This vegan charcuterie board or vegan cheese board is perfect for special occasions. It's the ultimate make-ahead vegan party appetizer that looks fancy but is surprisingly easy to make.
A vegan cheese board is the pièce de résistance when it comes to party appetizers.
No other dish requires so little preparation but impresses both vegans and meat eaters alike.
It's a great choice as a centrepiece for holiday season or game night. And you can make it as simple or as complicated as you like, adding things like roasted carrots and sauerkraut (or even stuffing balls!), or serving it alongside dips and soups (to make it extra seasonal, try my carrot & apple soup).
And fortunately, the days are long gone when the only vegan cheese options available for us plant-based folk were rubbery, tasteless slices.
Nowadays we have a variety of delicious cheeses, from artisan wheels to soft vegan cheeses.
In some ways, creating a vegan cheese platter or plant-based charcuterie board today is almost overwhelming as there are SO many options!
But never fear, it's actually surprisingly easy. Try your own vegan charcuterie board for your next party!
Why you should make a vegan cheese board
Huge crowd pleaser. A vegan charcuterie board never fails to attract attention, and looks downright epic as a centrepiece.
Minimal prep. Another reason to love it! Minimal prep is needed to throw a cheese board together.
It looks GORGEOUS. Well, it does. You could spend hours cooking up a feast to impress, OR you could take just a few minutes to arrange this jaw-dropping spread.
Customizable. You can create a platter using ingredients that are in season, or work around a theme (e.g. Mediterranean). You can create larger or smaller boards. There are endless possibilities!
What to put on a vegan charcuterie board or cheese board
Cheese - The most important part! Use a mix of dairy-free cheese, from aged to soft and creamy. (See below for the best cheese to use.)
Bread & Crackers - Baguettes/artisan bread work well, as do seeded crackers (for a gluten-free option, try Mary's crackers).
Spreads/tapenades - You can use sweet jams, hummus, cheesy dips, or whatever you fancy to compliment the cheeses.
Fruit - Keep it simple with a few dried apricots, or be extravagant with fresh seasonal fruit like strawberries, fresh figs, pomegranate and apple slices.
Tangy Foods - A great addition to any grazing board, particularly if you have mild cheeses to compliment. Red cabbage sauerkraut works really well.
Vegan Meats - If you're making a full vegan charcuterie board, you definitely want to add a vegan version of your favourite meats. Try chorizo or sausages like Field Roast. Or you could even add slices of homemade nut loaf!
Vegetables - For larger charcuterie or grazing boards where you want as much variety as possible. Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery sticks, snap peas, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes work well.
Nuts and fresh herbs - Optional but a great way to fill out gaps in a larger board!
Basic cheese board formula
Forget the full recipe - if you just want to create a simple, quick vegan cheese board, this is what you need:
Cheese
(hard, aged, soft, artisanal etc.)
Dippers
(bread, crackers etc.)
Something to compliment
(fruit, tapenade, olives, hummus, jam etc.)
Great cheese board additions
Best vegan cheeses for a cheese board?
It goes without saying that emphasizing cheese and making it the star is key to creating a great vegan cheese board.
I suggest using different types of cheese that will look beautiful together.
If you're planning a large spread I recommend a mix of different flavours to give your guests variety. Try a mix of the following: harder cheese, creamy, aged, herbed and blue.
You could even try making your own, like my vegan mozzarella.
And don't let being vegan make you think you don't have options in the local grocery store!
There are LOADS of vegan cheeses available, and some of my favourites include: Violife, Daiya, Nuts for Cheese and Fauxmagerie Zengarry.
How to make a vegan cheese board
1. Spread cheeses out on your platter or board, ideally in different areas for visual balance.
2. If you're using vegan meats, fan slices of them out on the board (they can be close to cheeses or not).
3. Place savoury dips and jams/jellies in small jars or bowls, and add them to empty sections of board.
4. Fan bread slices and crackers out around cheeses, meats and dips, so that each one has some nearby.
5. Place salty/tangy foods (olives, pickles etc.) in a small bowl and add to spaces on the board.
6. Fill in remaining gaps with smaller items like fruit for a pop of color, raw veggies and nuts (if using).
7. Cut a wedge out of any cheese wheels for decoration, and place clean knives and spoons near the board.
See how to make a vegan charcuterie board step-by-step.
Pro tips
If in doubt, keep it simple - All you really need is some cheese, bread or crackers and something to compliment (fruit, jam or dip) for a beautiful board.
Size of your board matters - Choose a size that makes your spread look abundant, and always lean towards a slightly smaller board so it looks fuller.
For example, if you have one cheese, a baguette and some jam, put them on a small side board so they fit snugly and aren't surrounded by empty space.
Use brown paper/parchment paper - Use instead of a board or platter if you're making a really epic vegan charcuterie board.
Tear off what you need, lay it on your table then place ingredients on top. Minimal fuss and clean up!
Pair flavours - If you have a strong cheese, pair it with something mild like pear to enhance the flavour.
Try placing complimentary foods close to each other to encourage people to eat them together.
FAQs
Charcuterie boards typically contain more 'meat' products like salami, sausage and ham, while cheese boards tend to focus more on cheese specifically. You can make either from this recipe!
Absolutely. Although a traditional charcuterie board isn't vegan, just make sure you're using plant-based 'meats', sausages and non dairy cheeses, and you'll be fine.
The short answer is: ANY! There are loads of different types and you can't go wrong. A great option are artisan hard cheeses and soft cheeses as they look beautiful and have been aged to enhance flavour.
You can buy a wooden or marble platter from most home stores, but a chopping board, a large plate or even parchment paper are all great options. Use what you have for a vegan snack board!
More holiday recipes for entertaining
- Best Vegan Stuffed Pumpkin (Gluten Free)
- Vegan Pecan Pie (Gluten-Free, Healthy)
- Easy Maple Roasted Carrots
- Vegan Mince Pies (Gluten Free)
Vegan Charcuterie Board (Vegan Cheese Board)
Special Equipment
- 1 large wooden board, marble platter or extra large plate
Ingredients
- 2-3 vegan cheeses (a mix of different flavours and styles)
- 1-2 your favourite vegan mock 'meats', such as sausages and hams, sliced
- 1 jar savoury dip, hummus or tapenade
- 1 jar jam, jelly or preserve
- 1-2 small baguettes/loaves good quality bread (e.g. sourdough or baguette), sliced
- 1 pack your favorite crackers
- 1 jar olives, sun-dried tomatoes or pickles (something tangy)
- 2-3 cups fresh fruits or berries (figs, pears, apples, grapes, and/or seasonal berries work well), sliced if needed
Optional
- 2 cups raw vegetable sticks
- ⅔ cup mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds and pecans work well)
- Fresh herbs (like sprigs of rosemary)
Instructions
- Spread cheeses out on platter/board, ideally in different areas for visual balance.
- If using vegan meats, fan slices out on board (can be close to cheeses or not).
- Place savoury dips, hummuses and jam/jelly in small bowls, and add to empty sections of board.
- Fan bread slices and crackers out around cheeses, meats and dips.
- Place salty/tangy foods (olives, pickles etc.) in smalls bowls and add to board.
- Fill in remaining gaps on board with small clusters of fruit, veggie sticks, nuts and herbs (if using).
- Cut a wedge out of any large cheeses for decoration, and place clean knives/spoons near board. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutritional information per serving
If you’ve tried this vegetarian charcuterie board recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below. I'd love to know how you’ve made it your own!
Follow Vancouver with Love on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!
Order Food Online
I Like this recipe I will try this at home.
Elizabeth
I hope you enjoy it!
Timothyslirm
thank you very much
Elizabeth
You're so welcome. 🙂
Sara Welch
I am always looking for vegan options to serve during the holidays, and this is the perfect spread for just that! Looking forward to serving this this holiday season; definitely too good to pass up, indeed!
Elizabeth
So glad you like the look of it Sara - hope you enjoy it!
Kim Beaulieu
This was a delightful cheese board to serve for family and friends. Everyone loved the array of delicious snacks.
Elizabeth
Thanks Kim - love that you all enjoyed it!