Charcuterie boards aren't just meant for pre-dinner nibbles. You can build a delicious board of any theme for any occasion. So if you're having people over for breakfast or brunch, build an epic breakfast charcuterie board full of sweet and savory to kick off the day right.
Just like an evening charcuterie board, you want to fill a breakfast charcuterie with a dizzying selection of bits and bobs that add up to a fulfilling morning meal. The board should be both a work of art, with spiraling pancakes and cascading berries, and be a good mix and match of sweet and savory with ample toppings to choose your own adventure.
Breads, Pastries & Other Deliciousness
Breakfast carbs! Gotta love 'em. A selection of mini pancakes, waffle squares, muffins, and bagels is key to a building a breakfast charcuterie board. These are kind of your bread and butter that tie the whole ensemble together.
Choose three to four different bread-like items to create diversity on the board and give your guests a few options. Be sure to include something sweet like muffins, mini cinnamon rolls, or donut holes, along with something more neutral that can act as a savory building block, like bagels, toasted sourdough, or croissants. If you have gluten-free company, be sure to include a GF option and make note of it with an embellished sign or separate little plate to distinguish.
- Mini pancakes
- Waffle squares
- Cinnamon rolls
- Triangle toasts
- Muffins
- English muffins
- Donut holes
- Croissants
- Bagels
Fruit
Who doesn't love a stunning display of berries and beautifully carved tropical fruits? Not only are these a fresh and juicy addition to your board, but they provide a much-needed pop of color for the whole scene.
Go with what's in season for the freshest, most delicious fruit, and try to mix and match texture, flavors, and colors so everyone can find something they love. Handfuls of strawberries here and there mixed with orange wedges and spiraling kiwi rounds are bright and lively additions.
- Bunch of grapes
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Banana
- Berries
- Apple
- Pineapple
- Avocado
- Cherries
- Peaches
- Melon
Cheeses
Similar to other charcuteries, cheese is an integral part of a breakfast charcuterie board. Including a mix of soft, semi-hard, and hard cheese that pair well with the other components on the board adds a whole dimension of texture and flavor. Steer clear of intensely flavored cheeses, like truffle. These will clash more often than not. A neutral cheese can be added to a bagel or toast with any array of jams or chutneys that are also on the board.
Soft cheeses like chèvre, young sheep's cheese, a spreadable cream cheese, cow's brie, or Boursin are perfect for adding to a breakfast charcuterie board. Adding in a firmer cheese like cheddar, gruyère, or Petit Basque is important to have a diversity in texture. There are endless cheeses and no right or wrong answer, so choose a mix of what you enjoy most!
- Chèvre
- Cream cheese
- Brie
- Boursin
- Cheddar
- Gruyère
- Havarti
- Petit Basque
- Emmental
- Edam
Meat & Eggs
Savory, salty protein. A mix of cured meat, crispy bacon, lox, sausage links, and soft-boiled eggs bulks up your board. Pick two or three of your favorites to feature. You can design and match however you like. If you are going for that bagel cream cheese vibe, you'll likely want to think about putting smoked salmon or lox on the board. If you want to lean into a classic American breakfast plate, be sure to include bacon and sausage.
Cured meats carry the board over into brunch/lunch, helping to create a dynamic breakfast platter. Little folds of prosciutto paired with a wedge of melon make the perfect bite to bridge morning and midday.
And then there are eggs! Jammy halves are stunners on the board and make it easy for people to smash on toast with a smear of herby cheese. Soft-boiled eggs are a great option too, keeping the egg a touch warm with the peel-when-ready option. If your crowd is vegetarian, you can easily skip this section and go heavier on the extras.
- Bacon
- Sausage links
- Smoked salmon
- Lox
- Sausage patties
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Soft-boiled eggs
Veggies
Just because it's the first meal of the day doesn't mean there is no room for a little veg. This is the perfect place for little piles of halved cherry tomatoes and delicate displays of fresh arugula or mustard greens. These are perfect for tucking into a croissant with a few slices of salami or bacon.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Arugula
- Mustard greens
- Red onion
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Jams, Spreads, Mustards, & More
These small and mighty pieces really bring the board together. Think of any and all condiments that you'd want for each item on the board. A couple types of jam, jelly, or marmalade for the toasts and croissants. A tiny pitcher of maple syrup and small dish of honey to sweeten up your waffles or pancakes. A bowl of whipped butter. A bit of mustard or aioli for your savory sandwich needs and sausages. A dish of fleur de sel - an absolute must. The options are endless. Just be sure to fill in all the gaps in your board with a variety of sweet and savory.
- Jam
- Marmalade
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- Fleur de sel
- Mustard
- Hot sauce
- Aioli
- Butter
- Nutella
- Peanut butter
- Honeycomb
A Breathtaking Breakfast
If you want to create a breakfast charcuterie board that makes people ooh and ahh, pick a few components from each category and get creative building an artful display of sweet and savory that will both mesmerize and satiate your guests.
