What’s more satisfying than enjoying a plate of cured meats and artisanal cheeses at a holiday gathering? Enjoying a plate of cured meats and artisanal cheeses at home...in your pajamas… and not sharing with anyone but your favorite human. Big gatherings might be cancelled this year, but you can still enjoy the perfect charcuterie board at home. Don’t know how to make a good charcuterie board? Here are some pointers for the perfect mini holiday spread.

Find a Serving Board or Tray

 Tbh this is totally optional since it’s just you and your significant other/ roommate/ bestie. You could just opt for a regular plate, but putting a little extra effort into the presentation makes the whole thing feel more festive, and we could all use that right now, right? Since you’re just serving two, you can get an Insta-worthy charcuterie serving board on the cheap – the smaller sizes are usually way less expensive. This time of year Trader Joe’s puts out a gorgeous olive wood serving board that’s only $13 and always sells out. If you don’t have TJs around, Prime it and get this fancy fancy cheese board and knife set delivered to your door.

Sticks and Jerky!

Really, there’s nothing more delicious than a sampling of charcuterie board meats all fanned out for the taking. Try a meat platter that features a variety of salami, uncured pepperoni, prosciutto, soppressata, Spanish chorizo, coppa, or any other cured meat that sounds exotic but isn’t really. You can get small portions cut at the butcher’s counter so you don’t end up with more than you need. Also jerky. Artisanal jerky is perfect for a mini charcuterie board because any leftovers from the bag aren’t perishable, and you can just snack on them throughout the week (if they last that long). Add a rosemary turkey stick or two for an unexpectedly delicious flavor profile.

All the Cheese

How do you like your cheese? Hard and nutty? Soft and creamy? Most people like some combo of both. So aim for three to five different types depending on how hungry the two of you are. You can’t go wrong with blue cheese, brie, goat cheese, soft farm cheese, mozzarella, or manchego. Pro tip: look in that little section of fancy cheeses that are priced per pound. You can usually find a few tiny portions, so you can still have a variety without spending half your paycheck or buying enough cheese to feed ten people instead of two.

Add Some Fixins

That’s just a fancy way of saying “all that other stuff.” Throw on some sweet peppers, a small bowl of hummus, or a spinach and artichoke dip, olives, nuts, and a delicious jam like cherry or fig. Fruit like strawberries, grapes, and blackberries add rich color to your board. Oh, and don’t forget the crackers. You can always put those on the side if needed, or slice up a baguette.

Make It Instagram-able

Because if they can’t see all your hard work in person, they should at least see it on Insta. To arrange your charcuterie board, layer your meats, cheeses, and extras. Add height with a pretty glass bowl full of jam or olives. Embellish the whole thing with sprigs of herbs to make it look pulled together.

How about that? You’ve recreated what is objectively the best part of holiday parties and made it the perfect size for two. Now pop open a bottle of wine or bubbly and practice saying the word “charcuterie” (shahr-ku-tuh-ree) so you really sound like you know what you’re doing.

Still not sure what meats to include? Check out our many flavors that will excite and delight for the holidays and anytime of year.