How to Make a Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board

Make a beautiful Valentine's charcuterie board for a cozy night with your babe or to share for a Galentine's party with the girls. I have a full list of food items to include on your board, along with a great presentation to make your Valentine charcuterie board a success. 

Must Have Charcuterie Ingredients

For a full sized board, follow the rule of 3. Choose 3 meats, 3 cheeses, 3 fruits, 3 starches, and a few extras like dip, candy, or nuts. This larger grazing board is great for a Galantine's day celebration to share with your best girlfriends. It's easy appetizer that pairs perfectly with a glass of wine or pink cocktail. 

• Fresh Fruit- strawberries, sliced apples, fresh berries, or red grapes
• Hard Cheeses - look for white cheese like havarti, manchego, and white cheddar, or cheeses infused with red wine
• Soft Cheese- brie cheese or goat cheese paired with fig or strawberry jam are good choices
• Salami or prosciutto are perfect for their pink and red color. You can also add something with some heat like sopressata. 
• Variety of crackers with different textures and flavors

Valentine's Dessert Charcuterie Board Items

For a Valentine-themed charcuterie board, we are really going to lean in to sweet treats and heart shapes. 

• Conversation Hearts
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberries 
• Small candies like M&M's in red, white, and pink
• Chocolate Hearts
• Heart-Shaped Crackers
• Cream cheese fruit dip
• Sugar Cookies
• Red or Pink Macarons

To garnish your valentine board, use fresh flowers like babies breath or real roses to fill in any empty spaces. 

Serving Supplies 

​Aside from the presentation of your V-day theme, we can bring it all together with the serving utensils, bowls, and use heart-shaped cookie cutters to turn any food into a valentine food. 

• Wood board in a heart shape OR a large wooden board 
• Small Bowls 
• Heart Shaped Bowl
• Serving tongs
• Small Wine Glass Plates
• Small heart-shaped cookie cutter for creating heart-shaped cheeses
• Gold Spoons to add that extra fancy bit

Tips for Styling Foods

Check out my post on how to fold salami roses and other tips for styling charcuterie meats. 

Make cheese hearts with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. You can also do this with apple slices. 

​To make really beautiful boards, you need some symmetry and balance. Try to add cheeses on opposite sides of the board. Spread out the specialty items and crackers.

Make sure to add a few finishing touches like small serving spoons and knives. Fill in the empty spaces with candy, nuts, fresh flowers, or herbs. 

Putting Your Charcuterie Board Together

​Now that you know what foods to include on your board, it's time to put it all together. 

The first step is to lay your main ingredients. I start with a heart-shaped centerpiece made from the charcuterie meats and create a cheese border.

Next, I'll add the fruit and small bowls of dips or spreads. 

The last step is to fill in the rest of the board with crackers, wrapped candy, and any small details to finish your Valentine's Day board. 

Heart-Shaped Board for Two

If you want to create a romantic date night vibe, this is the perfect way to get in the spirit. 

Start by adding your larger items to the board on opposite sides. A salami rose one side and spicy sopressata on the other. 

Next, add sliced cheeses. Then a dip or spread to compliment the meat and cheese.

Finish the board with a couple kinds of crackers and extras like candy, olives, nuts, or cookies.

How to Make a Valentine's Dessert Board

If you just want to feed that sweet tooth and make a cute dessert board, I have you covered. This board is all sweet and super cute. 

Start with this easy chocolate dip recipe and my favorite cream cheese dip. Add items like red fruit, cookies, red and pink macarons, yogurt-covered raisins, and valentine themed candy.