Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board with Brie and Pumpkin Hummus

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

This no-cook Thanksgiving charcuterie board is an appetizer for grazing before dinner, not a turkey-shaped arrangement. A round brie with fig jam in its center and a bowl of pumpkin hummus topped with seeds anchor the spread. Folded salami, cheddar, apples, figs, apricots, olives, mustard, and crackers add creamy, salty, sweet, briny, and crisp bites.

The quantities make an estimated 8 to 10 light appetizer portions. Place the dishes first, then build close but reachable clusters around them.

Ingredients for the Board

• 1 round brie wheel, about 12 ounces (340g)
• 1/4 cup fig jam (about 80g)
• 8 ounces aged cheddar, cut into bite-size cubes (about 225g)
• 8 ounces sliced salami (about 225g)
• 1 cup prepared pumpkin hummus (about 240g)
• 2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds (about 20g)
• 3/4 cup mixed olives, drained (about 110g)
• 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard (about 60g)
• 3/4 cup dried apricots (about 100g)
• 2 apples, preferably one red and one green (about 350g)
• 2 fresh figs, quartered (about 100g)
• 6 ounces assorted crackers (about 170g)
• 3 small sprigs fresh rosemary

You’ll need a large wooden board or platter, four small dishes, a sharp knife, and a cheese knife or spreader. One dish holds the brie; the others hold the hummus, olives, and mustard.

How to Assemble the Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Prep time: 25 to 30 minutes   Cook time: None   Servings: 8 to 10 appetizer portions

1. Prepare the ingredients: Cube the cheddar while it is cold. Drain the olives, then wash and dry the apples, figs, and rosemary. Leave the apples whole until just before serving.
2. Fill the brie: Place the cold brie on a small dish. Cut and lift away a shallow circle of its top rind, leaving a wide, intact white border. Spoon the fig jam onto the exposed cheese. Do not hollow out the wheel or overfill the opening; the rind border should hold the jam.
3. Place the anchors: Set the brie near the upper center of the board. Add separate, stable bowls of pumpkin hummus, olives, and mustard, with space around each. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds over the hummus.
4. Build the clusters: Arrange the cheddar cubes and loosely folded salami in separate groups around the dishes. Add the dried apricots and quartered figs. Just before serving, slice the apples and arrange them where guests can easily reach them.
5. Finish the board: Tuck crackers into the remaining spaces, away from wet fruit and olives so they stay crisp. Leave room to lift them without breaking them, then add the rosemary sprigs. The board should look full without trapping any of the food.

Keeping the Board Easy to Serve

If the clusters are too crowded to reach, put some crackers in a separate dish rather than packing them onto the board. Refill the board as guests graze. For a longer gathering, set out a smaller board and replenish perishable foods from refrigerated reserves.

Another firm cheese can replace the cheddar, or another sliced cured meat can replace the salami. If pumpkin hummus is unavailable, thick prepared carrot hummus keeps the orange dip in the arrangement, though it changes the flavor.

Serve the board before Classic Roast Turkey, with Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch as an optional drink.

Make-Ahead, Serving Time, and Storage

Cut the cheddar, portion the condiments, and wash and dry the fruit ahead of time. Keep meat, cheese, hummus, and other prepared perishables covered in the refrigerator. Assemble the board close to serving; add freshly sliced apples and crackers last to prevent browning and softening.

The cheese can lose some of its chill before guests eat, but that time counts toward the board’s room-temperature display time. Do not leave perishable meat, cheese, dip, or cut fruit out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (30°C).

Promptly refrigerate leftovers that remained within those limits in separate covered containers. Discard perishables left out too long, and store crackers separately to keep them crisp. No reheating is needed; freezing the assembled board is not recommended.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per 1/9 of the board: 590 calories, 24g protein, 35g fat, and 40g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g: 260 calories, 11g protein, 16g fat, and 18g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands used and how the board is divided.