Fancy Small Charcuterie Board - Mind Over Munch (2024)

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posted by Alyssia Sheikh on June 30, 2023

How to make an impressive small charcuterie board for 6 (or a mini board for 4)! With pita & savory dips on the side, it’s like classic charcuterie-meets-Mediterranean mezze board. An easy DIY charcuterie idea that you can arrange on a small platter & plates instead of a big board.

What goes on a small vs. mini charcuterie board?

On a small charcuterie board for 6 people, you’ll need 6-12 oz meat & 6-12 oz cheese. (Plus enough crackers & snacks to load up the board!) For a mini charcuterie board for 4, you’ll need 4-8 oz meat & 4-8 oz cheese. You can set up whatever size board you want—just plan for ~2-3 oz meat + cheese per person (or 4-5 oz for a larger meal-sized portion).

Small Charcuterie Board Ideas

• Meats like rolled deli turkey, deli ham, & summer sausage are hearty and well-suited to a smaller group setting, where each person typically gets to eat a bit more. Or fold a salami rose or two to serve on your small platter!
• Cheeses like goat cheese, blue cheese, or Brie can add elegance to your board & are made for sharing. Try to include at least 1 soft cheese, as well as 1 hard cheese—like sliced Colby Jack, Swiss, or cheddar. (Or replace the charcuterie meats with extra cheeses & set up an epic cheese board!)
• Crackers of all kinds can fit well on a small charcuterie board—use what you like! I usually buy a box of entertainment crackers so I get a variety of shapes that look nice on my board.
• Fruits & Vegetables can add lots of color & are easy to pile on! Dried fruits like prunes or dried apricots are ideal for a grazing board, but fresh fruits & veggies like berries, grapes, carrots, & broccoli are also great finger foods that can brighten up your board.
• Snacks like mini gherkins, olives, cashews, & other nuts are perfect for noshing, and they add briny flavors & crunchy textures that work really well in a charcuterie spread.
• Garnishes like edible flowers or fresh herbs are easy final touches that can beautify & elevate a simple charcuterie board!

What to Serve on the Side

• Dips & Spreads like fruit jams & mustards are classics on charcuterie boards, but you can really use any dips you like to shape the flavors on your board. For this Mediterranean-inspired platter, I decided to serve “mezze” style dips like hummus, tapenade, and a dukkah yogurt dip on the side with some pita bread.
• Breads like pita, baguette slices, or homemade crostini are ideal options when I’m serving a small charcuterie platter for dinner. Satiating foods like breads, meats, & cheeses can make charcuterie a satisfying full meal for a small group!

How much does this cost?
Setting up a fancy charcuterie platter doesn’t have to be expensive. My Budget Charcuterie Board for Beginners is full of ideas to keep your board simple & cheap—but still so impressive!

What size is a small charcuterie board?

You can set up a small charcuterie board for 6 on any platter that’s 9×13-inches or larger. (The size of a regular cutting board.) Or you can arrange your own DIY charcuterie spread on any combination of dishes you have—even regular dinner plates! For this recipe, I used a small wooden platter (10×14”) with 2 serving plates to hold my Mezze dips & pita bread.

How to Arrange a Small Charcuterie Board

1. Set up extra plates for accompaniments like dips, breads, or crackers. To save space on a smaller charcuterie platter, I’ll serve items like these on separate dishes, alongside my main platter. (If you’re using a larger board, arrange dip bowls on the board first.)
2. Place large items on the board or platter first, like soft cheeses & rolled meats. Then begin arranging your other ingredients around the larger items.
3. Add sliced meats, cheeses, & crackers next. Layer items in a line to make them look nice, or arrange small piles—however you want to design your board!
4. Fill in the board with fruits, veggies, & other snacks. Use these ingredients to fill in the space on your board and make it colorful.
5. Finish the board with garnishes like edible flowers, if desired.
6. Serve your small board with any accompaniments on the side and enjoy!

Level-up your charcuterie game!
Check out my Ultimate Charcuterie Board How-To Guide to learn about the best ingredients to use, how to arrange a gorgeous board & easy ideas to elevate it!

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