How to Build a Summer Charcuterie Board + Whipped Feta Dip Recipe (2024)

I love fruit year-round, but summer fruit takes my appreciation to a whole new level. Seriously, I practically live off watermelon right now, so I thought it’d be fun to include some watermelon slices, along with other fresh seasonal fruits, on a charcuterie board! I swear, y’all, this summer charcuterie board is as delicious as it is colorful, and it just puts a giant smile on my face. Plus, it pairs wonderfully with white wine and relaxed evenings on the back patio. Keep reading for all my favorite tips on building a well-rounded summer charcuterie board! Oh, and bonus– I’m also sharing a simple whipped feta dip recipe (that’s to die for) at the bottom of this post!

Side note– if you love grazing boards and don’t own Platters and Boards, you should. I flip through and reference it all the time. First and foremost, it’s helped me realize that there’s no recipe for “perfect” cheese board. You can be as creative or as formulaic as you like. Second, it’s given me some fun, colorful, and utterly ingenious seasonal charcuterie ideas. Highly recommend!

Summer Charcuterie Board Ideas

Literally all my favorites things about summer came together on this charcuterie board. Here’s everything I used to make mine–

• Watermelon– It’s a well-known fact that watermelon’s best eaten off the rind. I cut my watermelon slices relatively thin and layered them to try and save space.
• Green grapes– Grapes are a wonderful treat year-round, but their natural sweetness and crunch pairs so perfectly with creamy summer cheese.
• Peaches– I’m a southern girl, so leaving peaches off of any summer grazing board is just wrong. Also, if you’ve never combined brie, honey, and a peach slice on a cracker, you’re missing out.
• Variety of cheeses– Kate Spade’s All in Good Taste taught me that the perfect charcuterie board always includes a variety of cheeses. To hit on all cylinders (aged, soft, and firm– blue is the 4th category, but I just can’t stomach blue cheese), I chose brie, smoked gouda, and Kerrygold’s aged Dubliner cheese.
• Whipped feta dip– Whether they’re cheese, meat, or veggie, dips are a great addition to any charcuterie board. They’re easy to eat and offer some textural variety, too. Keep reading for my super simple whipped feta dip recipe!
• Honey– Honey and brie go hand-in-hand… plus, I love how cute and sweet (pun intended) these little honey dippers are. Fresh summer jams and spreads are never a bad idea either!
• Prosciutto– Charcuterie essentially means meat shop in French, so the cornerstone of any easy charcuterie is cured meat. Prosciutto, salami, and capicola are my favorites!
• Crackers and toasted pita chips– As much as I love them, I didn’t include any crostinis on this summer charcuterie board. I opted for a classic cracker assortment and some store-bought toasted pita chips for the whipped feta dip instead.
• Mint leaves– Mint is my favorite summer herb, and it pairs so nicely with watermelon. It’s also a pretty garnish, too!

Other summer charcuterie board ideas include olives, dried fruit, more seasonal fruits (like cherries, berries, and melon), and summer veggies (like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers). Nuts are always a classic choice, too. I personally left them off this round because I went heavier on the fruit. What you choose to include or not include is totally to you, though!

Whipped Feta Dip Recipe

Remember how I mentioned Platters and Boards? Well, they share featured recipes with each board, and this whipped feta dip, which is ironically from their Black Tie Spread, is one of my favorites. Probably the best thing about this whipped feta recipe is that it only takes three ingredients and less than a minute to make. Here’s everything you need–

• 6 oz feta cheese, unseasoned
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 3 tbsp heavy cream

To make this whipped feta dip, put the feta in a food processor and pulse until finely crumbled. Add the cream cheese and pulse for around 10 seconds or until the mixture is combined and smooth. Then, with the food processor still running, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Continue pulsing for around 15 seconds or until a light and fluffy dip has formed.

Transfer dip to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve! If you want to be extra fancy, sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top.

Whipped Feta Dip

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

This delicious whipped feta dip takes less than a minute to make and is perfect for summer charcuterie boards! Serve with toasted pita chips or bite-sized bread pieces.

Ingredients

• 6 oz feta cheese
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

1. Pulse feta in a food processor for 3-5 seconds or until finely crumbled. Add the softened cream cheese and pulse for 10 seconds or until the mixture is combined and smooth. With the food processor still running, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Continue pulsing for around 15 seconds or until a light and fluffy dip has formed.
2. Transfer dip to a covered serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Additions

• Black Sesame Seeds- Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top for a fancier, more "black tie" feel.
  

Storage

• Fridge- This dip can be kept for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.Serve chilled with pita chips and/or fresh veggies and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Platters and Boards by Shelly Westerhausen.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 133Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 43mgSodium 292mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 2gProtein 5g

Nutritional information isn't always accurate and can vary based on a number of factors, including but not limited to discrepancies among brands, precision of measurements, and freshness of ingredients.

Super pretty, right?! For more charcuterie board inspiration, check out these tips for building the perfect cheese board. Also, if you’re as big a fan of seasonal cheese boards as I am, you’ll love this fall cheese board, too. Thanks so much for reading, y’all!

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