Heart-Shaped Charcuterie Board [Step-by-step] (2024)

I love watching videos of people making charcuterie boards. They always make it look so effortless, but it took me tons of rearranging, though, until I liked the layout. To keep things real here, I only used things I enjoy eating, so you won’t find any flowers and dehydrated fruits here. Valentine’s is coming soon, so it’s only logical to make a Heart-Shaped Charcuterie Board! Nothing screams romance like cheese and deli!

Why Will You Love this Recipe?

• Eclectic Textures – Charcuterie boards are an interplay of textures, they go from creamy, over chewy, smooth, and crumbly, to crunchy. For the gooey and velvety touch, I opted for camembert cheese, mozzarella for a soft and moist feel, feta for a crumbly and slightly grainy texture, and firm and dense cheddar. Lastly, salamis add the chewiness, while the fruit is there for crisp and juiciness.
• Rich Flavors – On this board, you’ll find different flavors that complement each other finely. Mild, nutty, earthy, tangy, salty, milky, and spicy are just a few words to describe the cheeses. Beef salami offers robust, rich, and savory notes, while turkey salami adds a bit of sweetness.
• Eye-Catching – Heart-shaped board definitely won’t pass unnoticed! I used shades of red for a pop of color, like apples, cherry peppers, beetroot crackers, and jam. To tie it all together, I shaped mozzarella into little hearts, made a heart on camembert cheese, and rose out of salami.
• Simple-to-Make Appetisers – The charcuterie board is super simple to prepare, you just need a bit of imagination. I wrote some tips and tricks below, that will make assembling this charcuterie board a breeze!

Ingredients

Of course, here is a long list of ingredients, but the good thing is, that you can substitute each with the ones you love the most.

• Camembert – the nutty taste pairs well with fruit and chocolate. Instead, go for brie
• Mozzarella – amazing with strawberry jam. Ricotta and burrata also have milky notes and similar texture
• Feta – salty cheese complements apples and olives flawlessly. Goat cheese is a good substitute
• Cream cheese stuffed cherry peppers – add a pop of color. Use store-bought or make them at home
• Cheddar with chili – you can go with regular cheddar, Emmental, Edam, or gouda
• Cream cheese roll – I used smoked paprika and chili roll, any other will do, as well
• Beef salami – adds a bit of spice and smokiness
• Turkey salami – smoked turkey breasts are a fine substitute
• Red apple – adds crispiness and juiciness
• Grapes – use a mix of white and black grapes. They work well with all the cheeses
• Black olives – bring a touch of bitterness to the board
• Crackers – I opted for beetroot sesame crackers and sesame bread sticks. Any kind is a good choice
• Strawberry jam – for a touch of sweetness
• Blackberry jam – goes wonderfully with camembert
• Dark chocolate – because why not? 😀

Tools You’ll Need

• Heart-Shaped Wooden Board
• Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutter
• Ramekin
• Heart co*cktail Pick

How to Make Heart-Shaped Charcuterie Board?

1. Slice Everything Up: Slice an unpeeled apple. Cube feta cheese and slice cream cheese roll. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to carve a heart on top of the camembert cheese and to cut mozzarella slices.

2. Prepare the Meat: Fold turkey salami around the rim of the glass. Arrange it in a few layers so it looks fuller. Fold beef salami in quarters and fasten them with a co*cktail pick.

3. Arranging: Transfer strawberry jam into a ramekin and fill the heart on top of the camembert with blackberry jam. Place them diagonally on the board and salami rose in the other part of the heart. Roll the cheddar cheese and fasten the rolls with a co*cktail pick. Place it next to the camembert, display cream cheese stuffed cherry peppers around the salami rose, and mozzarella hearts on the bottom. Arrange the beef salami around the bowl of jam. Fill the rest as you feel like. I like to place fruit on the edges, and feta and crackers in the middle.

Let’s arrange this board together!

Recipe Alternations

• Candy Board: If you’re more for the sweet board option, arrange your favorite candies on the board. Follow the same rule as for the savory one: something soft, something chevy, something crunchy, and something hard. I also like to add a bit of spiciness with chili chocolate or sour candy.
• Potato Board: Everyone’s favorite vegetable is tasty in every way. Here are some ideas on what to serve: mashed potatoes, fries, crispy roast potatoes, Hasselback potatoes, and hashbrowns.
• Change the Meat: For this board, I stuck to salami, but prosciutto, soppressata, ham, and mortadella pair flawlessly with all the cheeses.
• Change the Fruit: All berries and super juicy fruits are top-notch on the board. My favorites are melon, pears, apricots, oranges, and figs.

Tips

Here are some tricks to elevate your board in a moment!

1. Make Stuffed Cherry Peppers: Clean cherry peppers from the stem and seeds. Make a simple filling out of cream cheese and spices, or add parmesan, finely diced bacon, ham, prosciutto, or anchovies. They are finest when kept submerged in extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs and garlic.
2. Make Cheese Rolls: Form cream cheese in a roll and coat it with seeds or spices. This one is coated in smoked paprika and chili flakes, but toasted sesame seeds and chives are top-tier choices. You can also add some finely diced deli, or thinly cut ham in the middle. Options are endless!
3. Stop Apple from Browning: Soak apple slices in water and a bit of lemon juice. They will stay super crispy, fresh, and white for hours!
4. Start with Chunky Items: The ultimate tip is to start arranging with the biggest items. On this board, start with a bowl of jam, camembert cheese, salami rose, and cheddar skewers.
5. Different Shapes and Heights: Diverse heights add dimension to your board, as well as breaking up chunks of cheese, for example. Don’t slice everything perfectly, the charm is in rustic and tasty-looking items. So, crumble the cheese, break up the chocolate and crackers, or drizzle olive oil or honey on top of the cheese.
6. Edge the Circular Items: Always round circular objects, because that way the board looks neater and fuller. I did it with fruit and salami.
7. Make a Salami Arch: When you make a salami skewer, break it in the middle, so you get an arch. It is perfect to place on the top of a heart!
8. Color Scheme: Incorporate a few things in the same or similar shade. For example, I used black olives, blackberry jam, and black grapes to disperse the color all over the board. The same works for peppers, salami, and strawberry jam. Add pops of color here and there, like green grapes and mint leaves.

Storing Instructions

• Fruit: Keep the fruit in the fridge to save the crispiness. It is best to use crisper drawers or containers with ventilation. Pat the fruit dry before storing it, as it will last longer.
• Cheese: Cheeses require a stable cool temperature, so they are best when kept in a crisper drawer. Also, they are very prone to drying out, so wrap them before storing them. I recommend special cheese paper, but wax paper is excellent, as well. If you decide to use plastic foil, it needs to be swapped regularly.
• Meat: Of course, meat also requires refrigeration, with minimal temperature oscillations. It is best to wrap the meat in parchment paper, so it can breathe.
• Jam: Store the jam as labeled on a jar. It should be refrigerated.
• Crackers: Keep the crackers at room temperature, in airtight containers, so they stay crunchy.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Deviled Egg Cupcakes
• Turkey and Salami Sandwich
• Cream Cheese Chicken Roll Ups
• Chicken Crescent Roll Ups

Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.