November 22, 2021
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Traditional charcuterie boards feature a bounty of cheeses and meats- not exactly vegan friendly. Believe it or not, making a vegan charcuterie board simply takes a few substitutions and a little know-how! We’re here to help walk you through creating a vegan board that will please herbivores and carnivores alike!
We’ll walk you through all the ingredients typically used in charcuterie boards and elaborate on how they can be veganized if necessary:
Meat-Like Protein
Replacing meat is often the first thing people wonder about when it comes to making vegan food. For your charcuterie board, there are two different choices: use meat-like alternatives, or stock up on other protein sources. These are equally delicious, it simply depends on preferences. Here are some of our “meat” favorites:
Field Roast Plant Based Deli Slices
Meat free deli slices? Yep, Field Roast has implemented the impossible. These slices are great to layer on your board to eat with crackers and cheese. Field Roast offers three distinct flavors: Mushroom & Balsamic, Lentil & Sage, and Smoked Tomato.
Field Roast Plant-Based Classic Pepperoni Slices
Pepperoni is a crowd-pleaser, so don’t forget to put it on your board- even if you’re serving vegan guests! Field Roast’s pepperoni features a blend of spices like garlic, paprika, and fennel, so even though you’re ditching the meat, you don’t have to ditch the flavor.
Tofurky Hickory Smoked Deli Slices
Tofurky’s deli slices are great straight out of the package. These slices have a bold sweet and savory flavor that is sure to please! Like this flavor? Tofurky also offers Roast Beef, Italian, Oven Roasted, Peppered, and Bologna Deli Slices.
Alternative Proteins
The second option is using other protein sources!
Nuts are already a charcuterie staple, so increasing and diversifying the amount of nuts you use on your board is a great way to make sure no one misses the meat. Plain almonds, cashews, pistachios, and pecans are already fan favorites. If you’re looking for something with a little more pizazz, try Blue Diamond Cocoa Dusted Almonds, Trader Joe’s Savory Banana & Nuts Trek Mix, or make your own using the Beaming Baker’s recipe for Vegan Candied Pecans.
Dried chickpeas are also a vegan, protein-packed option for your board. Do it yourself with Vegan Heaven’s Roasted Chickpea Recipe, or try The Good Bean’s Chocolate Covered Chickpeas or Biena’s Lil’ Bit of Everything Chickpeas.
Ever heard of broad beans? Us either- until we tried Bada Bean Bada Boom. This brand created crunchy dried broad beans in a plethora of delicious all vegan flavors, including: Sea Salt, Sweet Sriracha, Everything Bagel, Sweet Onion & Mustard, Zesty Ranch, Garlic & Onion, Spicy Wasabi, Nacho Cheese, Buffalo Wing, Mesquite BBQ, Jalapeño Popper, Sweet Cinnamon, and Cocoa Dusted. So yes, you’ll find a flavor you like! Putting a bowl of Bada Beans on a charcuterie board is an unexpected and delicious way to combine both protein and flavor.
Fruits & Veggies
Now that we’ve got protein covered, it's time for fruits and vegetables. As you guessed, both are naturally vegan, so you can load up on the fruits and veggies without fear!
Here are some of our favorites:
Apple slices, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, dates, dried blueberries, dried banana slices, dried apricots, carrot sticks, celery sticks, sliced bell peppers or mini peppers, sliced cucumber, pickles, and olives (black, green, and kalamata!) olives
Cheese
There are a bounty of vegan cheeses available on the market, here are some of our favorites:
Cheese Wheel
Miyoko’s Creamery makes a collection of gourmet dairy-free cheese wheels from Sundried Tomato Garlic to Smoked English Farmhouse to Aged Black Ash. They are made of cashew milk and are organic and non-GMO.
Cheese Ball
Looking to add a simple personal touch? Make your own Lemon Cranberry & Pistachio
Cashew Cheese Ball with this less than 10 ingredient recipe from The Plant Philosophy.
Cheese Slices
Chao has a line of sliced cheese that is perfect for cutting into smaller squares and serving
with crackers. A few of their fun flavors include Tomato Cayenne, Spicy Original, and Garden Herb.
Dips & Spreads
Vegan dips don’t have to be boring!
Hummus
Hummus is a classic dip that is usually vegan. Check out Hope’s Avocado Lime Hummus, Good & Gather’s Olive Tapenade Hummus, or make your own Chocolate Hummus with this recipe from A
Cheese Dips
Kite Hill creates all kinds of plant-based alternatives, including their spreadable cheeses, which are perfect to put out on a charcuterie board and spread away! They have both a garlic herb and cracked black pepper flavor, which are perfect for crackers.
Kite Hill also makes a variety of exciting vegan dips in flavors for every taste. Currently, Queso, Tzatziki, Ranch, and French Onion are available.
Crackers
Here’s a few of our favorite vegan crackers that contain no meat, eggs, or dairy.
Mary’s Gone Crackers Original Crackers
These crackers are the perfect match for any dips- sturdy, crunchy, and hearty! They are made with a blend of whole grain brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds, and sesame seeds. If you like these crackers, you’re in luck! They are also offered in herb, jalapeño, and black pepper flavors, perfect for any palate. Bonus: they’re also gluten free!
Wheat Thins
Yes, most Wheat Thins are vegan! We included them on this list because they are super accessible- they are a staple at most grocery stores. They have a few varieties that aren’t vegan, but some of our favorite vegan varieties are the Original, Sundried Tomato & Basil, and Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil.
Ritz Crackers
Ritz is another easily accessible brand that has a lot of naturally vegan ingredients: try the Roasted Vegetable, Honey Wheat, and Everything flavors for a fun spin on the Original.
And just like that...you’ve created an entirely plant-based charcuterie board! With some fun substitutions, no one will miss the animal products
