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Updated for 2025: Looking for even more easy appetizers for holiday parties or last-minute guests? This 15-minute charcuterie board has become my go-to in 2025 for stress-free entertaining—plus, I’ve added some new tips and photos to help you create your own.

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Looking for easy appetizers you can pull together in 15 minutes or less? This effortless charcuterie board is your go-to solution for last-minute guests, holiday parties, or casual weekends at home. By using pre-cut meats and cheeses, you’ll skip the fuss without sacrificing flavor or presentation. Just grab a wooden board, open a few packages, and start assembling—no cooking required. It’s the ultimate shortcut to a beautiful, crowd-pleasing appetizer that looks way more impressive than the time it takes to make.

I know you’re thinking that a meat & cheese tray is so boring, but I promise, you can make something really impressive– without a lot of effort.

The best part? You stack everything together, and it looks perfect– you’ll have fun because it doesn’t need to be perfect, and you can pick out what works best for your family! Before you can start building your fancy meat & cheese tray, you need to decide on some great ingredients for your tray.

Are you drooling yet?

How to Build the Easiest 15 Minute Charcuterie

The Charcuterie Meat

Here I promised you a shortcut— I used the Charcuterie Sampler from Columbus Craft Meats. It came with 4 meat options, already pre-cut. I loved having that convenience! In addition the sampler, I included Prosciutto and Salami Paninos. To save yourself the most amount of time, find pre-cut meat and buy a small amount of each!

The Charcuterie Cheese

Some may say cheese is the most crucial part of the tray, but I half-disagree! I think meat, cheese, and crackers are equally important. 🙂 For cheese, you’ll read rules of buying certain types. But I’d recommend buying what your family likes. For us, I like to play it safe with 2-3 well-loved cheeses and add in a new one for tasting. If you have a local grocery store that sells the end of wedges, you can pick up a few fun pieces for cheap. For this charcuterie, I used a pre-cut Sharp Cheddar & Swiss (the well-loved), along with a Brie wheel, and a log of soft, blueberry goat cheese.

The Crackers & Bread

For this tray, you can cut up a baguette or go the easy route– simply use crackers. I used 2 different types of crackers for our tray. (Double check what you have in your pantry before grocery shopping!)

The Charcuterie Sweet

If there is one thing I didn’t realize about charcuteries, it’s that they always include a sweet. I found this out at our first winery tour, and I’ve been hooked ever since. You could used a few pieces of chocolate. In these photos, I used chocolate nuggets, and in the original post photos, I used thin chocolate-covered pretzels.

The Charcuterie Fruit

To keep it simple, use pre-washed blueberries, grapes, or strawberries! If you’re feeling adventurous, you could add a pomegranate.

An Accent

In 2 tiny bowls, I added green olives. While I’m not a personal fan of olives, I knew they worked well with the cheese & meat. I drained the container and divided the olives into the bowls. I nested the bowls into open board spaces that looked like they could fit just one more item. 🙂

This is entirely optional, but adds that extra special touch and involves almost no additional time! I bought a plastic case of fresh Rosemary at the store. I placed it around the tray and it gave a wonderful aroma, looked fancy, and added a great tasting finish to our tray. Now that you’re grocery list is complete, it’s time to start building your charcuterie!

Why This Is One of the Best Easy Appetizers and How to Build the Charcuterie Board Quickly

  I know that they are supposed to be served on fancy wood platters— but that’s not us. In this case, I used a large baking sheet– and it was perfect! I lined the tray with parchment paper and started building. I’ll walk you through the steps of creating your own 15 minute charcuterie! First, place your cheese in tight piles in opposite corners of your tray. They don’t need to be perfectly aligned. Give yourself room around the cheese (kinda like little islands). Then, place your meat in the biggest open spaces. To make the Columbus Craft Meats prosciutto look extra special, I simply rolled each slice up and laid next to the cheddar cheese. A Simple trick that will make you look like a rock star entertainer!

To save yourself even more time, pick up pre-rolled Italian Dry Salami Paninos. They are already pre-rolled meats with cheese!

Next you add in your crackers and nuts. Keep everything in little mounds. You’re looking for texture rather than perfectly straight lines! 🙂

Next, add in your sweet item to an empty space and a little bit of fruit to lay over some cheese and meat. The last part is adding your favorite olives and any herbs you might have! And that is it! An easy charcuterie is your best secret to having guests over without having to bake a thing! Simply pickup some great quality ingredients, a few oldies but goodies, and one or two new items to try out. Have fun assembling it and know that even if you feel like you’re “doing it wrong,” it will turn out beautifully!

FAQs About Easy Charcuterie Appetizers

How do I build a charcuterie board quickly?
Start with pre-sliced meats and cheeses, like those from Columbus or pre-packaged from Kroger. Add small bowls of items like olives or nuts, and fill empty spaces with fruit, crackers, or something sweet. It does takes just 15 minutes when you keep it simple.

How much food do I need per person?
Plan for 2-3 ounces of meat and 2 ounces of cheese per guest for an appetizer-sized board. If this is the main course, increase the serving size to 4–5 ounces of meat and cheese per person.

What’s the best board to use?
A wooden cutting board, a round board, or even a baking sheet lined with parchment works great. Don’t stress about a fancy tray—use what you have!

Do I need to serve the board at room temperature or cold?
Serve it at room temperature. Let meats and cheeses sit out for 15–20 minutes before serving so their textures and flavors shine.

Can I prep this in advance?
Yes! You can arrange most of the board an hour or two before guests arrive. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Just add crackers right before serving so they stay crisp.

More Looks at This Easy Appetizer Board

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