Small Charcuterie Board for Two (Easy No-Cook)

Small Charcuterie Board for Two

Small portions of three meats and three cheeses give this no-cook board variety without turning it into a party platter. Folded turkey and ham, overlapping salami, and distinct cheese wedges and slices leave room for sweet prunes, crisp vegetables, pickles, and nuts. Toasted pita and crackers go on last to stay crisp, while three tiny dips sit beside the board instead of crowding it. The board takes about 20 minutes to assemble and serves two as a substantial appetizer or light grazing snack.

Ingredients for a Small Charcuterie Board

• 1 oz thinly sliced ready-to-eat deli turkey (about 30g)
• 1 oz thinly sliced ready-to-eat deli ham (about 30g)
• 1 oz sliced salami (about 30g)
• 1½ oz blue cheese, in a wedge (about 45g)
• 1½ oz herb-coated goat cheese, in a small log or section (about 45g)
• 1½ oz sliced marbled Colby Jack (about 45g)
• 4 to 6 ready-to-eat toasted pita triangles (about 35g)
• 8 to 10 round savory crackers (about 25g)
• ¼ cup pitted prunes (about 40g)
• ¼ cup carrot slices (about 30g)
• ½ cup small broccoli florets (about 35g)
• 6 to 8 cornichons or small gherkins, drained (about 35g)
• 2 tablespoons cashews (about 20g)
• 1 tablespoon prepared olive tapenade (about 15g)
• 1 tablespoon prepared hummus (about 15g)
• 1 tablespoon prepared seasoned yogurt dip (about 15g)

Use a roughly 10- to 12-inch rectangular board or platter, a narrow side plate, and three bowls small enough to hold about 1 tablespoon each.

How to Assemble the Board

1. Prepare the vegetables: Wash and thoroughly dry the carrots and broccoli. Cut them into bite-size pieces as needed, and drain the cornichons. Set out the cheeses while you prepare the board so they lose a little refrigerator chill.
2. Place the dips and cheeses: Spoon the tapenade, hummus, and yogurt dip into separate tiny bowls on the side plate. Position the blue-cheese wedge and goat-cheese log in different spots on the board, then fan the Colby Jack slices in a third spot.
3. Group the meats: Loosely fold the turkey and ham into adjacent groups near the upper center. Overlap the salami slices in a curved row across the middle, leaving room to lift pieces without disturbing the cheeses.
4. Fill the gaps: Add the prunes, carrots, broccoli, cornichons, and cashews in small, separate clusters. Keep the drained pickles away from where the pita and crackers will go. The board should look full, but each item should still be easy to pick up.
5. Add the crisp items: Line the back edge with toasted pita triangles and arrange the crackers along one side. If they crowd the board, serve a few alongside rather than stacking them against moist ingredients. Set the dip plate beside the board and serve promptly.

Portions and Easy Swaps

This board uses about 4½ oz of cheese and 3 oz of meat in total. Those are the amounts to serve, not package sizes to buy. The small, separate groups create variety without requiring large portions of each ingredient.

For fewer varieties, omit one cheese and one folded deli meat; the board will look different but still serve two. Brie or Boursin can replace the goat cheese, firm cheddar can replace Colby Jack, and unsalted almonds can replace the cashews.

Feeding a group instead? Try the large charcuterie board for a crowd.

What to Prepare Ahead and How to Store Leftovers

Prepare components ahead if needed, keeping meats, cheeses, dips, and cut vegetables chilled separately. Assemble the board shortly before serving and add the pita and crackers last. Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours of setting out the board.

Store leftover perishables in separate covered containers and follow their package storage guidance. Keep leftover pita and crackers in a separate airtight container to protect their crunch. Do not freeze the assembled board.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 2 servings: 585 calories, 29g protein, 34g fat, and 41g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 245 calories, 12g protein, 14g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Values will vary with the meats, cheeses, crackers, and prepared dips used.