Name: Fall Charcuterie Board
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Chianti Artisan Salami or any roll of hard salami; Saint Andre or any triple cream brie cheese; Creamy toscano cheese with cinnamon or any hard aged cheese; Dutch spicy kaas or any soft spicy cheese; One apple – I like honeycrisp but granny smith is great too; Fig butter or other fruit spread; Cornichons or other small dill pickle; Whole grain dijon mustard; Pumpkin cranberry crisps or any other thin cracker; Maple almonds or other candied nut; Pumpkin spiced yogurt pretzels or other bite sized candy; Lemon juice for the apple

Prepare for festive fall gatherings with this Fall Charcuterie Board. Combine sweet and savory ingredients to make the perfect Trader Joe’s cheese board.

create a perfectly balanced trader joe’s cheese board

There are many different squashes that come in season once fall hits, and this roasted kabocha squash is one of my favorites. Kabocha squash is also known as a Japanese pumpkin, and has a flavor profile similar to sweet potatoes and pumpkins. It can be roasted, steamed, cooked into soup, or pureed!

Roasting it with some cinnamon and maple syrup really brings out those delicious fall flavors we all know and love. Hopefully this recipe will encourage you to try a new type of squash if you have never had this kind before!

what are the best trader Joe’s cheeses

Trader Joe’s cheese section is a gold mine. They have all different types of cheeses. Some of them are privately labeled with the Trader Joe’s logo and some come directly labeled with popular brand names.

These are some of the BEST Trader Joe’s Cheeses:

Unexpected Cheddar – Trader Joe’s Twist on a classic cheddar cheese. It’s more tangy than a standard sharp cheddar. It is perfect for cheese boards, salads and sandwiches
Saint Andre – This is a superior triple cream brie imported from France. Enjoy on a cheese board of spread directly onto a baguette and enjoy with wine.
Creamy Toscano Cheese – Throughout the year there are different varieties of this rich and creamy cheese available. The Syrah soaked Toscano cheese is my favorite
Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda – Aged gouda is the perfect addition to any cheese board. It is super smooth with rich crystals of flavor inside. It is also perfect for a grilled cheese.
Halloumi Cheese or Garlic Bread Cheese – Both of these are frying cheeses. Cut them into slices and fry until the outside is crisp and the inside is soft. I like to have these for breakfast or on top of a salad.
Seasonal Goat Cheeses – Throughout the year Trader Joe’s adorns their traditional chevre with different fruits. During the fall they sell a cranberry chevre and during the summer they sell a blueberry chevre
Dorothy’s Comeback Cow – This one isn’t always available, but when it is.. GRAB IT! It comes directly from Dorothy’s creamery in Illinois and it is a delicious and soft brie with a thick rind.
Italian Truffle Cheese – If you love truffle, you NEED this cheese. I love to serve this around the holidays with champagne to make it an extra fancy affair.

Three quarter view of a fall charcuterie board

Kitchen Tools

Cutting board and sharp knives for slicing cheeses and meats
Small dishes or ramekins for the condiments
Toothpicks and small knives and spoons for serving
Large plate or platter for serving the cheese board

Some of my favorite surfaces for cheese boards

One of the most important parts of assembling a fall charcuterie board is picking the correct surface for serving. These are some of my favorite surface options for cheese boards.

Above view of ingredients for a trader joes cheese board

What ingredients do you need to create a balanced cheese board?

The key to making the perfect fall charcuterie board is to balance the ingredients. You will want a mix of sweet, savory and spicy as well as a variety of textures.

Choose 3 cheeses – Pick cheese with different flavors and different textures. I usually pick one soft cheese like a brie or goat, one medium soft cheese like this kaas, and one aged cheese.
Pick 1 meat – I almost always choose a salami for this. You can pick a mild or spicy salami. I usually only use a spicy salami if I haven’t chosen a spicy cheese. If you are making these for a larger crowd, add a second meat like prosciutto.
Pick 3 condiments – My favorite condiments for a cheese board are mustard, jam and pickles. If I don’t have anything spicy on the tray yet then I choose a spicy mustard. I pick my jam based on the season so for fall and winter I usually pick fig spread.
Add one fruit or veggie – I almost always use apples for this, but in the very warm summer months it is sometimes nice to use a freshly sliced cucumber.
Select a versatile cracker – For me this is usually a thin cracker that works with many types of cheeses. If I don’t know what to pick, plain or peppered water crackers always work well.
Pick 2 garnishes – sweet and spicy garnishes make the cheese board fun for a crowd. I look for a candied or spiced nut and some kind of small treat like the yogurt covered pretzels on this board.

Above view of a step by step assembly of a fall charcuterie board

How to make the perfect fall charcuterie board

Step 1: Slice apples and prep

To begin, slice the apple into thin slices. Brush the surface with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Step 3: Clean tray and slice cheeses

Clean the plate or tray that you will arrange the cheese board on. Slice the salami into rounds and cut the spicy cheese and hard cheese into slices.

Step 4: Place condiments in small bowls

Next, place the mustard, fig butter and cornichons into small bowls and arrange them on the cheese board.

Step 5: arrange cheese, meat, apples and crackers on the board

Create a salami river by winding the pieces of salami through the bowls on the cheese board.

Arrange the cheese around the board and place the soft brie cheese wedge on the board whole.

Then, lay apple slices in an overlapping layer near the soft cheese and place the crackers in any empty space on the board.

Step 6: Garnish with candied nuts and mini yogurt pretzels

Finally, fill any empty spots with the candied nuts and the mini yogurt covered pretzels. Place toothpicks, small knives and small spoons on the tray for serving.

Three quarter view of a charcuterie board with pumpkins behind it

Prepare this Cheese Board ahead of time!

You can make this fall charcuterie board ahead of time. Just follow all of the steps for assembly, but do not place the crackers, nuts or pretzels on the baord.

Cover the cheese board tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. Remove it about an hour before serving and place the crackers, nuts and pretzels on the board.

Check out these other charcuterie recipes

Recipe