How to Build a Vegan Charcuterie Board

October 7, 2019
SPUD
Food Facts & Trends, Food We Love, Holiday, Holiday Recipes, Recipes, SPUD Calgary, SPUD Edmonton, SPUD Vancouver, SPUD Victoria

Although charcuterie boards are typically meat and meat alone, you won’t miss the animal products in this plant-based version! The key to building a great vegan charcuterie board is having lots of unique flavours and options. We know that plant-based cheese can sometimes miss the mark… these recommendations have been tested by vegans and non-vegans alike and loved by all!

Step 1: Plant-Based Cheeses:

We’ve tried them all, these are our top picks for charcuterie! Choose 1-2 of these, scattered throughout the board as your centerpiece:

Dairy-Free Boursin

Spread’Em The Delight

Pulse Kitchen Sharp Cashew Cheddar

Step 2: Dips & Condiments

Place these throughout the board as ‘anchors’ and spread vegetables and crackers around it.

Spread’em Dips

Our favorite: Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Hummus of Choice: Try red pepper, tomato, or beet hummus for extra flavour

Our favourite: Bobali Roasted Garlic & Truffle Hummus

Savoury Jelly: These pair deliciously with plant-based cheese!

Optional: Tapenade, Pesto, Guacamole, Antipasto dip, Oli and Vinegar, Grainy Mustard

Step 3: Crackers & Bread

Scatter your crackers and bread around your cheese and dip anchors in a messy fan

Try: Eve’s Chili & Pumpkin, FreeYum Herb & Seed, Rustic Bakery Sourdough Flatbread Crackers, or baguette

Step 4: Plant-Based Meats

This is optional, but there are some great alternatives out there!

Try Gusta Seitan Slices, Gusta Pate, The Very Good Butchers Pepperoni, or Noble Jerky

Step 5: Fruits & Veggies

Layer in colourful fruits and vegetables! The more colour, the better! Try rainbow carrots, coloured pepper, and cucumber, or add extra colour with fresh berries, pomegranates, and grapes!

Step 6: Anti-Pastis & Extras

Fill in the gaps with olives, pickled vegetables, pretzels, nuts and seeds, dried fruit, or even chocolate

Top Tips for Extra Aesthetic Charcuterie:

Start by loosely placing arugula around the board. This will automatically fill in any blank space, and it is delicious with cheese or dip and crackers!
Garnish your dips to add texture! For example: Instead of just using a container of hummus, put some hummus in a ramekin and sprinkle it with cumin, sesame seeds or some fresh herbs to make it pop!
The more colour the better! Add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables like coloured mini peppers, rainbow carrots, berries, and radishes!