Brunch Charcuterie Board with Bagels and Waffles

Brunch Charcuterie Board

Whole sesame bagels and mini waffles anchor this round brunch board, with eggs, cheese, fruit, and small clusters of savory proteins filling the spaces between them. Three bowls hold the halved eggs, granola, and hummus, so the board can be generously filled without becoming difficult to serve.

Most ingredients are purchased ready to eat or prepared ahead. Set out the bowls and large foods first, keep juicy fruit away from the waffles and crackers, and add the avocado just before serving.

Ingredients for a Brunch Charcuterie Board

Makes one grazing board for about 8 people. Use an approximately 20- to 24-inch round board and three small bowls, or divide the ingredients between two smaller platters.

• 4 whole sesame bagels
• 8 prepared mini round waffles
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
• 6 ounces cooked bacon (170g)
• 8 ounces fully cooked breakfast sausage links (225g)
• 4 ounces smoked salmon (115g)
• 4 ounces sliced salami (115g)
• 1 Brie wedge, about 8 ounces (225g)
• 1 Gruyère wedge, about 6 ounces (170g)
• 2 pink grapefruit, halved
• 1 small bunch green grapes, about 1 pound (450g)
• About 3 cups mixed strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries
• 2 avocados
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, some halved (150g)
• 3/4 cup green olives, drained
• About 4 ounces plain crisp crackers (115g)
• 3/4 cup granola
• 3/4 cup hummus
• 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
• 4 to 6 small fresh rosemary sprigs

If desired, offer 1/2 cup maple syrup for the waffles or about 4 ounces cream cheese for the bagels and salmon. Keep both separate from the board.

How to Assemble the Brunch Board

1. Prepare the ingredients: Make sure the eggs, bacon, and sausage are fully cooked and ready to eat. Wash and thoroughly dry the fruit. Halve the eggs and grapefruit, drain the olives, and halve some of the tomatoes.
2. Warm foods if desired: Toast the mini waffles for a crisp exterior. Reheat fully cooked bacon or sausage according to package directions if serving them warm. Let warmed foods stop steaming before placing them near cheese or fruit. Keep the bagels whole and provide a knife for serving.
3. Set out the bowls and large foods: Fill the three bowls with eggs, granola, and hummus, then stagger them across the board within easy reach. Arrange the bagels, overlapping waffles, grapefruit halves, grape bunch, Brie, and Gruyère around them.
4. Add savory clusters: Place the smoked salmon near a bagel. Arrange the bacon, sausage, salami, olives, and tomatoes in distinct clusters. Tuck crackers near the cheese or hummus, leaving space between them and the grapefruit, dip, and moist proteins.
5. Finish just before serving: Halve and pit the avocados, then add them and the berries to the remaining spaces. Scatter pomegranate arils over the waffles and tuck rosemary sprigs between clusters. Fill the board nearly to the edges without burying the bowls or cheese. Serve with a cheese knife and small spoons or tongs.

How to Keep the Board Easy to Serve

A full board works best when each food stays in a recognizable, reachable cluster. Keep extra ingredients off the board for replenishing rather than piling them over the bowls or serving edges. On a wooden board, food-safe parchment or wax paper beneath especially juicy foods can help protect the surface.

For a lighter spread alongside other brunch dishes, keep the fruit, bakery foods, and cheese but serve fewer meats. For a smaller gathering, try this small charcuterie board for two.

What to Prepare Ahead

Cook or purchase the eggs and meats ahead and keep them refrigerated. Wash and dry the fruit in advance, and gather the bowls and utensils before assembly. Add the crackers and waffles close to serving so they stay crisp; halve the avocados at the last minute to limit browning.

Allow 25 to 30 minutes to prepare and arrange the board, plus 5 to 10 minutes if you choose to toast or warm any components. The board itself requires no cooking.

Keeping the Board Fresh and Storing Leftovers

Keep eggs, meats, cheese, hummus, and other perishables chilled until close to serving. For a longer brunch, set out smaller portions and replenish them from the refrigerator. Do not leave perishable foods at room temperature for more than two hours; discard any that exceed that limit.

If food stayed within the serving window, promptly refrigerate leftover perishables in separate covered containers. Store bagels, crackers, and granola separately so they do not absorb moisture, and follow package guidance for individual storage times. Reheat only individual cooked meat components according to their package directions, not the assembled board.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 grazing servings of the listed ingredients and excluding optional syrup or cream cheese: 1,035 calories, 46g protein, 56g fat, and 87g carbohydrates. Per 100g, that is approximately 190 calories, 8g protein, 10g fat, and 16g carbohydrates. Actual amounts will vary with the foods each guest chooses.