Simple Patriotic 4th of July Charcuterie Board
Are you looking for a fun and festive dish to celebrate the Fourth of July? Let me show you how to put together a super Simple Patriotic 4th of July Charcuterie Board. It uses items found in the grocery store and takes no time to put together.
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What is a 4th of July Charcuterie Board?
An Independence Day Charcuterie Board is festive and fun with all of the things that a classic charcuterie board has but with patriotic themes.
Using an American flag inspired board, like this star container helps to enhance the patriotic feel. The best part is that it is easy to put together but also amazingly impressive and always the hit of the party.
What to put on a 4th of July Charcuterie Board
The truth is that you can put anything on a 4th of July themed board. To make a big impact go with items that remind you of a flag. Star shaped food, patriotic colors and fresh items work best.
Meats
Cured meats, like salami and pepperoni work wonderfully on a board. You can also use sliced deli meats like turkey, ham and roast beef.
To make them even more impressive, learn how to transform meat into roses with this quick tutorial.
Cheese
Use a variety of cheese from different families of cheese. A soft cheese like a wheel of brie or blue cheese {which is the perfect color}, along with a hard cheese give everyone a variety to choose from.
Crackers/Bread
Your favorite crackers are always a welcome addition, along with sliced baguettes and pretzels.
For a colorful addition use a combination of blue corn chips and white corn chips.
Dip
Both savory and sweet dips add an extra element of flavor to the board. Choose dips that go with the other items on the board.
A ranch or French onion dip are amazing with crackers and vegetables. While this cheesecake dip is fabulous with fruits and other sweet treats.
Vegetables
There are a variety of vegetables that fit the Americana color scheme. Add cherry tomatoes, red peppers, radishes and beets.
Of course, any color vegetables are always welcome but red vegetables make a big impact.
Fruit
Fresh fruits are the way to go when doing a board in the summer months. So many things are in season and perfectly ripe. Berries, melons and cherries are great options.
Fresh blueberries and blackberries also add to the red, white and blue theme. Dried fruit is also a great addition and keeps well for months.
Additional Savory Ideas
Use a variety of items that pair well with the other foods on the tray. Pickles, olives and nuts all add great flavor and are perfect for filling in areas that look bare.
Sweets
To satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, add small dessert items. Baked goods with patriotic sprinkles and red ,white and blue candies can really amp up the final product. Small candies like blue M&M’s are a great way to fill in areas that need a little something.
Final Touches
A great way to add the perfect finishing touches is with fresh flowers and herbs. Both add a beautiful element. See what I have done with this fun Breakfast Charcuterie Board.
Expert Tips
- Use small bowls to contain some of the smaller items. Use them for olives, nuts, pickles, fruit and vegetables to keep items contained.
- Use a star cookie cutter to cut out star shapes from food. Items like fruits {like I did in this fruit platter} or cheese slices are easy to cut and help to add a festive display of foods.
- If you prefer not to make this board then go with a summer charcuterie board, snack boards or use a smaller board. You can also create a cheese tray or dessert boards. For a super fun twist do a blue charcuterie board that is full of all blue foods and blue treats or a red board with all red foods and red ingredients. It is an easy way to create patriotic themes.
- When choosing items, think of the crowd you are feeding. If it is adults you can go with a few spicy and unusual items easily. Where if you are assembling one for children, I would go with ordinary flavors you know they love and lots of bright colors.
- To keep the cost down try spreading the purchases out over a month. Crackers, nuts, pickles, olives, dried fruits and even the meats can be purchased ahead. Get the fruits, vegetables and cheeses at the last minute.
Recipe FAQs
A fun way to make a July 4th board even more amazing is to place the foods in the shape of an American Flag.
Start by adding a blue food, like blueberries in a square shape on the upper left hand side of the board. Then begin making stripes of the flag. For the white stripes use white foods like white cheeses or white crackers. For the red stripe, sliced tomatoes or other red food like strawberries work great.
A charcuterie board can be made a couple of hours ahead of time. However, I would not keep it longer than that to ensure it is fresh.
Be sure to cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Start with the bigger items {meats, cheeses and crackers}. Then go in with fruits, vegetables, bowls of small items and desserts.
Finally, go in with smaller foods or repeat items that are already on the board to fill in gaps. The key is to make it look full and plentiful.
Do you love patriotic foods? Try these recipes…
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Simple 4th of July Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cured meats {or deli meat slices}
- 8 ounces cheese {variety of flavors}
- 8 ounces crackers {variety of shapes and sizes}
- 6 ounces ripe fruit
- 6 ounces ripe vegetables
- 1 cup black or green olives
- ½ cup mini pickles
- 2 cups sweet treats
- fresh herbs and edible flowers
Instructions
- Start by adding the large items {meats & cheeses} to the board. Then place the crackers around the board.
- Arrange fruits and vegetables around the meat and cheese. Add bowls of dip, olives and pickles {or whatever you prefer}.
- Fill in any empty areas with candy and cookies. Finally, go back and fill in any areas and add fresh herbs and edible flowers. Serve or cover for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Start with a Americana themed board like this star container helps to enhance the patriotic feel.
- Use small bowls to contain some of the smaller items like olives, nuts, pickles, fruit and vegetables to keep items contained.
- Use a star cookie cutter to cut out star shapes from food. Items like fruits {like I did in this fruit platter} or cheese slices are easy to cut and help to add a festive display of foods.
- A charcuterie board can be made a couple of hours ahead of time. However, I would not keep it longer than that to ensure it is fresh. Be sure to cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To keep the cost down try spreading the purchases out over a month. Crackers, nuts, pickles, olives, dried fruits and even the meats can be purchased ahead. Get the fruits, vegetables and cheeses at the last minute.
