How to Make the Ultimate Vegan Charcuterie Board
This Vegan Charcuterie Board will be a huge hit at your next party or gathering of friends and family. It’s perfect for entertaining during the holidays or even game night!
Loaded with hummus, oil-free vegan cheese, crackers, olives, veggies, and fruit, these vegan snack boards will be the life of the party!
In the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) community, we often talk about eating the rainbow because of all of the colorful foods we enjoy. There is no better demonstration of that than with a vegan snack board like this.
What is a charcuterie board?
Charcuterie is a French term that refers to a method for preserving meats such as bacon, ham, and sausage. People began creating charcuterie boards by serving an assortment of snack foods that include these processed meats along with crackers, cheese, dips, and other finger-type foods.
Over the years, the term has grown to include many different types of charcuterie boards that resemble more of a smorgasbord that can even incorporate vegan versions like the ones displayed here.
Vegan ingredient options
Though there are no set rules for what should be served on a vegan charcuterie board, the main goals are that the food should be healthy, beautiful, and delicious. These are some of the items I like to include.
- Hummus- It’s such a simple ingredient that can be eaten on crackers, veggies, and crusty bread. There are so many different oil-free varieties to choose from like Basic Garlic, Roasted Red Pepper, Italian, and even Edamame Hummus.
- Vegan Cheese– Though a charcuterie board doesn’t have to include cheese, I think it’s a great accompaniment because they add so much flavor like this Sliceable Vegan Cheese or even my spreadable Ricotta Cheese.
- Fresh Vegetables- There are so many great raw veggie options that include colorful red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, celery and carrot sticks, broccoli, cauliflower, raddishes, cucumbers, and anything else you can think of. The more colorful your board is, the better.
- Fruit- Who doesn’t love fruit? Grapes are always a great option, as well as berries such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Oranges are so bright and colorful too. Personally, I wouldn’t include apple slices or bananas because they quickly begin to get brown spots.
- Olives- Some WFPB folks avoid olives due to their high fat content, but I think they are a terrfic option for a snack board like this. Choose green, black, or any type of olives desired.
- Nuts- Whether it’s almonds, cashews, or some other kind of nut, they make great charcuterie board options.
- Pickels- Those baby dills are perfect or even the bread and butter variety.
- Crackers- Personally, I love oil-free Mary’s Gone Crackers that I find at my local grocery store or online. Melba toast is another good option.
- Bread- Crusty bread is the best choice for a board like this in my opinion, and chunks of sourdough bread are excellent.
- Roasted Chickpeas- To add a little more crunch, roasted chickpeas like my Salt & Vinegar or Air Fryer Chickpeas are fabulous additions.
When to serve a charcuterie board
Charcuterie boards are great to serve for so many occasions such as holidays, birthday parties, bridal or baby showers, or game nights. I’ve even heard of some families calling it dinner on movie nights together.
What size board should be used?
Truthfully, the size and type of board are totally up to you and will depend on the size of the crowd you’ll be feeding on it.
You can purchase a special charcuterie board that comes with little bowls, slots, and utensils. Or, you could just use a cutting board that you already have on hand.
The size will depend on the number of people being served. If it’s just a couple of people, something like an 8″x8″ or 9″x13″ will work just fine. If it’s a larger crowd, you might want to go with an 18″x24″ board that should accommodate up to 10 people or more if there are other dishes being served.
How to arrange it
- Large items- Typically, it’s best to start by placing the larger items such as bowls of hummus and blocks of vegan cheese on the board.
- Medium size items- Next, anything in a jar or small pinch-type dish can be added. This would include things like olives and nuts.
- Small stuff- Finish up by arranging any loose items like veggies, fruit chunks, and crackers.
Pro tips & suggestions
- Keep it dry- Foods that tend to hold juice should be served in a bowl. Things like olives, pickels, and artichoke hearts will cause crackers and bread to become dampened if they are loose on the board.
- Spread colors- Try to spread out the foods that are similar in color such as red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes so that the color is balanced on the board.
- Don’t go overboard- Believe me, there are SO many food items to choose from that it will be hard to narrow it down. Don’t get all crazy with trying too many different types of food. Keep it simple.
More vegan snack ideas
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Best Vegan Cheese Recipe (Sliceable)
Ingredients
- 1 cup potatoes peeled & diced
- 1/4 cup carrots diced
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup broth from veggies
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (or 1/2 c white beans)
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 1 cup water
- 2.5 tablespoons agar-agar POWDER OR flakes 7.5 TBS
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Place potatoes, carrots, and onion in the pot and allow to cook until veggies are tender–approximately 15 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on how small the veggies are diced.
- When veggies are tender, drain and place them in a blender. NOTE: reserve 1 cup of the broth, and add to blender. Add all the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
- I have a Vitamix blender and so don't take the time to soak my cashews. That thing is powerful and everything that goes into it comes out creamy. However, if your blender isn't jet engine speed, soaking the cashews in warm water for at least 30-minutes before adding to this recipe will help this recipe come out more creamy.
- Once blended to a nice and smooth consistency, set the cheese sauce to the side while you prepare the thickener. By the way, at this point, this dairy-free cheese sauce could be used in nacho cheese dip, mac-n-cheese, topping for steamed broccoli, or anything else you need a creamy, cheesy sauce in. This recipe makes approximately 1 quart and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- In a small or medium saucepan, add 1 cup water plus 2.5 tablespoons agar powder and bring it to a boil. It is important not to leave it at this point because it will thicken pretty quickly. I have found that agar POWDER works better than agar flakes for firming up this cheese recipe. If you only have agar flakes on hand, you'll need to triple the amount (7.5 tablespoons).
- Turn down the heat to low and whisk continually until the mixture thickens to a molasses-like consistency.
- Next, quickly pour it into the blender with the prepared cheese sauce and blend for approximately 30 seconds to mix it well.
- Now, it’s time to pour the cheese into containers that are the shape that you would like your hard cheese in. Personally, I use mini loaf pans and round souffle dishes. Another good option would be mini loaf nonstick silicone molds.
- Smooth out the top of each one with a spoon or spatula so that when they are flipped out onto a plate, the bottom will be flat.
- Place the molds into the refrigerator for a at least couple of hours or longer. As it chills, the harder the cheese becomes, so the longer the better. Carefully turn out the cheese blocks onto a plate or serving platter with crackers.
- You may need to use a knife to run along the edges of your dish or mold to make the cheese release. Then turn it upside down onto a plate.
- We love to serve these with an oil-free cracker called Mary’s Gone Crackers. If you’re entertaining, this vegan cheese recipe makes the perfect addition to a Charcuterie Board along with some hummus, veggies, and even fruit.
Equipment
Video
Notes
Substitutions and variations
NOTE: I have found that agar POWDER works better than agar flakes for firming up this cheese recipe. If you only have agar flakes on hand, you'll need to triple the amount (7.5 tablespoons). One of the best things about this vegan cheese is that it can be made with either cashews or white beans for those avoiding nuts. Better yet, do a combination of both to reduce the fat but maintain the creamy rich texture.- 1st Version: Originally, I made it with 1/2 cup of raw cashews.
- 2nd Version: Now, I sometimes sub out white beans–like navy beans or cannellini–to lower the fat content even more. For those avoiding nuts completely, this is a terrific nut-free cheese sauce.
- 3rd Version: Nowadays, I mostly make with a combination of the two–1/4 cup cashews + 1/4 cup white beans. It has a warm creamy texture with less fat. This easy vegan cheese sauce has so many options!
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
How to Make the Ultimate Vegan Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
Vegan Cheese Options
- cheese block homemade
- ricotta
Spreads & Dips
Veggies
- baby carrots
- celery sticks
- colorful bell pepper sices red, orange, yellow, green
- raddish slices
- cucumber slices
- broccoli florets
- cauliflower chunks
Fruits
- grapes red, green, blue
- berries blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
- orange slices
Crackers & Bread
- oil-free crackers
- melba toast
- sourdough bread chunks
Other items
- Nuts almonds, cashews, pistachios
- olives
- Roasted chickpeas
- pickels
Instructions
- Prep Work
- Decide on the size of board you'll be using based on how many people will be served. For help deciding, check out my suggestions in the Recipe Notes section below.
- Prepare any items that are being made from scratch such as hummus, vegan cheeses, dips. I like to do this a day ahead of time.
- Prep all of the veggies and fruit by washing and slicing them into chunks.
- Assemble the Board
- Large items- Typically, it’s best to start by placing the larger items such as bowls of hummus and blocks of vegan cheese on the board.
- Medium size items- Next, anything in a jar or small pinch-type dish can be added. This would include things like olives and nuts.
- Small stuff- Finish up by arranging any loose items like veggies, fruit chunks, and crackers.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Keep it dry- Foods that tend to hold juice should be served in a bowl. Things like olives, pickels, and artichoke hearts will cause crackers and bread to become dampened if they are loose on the board.
- Spread colors- Try to spread out the foods that are similar in colors such as red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes so that the color is balanced on the board.
- Don’t go overboard- Believe me, there are SO many food items to choose from that it will be hard to narrow it down. Don’t get all crazy about trying too many different types of food. Keep it simple.
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
I love this idea! A great alternative to the processed meats/cheeses that are typically featured on charcuterie boards. I’m planning to do a blog on this topic and will definitely include a link to this page!
Hi Cyd- Thank you! I can’t wait to read your article, so please send me a link when you get it up. I’ll share it on my social media platforms.
Terri, can you tell me how long this will keep in the fridge? Just wondering as far as making ahead of time for the holidays, and also if it can be frozen?
Kim- Since there are so many different items that you can use on a charcuterie board, I suggestion making it only a few hours ahead of time. If you make the sliceable cheese ahead and store it in an airtight container seperately, it will last 7-10 days.