Thanksgiving Charcuterie

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Boards

This holiday season, celebrate the harvest with a charcuterie board that’ll leave you more stuffed than the turkey. Not only are they delicious, fun to design and totally trendy, but there are no rules when it comes to choosing ingredients, which makes charcuterie boards an easy way to impress guests or feed the family. Since you can make your spread as big or small or simple or intricate as you want, they’re great for everything from celebratory meals to giving new life to leftovers. We’ve put together a few fun-filled ideas to inspire you to create your own Thanksgiving charcuterie board (or two) this year.

Thanksgiving Dessert Charcuterie Board

Make sure your Thanksgiving dessert gets the attention it deserves by turning it into an edible work of art. A dessert charcuterie board lets you offer a variety of sweets and treats that guests can sample as they please. Use slices of pie, cookies, fruits and any other dessert items you have to create an elegant display of colors and textures.

For an exceptionally festive treat, decorate a turkey-shaped dessert board. To do this, slice a red pear in half vertically, then place it near the bottom of your board to create the turkey’s body. Use small items, such as pieces of candy corn or nuts, to add eyes and a beak. Under the body, arrange two sticks to create legs. To start the tail, outline the sides and top of the pear with a few easy-to-grab items, like Mini Pumpkin Pies or Salted Caramel Turtle Cookies. Outline that layer with larger, longer dessert item, such as fall-inspired sugar or Snickerdoodle Cookies. Continue layering the tail until it’s as large as you’d like it to be. Fill in the surrounding space with other dessert must-haves.

Need a few Thanksgiving dessert ideas for your board? We recommend slices of Oatmeal Pecan Pie, Classic Apple Pie, sliced apples, grapes and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies, but you can include any sweets or decorations you like. For more mouthwatering dessert inspiration, browse our full collection of Thanksgiving dessert recipes.

Leftover Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Though it might not be practical for the feast itself, a charcuterie board is a fun way to revitalize your Thanksgiving leftovers. You can use it to easily serve everything you have in your fridge, including the turkey, gravy, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and even some items that weren’t served at the big dinner. When choosing ingredients, aim for a variety of colors and textures to keep the meal attractive and interesting. Build your board by starting with the larger items, such as sandwiches, bowls of gravy or Fluffy Mashed Potatoes, then fill in the gaps with the smaller foods.

Not sure how to turn those turkey leftovers into an impressive addition to your board? Here are a few delicious ideas you can use to whip up a gourmet day-after Thanksgiving sandwich.

• Cranberry sauce, turkey and Sweet Potato Stacks
• Mac and cheese and fresh herbs (serve open-faced)
• Turkey, lettuce and tomato
• Mustard, salami, sliced cheese and cucumbers
• Turkey, stuffing and gravy (serve open-faced)

Watch how these Thanksgiving Food Boards are made to see how everything can come together. Gobble up more leftover turkey recipes, dinner inspiration, hosting tips and other holiday needs at our Thanksgiving Shop.