Building a charcuterie board for just two does not have to be hard or complicated. In this post, I will show you how to build an easy charcuterie board for two. Great for an at home date night or a snack between friends.

I am a huge fan of charcuterie boards. I think it’s the fact that all the food just looks so elegant and delicious all spread out. It is bite size goodness that you can just pop into your mouth everytime you walk by. In the past, I have been overwhelmed with the thought of putting one together. Not to mention the potential cost. However, I have learned these are both myths. It doesn’t have to be complicated or break the bank whether for a party of 2 or 10. So many beautiful boards are designed for large parties but today, I will share how to build an easy charcuterie board for two people to share. My hope is that you will be inspired to build one without being overwhelmed or going broke.

History of Charcuterie

Pronounced “Shar-cute-er-ree”, the word charcuterie means “meat”, “cooked flesh” and “pork butcher shop.” It’s origins is found in France. In the 15th century, charcuterie shops popped up and supplied villages with cured and preserved meats. Today, charcuterie meats are the main staple item when people think of charcuterie boards. In addition, different cheese varieties, ferments, crackers, breads, vegetables, fruits and dips typically accompany the meats to create these delicious boards.

Who would enjoy this type of charcuterie board?

A charcuterie board for two makes a great at home date night option. It is affordable (see How much does it cost? section below) way to enjoy each others company just talking or while watching a movie over great food. This is another great idea if you just have one friend coming over to visit. You both can enjoy this board over conversation or while catching up one afternoon. Lastly, a small charcuterie board makes a great gift for someone. After my second baby, I made one for my midwife and her staff. They were surprised and they loved it!

Types of Boards

My favorite board to use for two is “16 x 9 ” wooden board that I got from Marshall’s for $15 (see picture below). Discount stores such as Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Home Goods and World Market are the best places I have found to find nice boards between $10-20. Currently, acacia wood and bamboo seem to be the most popular. You can never go wrong with just a basic wooden board as there is no right or wrong type of board to use.

How to Begin

The basics for a charcuterie board are meats, cheeses, bread/crackers. This is the foundation and from here more can be added on.

For a board for two- choose two meats. The following are some popular charcuterie meats that are used:

Ham/Prosciutto
Genoa Salami
Mortadella
Calabrese
Soppressata/ or any type of uncured sausage.

Next you want to choose a hard cheese and a soft cheese. Hard cheeses that are often used are:

Cheddar
Asiago
Gruyere
Swiss
Gouda

Soft cheese options:

Brie
Cream cheese
Feta
Chevre
Gorgonzola

For just two people, I personally don’t think you need a hard cheese and soft cheese. You can decide based on personal preference what type of cheeses you want but this does add variety to the board.

Crackers always go well with meat and cheeses. Below are a few options:

Club
Triscuits
Croccantini
Wheat Thins

If you are gluten free, Simple Mills and Vans have several different varieties that taste great.

Bread options:

Sliced baguettes
Cut up sourdough

What to put on a Charcuterie Board

After you have picked out your meats, cheeses, crackers/bread, then you can add the next layer. This would include one vegetable, one fruit and one ferment. The following are suggestions for the board:

Vegetables

Bell Peppers
Cucumbers
Carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Cauliflower

Fruits

Apples
Grapes
Oranges
Cherry Tomatoes
Strawberries
Kiwi

Ferments

Black olives
Green olives
Pickles

Many people enjoy dips with their boards. For a board for two, one dip is usually a plenty. For larger boards, a dip for the vegetables and dip for fruit is usually suggested. Below are some dip options:

Dips

Spinach/Artichoke
French Onion
Ranch
Guacamole
Hummus

At this point, your board is probably full. You can leave it as is or fill in the small spaces and begin layering on top of what you have.

Additional fill ins:

Nuts- peanuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans
Candies- chocolate, white chocolate, peppermints, caramels

Tips for Assembly

In the center, place the bowl of dip. This will be a focal point of the board that you can build around.
Place crackers/bread coming from the corners of the board. This can be coming in diagonally or creating an S shape through your board.
Place the meat parallel to the crackers/bread. In many cases, you will want to fold the meat in half especially if there are bigger pieces.
If using sliced cheese, continue parallel to the meat. If you are using a brick of cheese such as brie, place just off center to the center of the board along the edge.
Place fruit/vegetables around the edges of the dip bowl. This encourages use of dip and makes it easy for the eye to associate.
Ferments can go alongside the board like a garish. This will be the one item on the board that there will be the least of. You can also place in a small ramekin, if desired.
For the additional salty/sweet items such as chocolates and nuts, these can be placed behind the fruit/vegetables or either in small ramekins that can be placed on either corner or side of the board.
Don’t be afraid to place food to top of each other and layer as needed.
Charcuterie boards are paired nicely with any white or red wine of choice. Of course, whatever beverage the party wants to drink will go fine with a charcuterie board.

How much does it cost?

For two people, excluding drinks you can easily build a basic charcuterie board in under $30. That is a deal considering going out can be that cost per person. Some of the best deals on charcuterie meats and cheeses can be found at Trader Joes, Aldi and Target. There selections are very affordable. If these stores are not nearby, use what you have on hand. It doesn’t have to be fancy. As long as you have meat, cheese and crackers you are good to go. Add on what you wish based on the preferences of who will be enjoying the board.

Make your boards unique to what you enjoy eating. I hope this post has been a blessing to you and taken out the overwhelm of building your own small version of an at home charcuterie board.

Happy Charcuterie Board making!