Build a Cheese Platter in SIX Easy Steps
Building a beautiful and delicious cheese platter doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Follow these six simple steps to become a total cheese ninja!
Vegetarians? Skip the charcuterie (or serve it separately).
Lots of kids? Keep things mild and colorful.
For an appetizer, serve 3-4 total ounces per person.
For a main course, serve 5-6 ounces per person.
Cured meats like Prosciutto and salami are natural partners, while decadent, velvety pâte is always a treat.
Nuts, pickles, olives, and mustards add savory tang while creating a beautiful visual element.
Fruit jam, quince paste, or honey can be spooned into a ramekin and placed amongst the cheeses. Fresh and dried fruits add additional sweetness, acidity, and color.
White wine with high acid and a bit of residual sugar cuts richness and balances saltiness while amplifying flavor. Great choices: Riesling, Gewurztraminer.
Red wine is robust and fruity - just don’t go too heavy, as a “big red” can dominate everything else. Great choices: Malbec, Pinot Noir.
Provide a knife for each cheese so flavors don’t mingle. It’s just prettier (and tastier) that way.
Make it educational by labeling your cheeses. (Note: this is only if you have time – it’s by no means necessary.)
Step #1: Know your guests
Cheese novices? Opt for more approachable selections.Vegetarians? Skip the charcuterie (or serve it separately).
Lots of kids? Keep things mild and colorful.
Step #2: Quantity
Select 3-5 cheeses for variety without overwhelming your guests.For an appetizer, serve 3-4 total ounces per person.
For a main course, serve 5-6 ounces per person.
Step #3: Variety
Offer different looks, tastes, and feels with one soft-ripened, one semi-firm, and one hard cheese. Then throw in a couple with interesting colors and/or flavors.Step #4: Accompaniments
Bread and crackers are the means by which the cheese gets to your mouth. Ideal choices: sliced baguette, raisin nut bread, interesting flatbreads. Tip: serve more than one!Cured meats like Prosciutto and salami are natural partners, while decadent, velvety pâte is always a treat.
Nuts, pickles, olives, and mustards add savory tang while creating a beautiful visual element.
Fruit jam, quince paste, or honey can be spooned into a ramekin and placed amongst the cheeses. Fresh and dried fruits add additional sweetness, acidity, and color.
Step #5: Beverages
Sparkling wine complements cheese like nothing else, so have plenty on hand. Great choices: Champagne, Prosecco, and my secret weapon, Spanish Cava (tastes like Champagne, but at a fraction of the cost).White wine with high acid and a bit of residual sugar cuts richness and balances saltiness while amplifying flavor. Great choices: Riesling, Gewurztraminer.
Red wine is robust and fruity - just don’t go too heavy, as a “big red” can dominate everything else. Great choices: Malbec, Pinot Noir.
Step #6: Presentation
Allow cheeses to sit at room temperature for an hour. Not only will they reach ideal flavor and texture, but this gives you plenty of time to get ready before your guests arrive!Provide a knife for each cheese so flavors don’t mingle. It’s just prettier (and tastier) that way.
Make it educational by labeling your cheeses. (Note: this is only if you have time – it’s by no means necessary.)