Cheese Platter 101 (How to Make a Cheese Platter)

posted by Katya on Jan 11, 2019 (updated Dec 27, 2022) 12 comments »

Cheese platter 101. Everything you need to know about putting together the best cheese platter. Tips, tricks, and step-by-step instructions.

Putting together a cheese platter just might be the easiest and most impressive appetizer. The best part, anyone can do it and you don’t need a special occasion or holiday to throw one together. Plus the fact that there’s no cooking involved is a good reason on its own!

If you’ve been following me for a while then you know that my hubby and I enjoy a meat and cheese platter almost every Friday. It’s become kind of our thing. Not only because we absolutely love cheese but also because putting together a meat cheese platter is a no-brainer.

You can make one as fancy or as simple as you like. The key to an amazing meat and cheese platter is variety. Meats, cheese, olives, marinated veggies, fresh fruit, nuts, plus more!

How to Make a Cheese Platter (Tips & Tricks)

Choose a cheese platter – pick a cheese platter or a cheese board large enough to hold all of your cheeses, as well as your accompaniments. You’ll also need cheese knives (one for each cheese) and cheese markers (optional).

Variety of cheese – choose three to five different cheeses, such as some basics and a few seasonal kinds of cheese. Mix it up with different textures, such as soft, semi-firm, and hard/aged cheeses. Also mix it up with the type of milk, such as cow, sheep, and goat’s cheese.

Display the cheeses in different ways – spears, wedges, cubes, whole, sliced or rolled up. Stay away from pre-sliced cheese.

Slicing cheese yourself is way fresher and you’ll have control over how you want to slice the cheese.

TIP: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the paper from the brie cheese.

Accompaniments for your cheese – there is really no limit when selecting things to pair with your cheese. Think variety, color, texture, and also what will elevate the flavor of the cheese.

Cured meats, such as dried salami or prosciutto. Variety of crackers, crusty bread, or baguette.

Fresh seasonal fruit or dried fruits. Nuts whether plain or candied nuts. Something pickled or marinated. Finally some types of sweet components, such as jam, honey, or even chocolate.

Arrange the meat and cheese – first arrange your cheese and meats on the platter. I also like to set out my bowl for the pickled/marinated items so I can work around it.

Fold the meat into quarters and place the prosciutto into piles. Then, add the crackers around the cheese and meats.

Add some fresh fruit and fill in any empty spots with nuts, plus more fruit. The key is grouping everything in piles and mixing different shapes, sizes, and colors. Get creative with it.

Sliced meat and cheese with fruit on a wooden board

Keep in mind – cheese tastes best at room temperature. Let the cheese sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

More Cheese Platter Ideas to Try

These easy appetizers would be a great accompaniment to a cheese platter.