This butter board with serrano ham and sun-dried tomatoes is a flavorful appetizer. It is quick to put together and requires no cooking!
It is a versatile appetizer that can be easily adjusted to anyone’s liking. Make it your own and choose the ingredients you like or experiment with different flavors!
What is a butter board?
It is a new trend inspired by the classic charcuterie and cheese boards. It literally is butter spread on a board and topped with all kinds of tasty toppings.
How to make a butter board
Tools
- Serving board – chopping board or large tray/platter
- Spoon
- Skillet – for toasting pine nuts (spatula not needed, simply toss them around by lifting and shaking the skillet)
- Chopping board & knife
Ingredients
- Butter
- Pine nuts
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh parsley
- Serrano ham (Iberico ham) or prosciutto
- Olive oil - optional
The process
Spread butter onto a board of your choice. Top with all the ingredients and drizzle with olive oil. Tip: Tear serrano ham into small pieces so that you get a taste with each serving.
Note: Full recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
Frequently asked questions
What type of butter to use?
You can use salted or unsalted, but I recommend unsalted butter. You can control the quantity of salt and when topping it with ingredients that are salty as well (like serrano ham/prosciutto) you will not accidentally over-season it.
When using the salted kind, make sure not to season it with salt anymore!
What is the best surface to serve this appetizer on?
Marble board is the best choice! It is cold to touch which helps keep it cool for longer. It is a great option in summer or when your house is too warm.
That being said, a wooden chopping board or even a large serving plate will work just great!
Can I make it ahead of time?
For best results, you can prepare it an hour or two in advance. I don’t recommend prepping it for example the night before serving.
The reason is simple: In most cases, the toppings used will wilt or dry out over the time. It does not take much time to prepare so go fresh!
What dippers are best?
- Bread – Artisan, French baguette or sourdough bread are all delicious options. Make sure to provide enough of it!
- Crostini – Another option, if you like a bit of a crunch.
Toppings
Here are a few more ideas that you can use:
- Olives
- Feta cheese
- Nuts
- Dried fruit
- Bacon
- Onion
- Pears
- Honey
- Lemon zest
Take these as an inspiration and create your own butter board with ingredients you like!
Expert tips
This appetizer is loaded with fat which means it is not something you should serve on a regular basis. Here are some tips to reduce the calorie count per bite:
- Don’t spread the butter thick. If you do, you will end up eating a ton of butter with perhaps 1 or 2 tiny toppings.
- Top the spread generously. In this case the more the better. That way, you will reduce the amount of butter you consume in 1 bite.
- I recommend serving this butter board alongside some lighter and healthier appetizers, to balance its heaviness and so that your guests have an option to choose something else. Stuffed olives, crudite platter or pomegranate salsa are excellent choices!
More tasty board appetizers:
Butter Board
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (220 grams, softened, see note 1)
- ¼ cup pine nuts (30 grams, see note 2)
- ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes (60 grams, see note 3)
- fresh flat-leaf parsley (to taste)
- 5 slices Serrano ham (Iberico ham or prosciutto)
- coarse salt (to taste)
- black pepper (preferably freshly cracked, to taste)
- olive oil (optional, see note 4)
Instructions
- Divide each butter stick into half. Spread them onto a chopping or serving board and with the back of the spoon smear each piece around. I like to start with 2 sticks of butter but scrape off any thick areas – you don’t want your guests to end up with a mouthful of butter. Put in the fridge if the butter starts melting.
- Next, toast the pine nuts. Chop sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and chop parsley. Tear ham or prosciutto into very small pieces.
- Take out the chopping board from the fridge and top the butter with pine nuts, sun-dried tomato pieces, jamon and parsley. Season with coarse salt and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil for a bit of a shine (optional).
- Best served right away!
Notes
- Use real butter, not butter substitutes.
- You can use less than ⅓ cup of pine nuts.
- I used sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil and that is what I recommend. The dried version might be too dry for this appetizer.
- A drizzle of olive oil is optional but not necessary.
- Optional add-on – chili flakes.
- Make sure to serve enough bread to go with this butter board! The more the better!
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