With this simple tutorial, you’ll learn how to make the best Fruit and Cheese Platter that’s perfect for entertaining any time of year! It’s not just cheese and crackers here. It can be a sophisticated and impressive spread that will impress your guests.
Nothing beats a beautiful fruit and cheese platter loaded with sweet and savory treats for easy entertaining. It changes with the seasons and is perfect for summer get-togethers as well as cozy Christmas and New Year’s parties.
Some other occasions when you might consider serving a fruit and cheese platter include:
- dinner parties
- book clubs
- holiday celebration
- bridal shower
- baby shower
- birthday party
- graduation party
- game night
- New Year’s Eve
- and basically any other time you can think of.
In this post, I’ll share my favorite ideas for what to include on a fruit and cheese platter, as well as my best tips and tricks for not only the best fruit and cheese pairings, but also how to make a fruit and cheese board look appealing.
Don’t be intimidated by putting together a fruit and cheese platter; the one in these photos took all of 5 minutes to put together for an impromptu family get-together the day after Black Friday while cousins were still in town.
I mostly just used what I already had in the fridge or pantry, then carefully placed them on one of Paul’s large wooden cutting boards, which he made for me last Christmas.
Best Cheese For a Cheese Board
I like to think about taste, texture, and appearance when deciding what to put on my fruit and cheese board, and let those factors guide me. It’s also a good idea to offer a variety of cheeses made from different milk sources: cow, goat, and sheep cheeses all have different flavors and textures.
That being said, serve at least one cheese that the majority of people will recognize and be familiar with. 2 ounces of cheese per person is a good estimate.
I try to choose three different best cheeses, because odd numbers are the most visually appealing, and I go for wedge-shaped, circular, and cubed or sliced cheeses to provide visual variety. A soft cheese, a hard cheese, and a crumbly cheese are three different types of best cheese to consider.
I used a spreadable Boursin garlic & herb cheese, a sweet, soft brie, and a classic sharp cheddar cut into cubes for the board in these photos.
Many supermarkets have specialty cheese sections next to the deli, which is where you should go to select the cheeses for your cheese board. You can even sample cheeses at some locations, and if you’re stumped or overwhelmed, a cheesemonger can assist you in selecting a good variety.
Because I don’t enjoy super intense cheeses, I don’t get too ambitious with my cheese selections (looking at you, blue). For the most part, all of the cheeses listed below will be safe (but not boring!) choices for most people.
The Best Fruit and Cheese Platter Full Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- Variety of cheeses: Aim for a mix of textures, shapes and strengths.
- Variety of fruits (fresh or dried): Apples, pears, cherries, berries, grapes, apricots, persimmons, oranges, dates, etc.
- Something salty: Olives, cornichons, mustard, cured meats or nuts.
- Something sweet: Jams, fruit spreads, honey or dark chocolate
- An assortment of sliced crusty bread, crackers, breadsticks, or crunchy breadsticks
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by arranging larger items on a large, flat surface like a cutting board. Items in containers like bowls of olives, small jars of jam, or a ramekin of honey are a good starting point.
- Next, place a variety of cheeses on different corners of the board. Place a cheese knife next to each selection so the flavors don’t get mixed.
- Arrange sliced crusty bread or crackers near the cheese. Try not to go overboard since these can take up a lot of real estate on your fruit and cheese platter. Sometimes I serve these in a separate bowl or plate next to the fruit and cheese platter instead.
- Set cured meats like salami or summer sausage on the board next.
- Add larger fruits like sliced apples, pears, persimmons, pomegranate segments, and so on, filling up the board.
- Fill in empty spaces with smaller fruits like grape clusters, berries, dried fruit, nuts, and squares of dark chocolate.
Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
