If you are looking for ideas and inspiration for keto snacks or low carb appetizers, then this Epic Keto Charcuterie Board is for you.
Charcuterie boards are not only visually stunning, but they are loaded up with delicious keto party foods. The beauty of a well-made charcuterie plate is that there are no rules. You can literally add any low carb snacks that you want. Making a keto charcuterie board is the perfect low carb appetizer for that New Years Eve celebration you've been planning, or for serving up for the big game on Super Bowl Sunday! If you are looking for an easy keto appetizer, then this is the show-stopper you are looking for.
So what is charcuterie?
First let's start with how to pronounce charcuterie. (shar-kew-tree). Although you will also hear many people pronounce it (shar-kew-ter-ree) Now, let's get into the definition of charcuterie. If you take to the internet to define charcuterie, you will find a lot of different answers. The two most common being "cooked meat" and "pork butcher shop". The French word for a person who prepares charcuterie is charcutier, generally translated as "pork butcher". However, todays charcuterie boards have branched out far beyond just an average meat and cheese platter. They are loaded up with all sorts of fantastic snacks, many of which are already naturally keto-friendly snacks.
What is a charcuterie board?
You could ask 10 different people to create a charcuterie plate and all 10 would look vastly different. As we discussed above, the loose translation of charcuterie is "pork butcher" which let to the misconception that a charcuterie board could only contain pork meats. I say, the more meat the merrier. Let's go nuts. Charcuterie commonly implies to a meat and cheese board make with additional offerings of things like nuts, seeds, berries, pickled vegetables, sauces, spreads, bread, crackers etc.
In the case of the keto charcuterie board that I prepared for you today, I've loaded it up with a lot of my favorite low carb snacks. It is possible to have a beautiful tray of keto finger foods and to truly enjoy every last bite. Charcuterie boards can be seen on most restaurant menus these days and are a fantastic way to share a keto friendly appetizer with friends and family.
What foods typically go on a charcuterie plate?
A charcuterie board often consists of a variety of cured meats, and artisan cheeses. You will also commonly see a variety of nuts, seeds, berries, pickled vegetables, breads, crackers, spreads, dips, tapenade etc. There really isn't a right or wrong way to make a charcuterie platter, so don't let yourself get too caught up on the details. For example: the board below is completely dairy free. Look how many food options there are, even without the cheese. I'm going to give you all my best tips and tricks for making a kick ass keto appetizer that is sure to impress.
How do you make a keto charcuterie board?
Choose a serving platter for your keto charcuterie board: You want to start by choosing your serving platter. The most common way to serve a keto charcuterie board is on a large food-safe wooden board or cutting board. But you will also see meat and cheese platters served on plastic cutting boards, marble platters, large slabs of slate etc. As long as you are working with a food-safe surface, you are good to go. I have included links below to some of my favorite serving options for your low carb charcuterie board.
Pick the ingredients for your keto charcuterie board: After you have your surface, you want to pick your offerings. It is good to select a wide variety of tastes, colors and textures. You really want your finished meat and cheese platter to POP! After all, we eat with our eyes first. Even though what you are making it technically a keto appetizer, you want your guests to have such a wide variety on their plates that they almost feel as though they are having a full meal.
So what keto-friendly ingredients should you include on your board? Well, you can make your board exactly per the recipe below, or you can get creative with it and load it up with any of your favorite keto snacks. Here are some of my favorites:
Best meats for a charcuterie board:
This is by no means a complete list, but these are some of my favorites. Load this bad boy up with all your favorite keto friendly cured meats.
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Pancetta
- Capocolla
- Soppresatta
- Pepperoni
- Chorizo
- Mortadella
Best cheeses for a charcuterie board:
Again, this is not a complete list, but I've included some of my favorites. Go to town with any of your favorite low carb cheeses. After all, this is your keto appetizer platter.
- Aged white cheddar
- Herbed chevre
- Brie
- Manchego
- Havarti
- Gouda
- Camembert
- Burrata
- Halloumi
- Gruyere
Best nuts, berries, vegetables, spreads, dips etc. for a charcuterie board:
This is where you get to be really creative. You can load the board up with all your favorite keto snacks. Again, I will list come of my favorite, including links to the corresponding recipes. and don't forget the bubbles - champagne, prosecco, sparkling water, kombucha. That should cover all the bubble bases!
- Mixed nuts
- Sugar-Free Dried Cranberries
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh blackberries
- Stuff green olives
- Pickled Jalapeños
- Kalamata olives
- Sauerkraut
- Keto Pickled Red Onions
- Pickled asparagus
- Roasted red peppers
- Pickled Radishes
- Marinated Artichokes
- Giardiniera
- Olive Salad
- Pepperoncini
- Low carb crackers (here are some low carb cracker recipes)
- Dill pickles
- Stone ground mustard
- Roasted Red Pepper Aioli
- Avocado Hummus
What kinds of dishes and utensils can you use for a charcuterie platter?
- Bamboo cutting board
- Charcuterie platter
- Marble slabs
- Large ceramic platters
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Large piece of slate
- Mini servings tongs
- Ramekins
- Cheese spreaders
- Small bowls
- Unbleached parchment paper
Well my friends, there you have it. My complete guide to making an epic keto charcuterie board. I hope you enjoyed this post almost as much as you are going to enjoy tearing into this beautiful plate of low carb, and keto snack foods at your next gathering. Speaking of gatherings, Super Bowl is coming up and this would be the perfect keto super bowl appetizer to bring to any upcoming football parties as we head into the playoffs, on our way to the big game. GO HAWKS!
Keto Cookbooks and Meal Plans
- Craveable Keto Cookbook
- Dairy Free Keto Cooking
- Keto Happy Hour
- 30 Minute Ketogenic Cooking
- Primal Low Carb Kitchen
- Keto Desserts
- Low Carb Slow Cooker Soups and Stews
- Keto Savory Side Dishes
- Keto Condiments Dressings and Sauces
- 14 Weeks of Low Carb and Gluten Free Meal Plans
How to Build an Epic Keto Charcuterie Board
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 6 ounces sliced prosciutto
- 6 ounces genoa salami
- 5 ounces spicy capocollo
- 4 ounces herbed chevre
- 6 ounce sliced manchego
- 5 ounces sliced peppercorn white cheddar
- 4 ounces garlic white cheddar
- ¼ cup Olive Salad (get the recipe here)
- ¼ cup Sugar-Free Dried Cranberries (get the recipe here)
- ½ cup mixed nuts
- ½ cup fresh blackberries
- 10 strawberries hulled and halved
- 5 pepperoncinis
- ½ cup pickled artichoke hearts
- 10 garlic stuffed green olives
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ¼ roasted red peppers
- ½ cup Low Carb Pickled Red Onion (get the recipe here)
- 20 pickled asparagus spears
- ¼ cup sauerkraut
- ¼ cup stone ground mustard
- 1 sleeve low carb crackers (I love this brand)
Instructions
- Select a large platter from the list of options in this post and carefully arrange all of the ingredients on top. Share with friend and ENJOY!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
Reinaldo says
TY
RWG says
Looks great! The scaling tool doesn't work right - if I scale this up to 3x it still says 20 min in prep time.. How would the ingredients and time scale for 180?
Heather @GFC says
This was such an inspiring post! I made a gorgeous board last night thanks to your suggestions and beautiful photo inspiration!
Brianna says
Yum, fabulous for parties!
Heather Burnett says
This is fabulous!!! All of my favorites in one place! Thank You!!!