipped lunch.
For a board for 20 before dinner, that comes to:
- About 1½ pounds of cured meat, split across 3 kinds
- About 2 pounds of cheese, split across 3 or 4 kinds
- 3 boxes of crackers plus 1 baguette, sliced
- About 3 cups of fruit and 2 cups of nuts and olives
Pick cheeses that look and taste different. A soft one (brie), a sharp one (aged cheddar), a crumbly one (blue or feta) and something mild for kids (Colby Jack cubes) cover most guests.
Christmas charcuterie board for 20
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Ingredients for the board
Check off ingredients as you go. Cook mode keeps your screen awake.
Cheese
Meat
Fill-ins
How to build it
- Pick your base. Use the largest board or tray you own, or two smaller ones.
- Place 3 or 4 small bowls first for the olives, jam and nuts. Space them out so they anchor the board.
- Set the cheeses next, spread across the board. Cut a few slices from each so guests know how to start.
- Fold the salami into quarters and the prosciutto into loose ribbons. Lay them in winding lines between the cheeses.
- Fan the crackers and baguette slices along the edges and in the open spaces near the cheese.
- Fill every gap with grapes, clementine segments, pomegranate seeds and nuts. Tuck rosemary sprigs around the edges so the board looks green and festive.
Swap: For a wreath board, use a round tray, put a small bowl in the center, and build everything in a ring around it with rosemary along the outside edge.
Small bowls keep wet foods like olives and jam from soaking the crackers. These hold about 3 ounces each, so refill them from the jar during the party.
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A large bamboo board with a slide-out drawer of cheese knives covers the base and the cutting tools in one piece. It's a gift-style set, so any big cutting board or sheet pan you already own works just as well.
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How long can a charcuterie board sit out?
Perishable food like cheese and sliced meat shouldn't sit out more than 2 hours. The USDA's leftovers guidance says to get food into the fridge within 2 hours. After that, put the board away or bring out a fresh one.
For a party that runs longer, build two smaller boards instead of one huge one. Keep the second one covered in the fridge and swap it in after about 90 minutes. Guests get a full-looking board, and nothing sits out past the 2-hour mark.
You can slice the hard cheeses and fold the meats the day before. Wrap them tightly and keep them cold, then assemble the board right before guests arrive.
Make it look like Christmas without extra work
Color does most of the work. Red comes from pomegranate seeds, salami and pepper jelly. Green comes from grapes, olives and rosemary, and white from brie and clementine pith. Put each color in at least three spots so the whole board looks planned.
If you'd rather serve a lighter tray too, a Christmas veggie platter or a Christmas cheese ball sits well next to the board. For the rest of the menu, see our Christmas party food ideas.
Your board, start to finish
The goal was a board that feeds 20 without running out or leaving a pile of leftovers. Buy about 1½ pounds of meat and 2 pounds of cheese, build it in six steps, and swap in a fresh tray before the 2-hour mark.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead can I make a Christmas charcuterie board?
Assemble it right before guests arrive. You can slice hard cheese and fold meats the day before and keep them wrapped in the fridge. Add crackers right before serving so they stay crisp.
What cheese is best for kids on a charcuterie board?
Mild cubed cheeses like Colby Jack, mozzarella or Havarti get eaten first. Cube them so small hands can grab them. Keep strong blue cheese at one end of the board.
How do I keep crackers from going soft?
Keep them away from wet foods like olives, jam and juicy fruit. Fan them along the edges and next to the hard cheeses. Refill from the box instead of piling them all on at once.
Can I make a Christmas charcuterie board without meat?
Yes, add more cheese, nuts, roasted vegetables and marinated artichokes. Plan on about 2 ounces of cheese per guest when there's no meat. Label the board so meat-free guests know it's safe for them.
What can I do with leftover charcuterie?
Refrigerate it within 2 hours of setting it out, then use it within a few days. Leftover cheese and salami go well in omelets, pasta or grilled cheese. Toss anything that sat out longer than 2 hours.
Do I need a special board?
No, any large cutting board, baking sheet or platter works. A board with a lip or edge keeps grapes from rolling off. Two smaller trays are easier to swap in and out than one huge one.
How much does it cost to make a board for 20?
It depends on your store and which cheeses you pick. Store-brand cheddar and salami keep the cost down, and a few small wedges of a fancier cheese make the board look special. Buying whole blocks and slicing them yourself usually costs less than pre-sliced trays.
Be Honest: What Shape Is Your Holiday Board?
A wreath on a round tray looks festive but holds less. A long board fits more food, and two small boards are easier to refill.
What always runs out first on your board? Tell us in the comments.
