Charcuterie boards are so fun and festive for the holidays. Even though they can look complicated it's actually very easy to make with the right ingredients.
Charcuterie boards traditionally consist of meats and cheeses and can also be paired with breads, preserves, honey, olives and other vegetables. Obviously since this is vegan we’ll have to substitute the meat and cheese but it’ll be equally as delicious and aesthetically pleasing.
How to Make a Charcuterie Board
I’ll be going over a couple different quick and easy recipes with this that’ll cover each of the different categories of charcuterie boards.
To start off with the bread category we’ll be making flax crackers. Flaxseeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and extremely high in fiber. This recipe is really easy and straightforward.
First mix all the dry ingredients together, 1 cup ground flax seeds, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, and 2 teaspoons herbs de provence. Mix that all together and add ½ cup water. Mix that all with a rubber spatula until it forms a ball.
To roll out the dough, put it between 2 pieces of parchment paper and pat down into a disk. Then roll out until it’s about 3mm thick. Cut into 1x1 squares and place in the oven on 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.
Then place on a cooling rack and enjoy with your favorite dip!
And for a dip, how about this vegan cheese ball! The main ingredient of this is cashews which are very high in nutrients like healthy fat and protein. They are also super creamy and a great dairy substitute if you’re vegan or lactose intolerant. Cashews have also been shown in studies to promote heart health.
To start this recipe place 2 cups raw cashews in a bowl with boiling hot water and let soak for 10 minutes. Then drain and add to a food processor or blender with 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder and a tablespoon of chopped fresh dill, and blend until smooth. Next add 4 oz vegan cream cheese, any brand works, and blend again.
Place that into a medium bowl lined with a cheesecloth. Gather the corners and gently twist.
Put the cheese ball still wrapped in cheesecloth in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight. The cheese should harden considerably in this time.
Roll that in a mixture of slivered almonds and finely chopped dill and enjoy!
For the last recipe we’ll be covering the sweet side and for that we’ll be using fig preserves. Figs are a really good ingredient because they are very naturally sweet so you can beat sugar cravings without actually going and buying candy. You’re only going to need a couple of ingredients for this.
To start, soak about 2 pounds of figs in a large bowl of water for 20 minutes. I used dried figs because I couldn't find any fresh figs but the method is the same either way.
Then begin making the syrup by adding 3 cups sugar and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring the entire time and cook until the sugar is dissolved and it gets a little bit thicker but is still clear. Should take about 15 minutes.
Then add figs and half of a lemon, sliced thin. Bring to a boil over high heat and bowl hard for 1 minute. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender and pulse until you achieve the desired consistency. If needed put back on the stove to reduce it more but that is optional.
Now to assemble your board just get creative! Some ingredients you might want to include as well are, bread slices, other crackers, olives, pickles, green grapes, dips like hummus, fresh vegetables or dried fruit and nuts.
It’s all up to you and what you like! I recommend looking up inspiration photos to get some ideas and to get a feel for what it's supposed to look like and how to assemble it!
Vegan Charcuterie Board Recipes
Flax Crackers:
- 1 cup ground flax seeds
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons herbs de provence
- ½ cup water
Instructions:
- Combine all dry ingredients
- Add in water and mix with a rubber spatula to form a ball
- place it between 2 pieces of parchment paper and pat down into a disk
- Then roll out until it’s about 3mm thick
- Cut into 1x1 squares
- Place in the oven on 350 degrees for about 20-25 minute
Vegan Cheese Ball
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill
- 4 oz vegan cream cheese
Directions:
- Place 2 cups raw cashews in a bowl with boiling hot water and let soak for 10 minutes
- Drain and add to a food processor or blender with lemon juice, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and dill
- Blend until smooth and then add cream cheese
- Place that into a medium bowl lined with a cheesecloth
- Gather the corners and gently twist
- Put the cheese ball still wrapped in cheesecloth in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight
- Roll that in a mixture of slivered almonds and finely chopped dill
Fig Preserves
- 2 pounds of figs
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ lemon sliced thin
Instructions
- Soak figs in a large bowl of water for 20 minutes
- Add sugar and water into a large saucepan over medium heat, cook, stirring the entire time and cook until the sugar is dissolved and it gets a little bit thicker but is still clear. Should take about 15 minutes
- Add figs and lemon
- Bring to a boil over high heat and boil hard for 1 minute
- Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- Transfer to a blender and pulse until you achieve the desiredconsistency
- (Optional) put back on the stove to reduce it more
Fun and Easy to Make
These recipes are perfect for a holiday charcuterie board. They are so fun to make and all your guests this season will be impressed. Not only that, we were able to make it with healthy whole ingredients that your body will thank you for.
Definitely give this a try this holiday season!
