This beautiful Valentine’s Day charcuterie board will wow your loved ones. Red berries, salami roses and heart-shaped cheeses are complimented with crackers, dried fruits and nuts!
An impressive heart shaped appetizer for your romantic night!
I like making charcuterie boards for dinner, especially when we have a lot of bits and pieces in the fridge, and I don’t feel like cooking up a meal. They are easily customizable and can be turned into something special like this one.
How to make a heart-shaped charcuterie board
Shopping list
- Please use the photos as a reference only. Use the foods you and your loved ones like. You can make the charcuterie board smaller, if you like. In general, choose some red and pink foods, you can also add some sweets you like. Or go for heart-shaped sweets.
- Strawberries – They always go hand in hand with Valentine’s Day!
- Raspberries – What about going the extra mile and making chocolate-covered raspberries or strawberries!
- Grapes – You can omit these and use more berries or choose another fruit.
- Pistachios – Or other nuts of your choice.
- Salami, prosciutto – This is what I used here. The salami is a must if you want to make the roses. If not, use any kind of deli meat you prefer.
- Dried pineapple pieces – These are tasty but can be substituted with other dried fruits or omitted completely.
- Cheese – Cheddar, Babybel, sliced Mozzarella, Manchego – Anything you like. To partially outline the heart shape, I cut hearts out of sliced Mozzarella.
- Crackers – With or without seeds, water crackers or crostini.
Gather kitchen tools and gadgets
- Parchment paper, pencil & scissors – To cut out a heart shape. This helps you to keep the heart shape you are after, but also, if using a tray that is not intended for food, it will act as a base paper.
- Round cutting board, cheese board, serving tray, platter. You can also serve it just on a clean table if using parchment paper under.
- Cutting board and knife.
- Tiny heart-shaped cookie cutter and small cookie cutter.
- A Champagne glass – to make the salami roses.
- Plastic wrap – If you want to make it ahead keep the ingredients from drying out.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions. This is only a quick overview:
- Cut a heart out of a parchment paper sheet. Its size is up to you. Place it onto your serving plate/tray. I used a wooden cheese board.
- Cut a heart out of a parchment paper sheet. Its size is up to you. Place it onto your serving plate/tray. I used a wooden cheese board.
- Rinse and thoroughly dry berries and fruits.
- Make salami roses.
- Prep the cheeses.
- Assemble everything together in a heart shape. Check my pictures for inspiration.
Can I make it in advance?
Yes, you can. However, it is important to dry all the fresh fruits and berries thoroughly to avoid other food items from turning soggy when sitting for a longer period in the fridge.
I recommend choosing a tray or plate with an edge so you can wrap it in a plastic wrap.
Or, use a baking sheet, transfer all the prepped foods onto a baking sheet, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Then arrange it on a serving plate/tray/board right before serving.
What drinks pair well with a Valentine’s charcuterie board?
Sparkling or red wine, rosé or even a festive mocktail complement the sweet and savory flavors.
Tips for the best Valentine’s charcuterie board
- Balance Flavors – Combine sweet, salty and savory elements for variety.
- Use Different Textures – Soft cheeses, crunchy nuts and juicy fruits add contrast.
- Add a Personal Touch – Use heart-shaped bowls, toothpicks and decorative napkins.
- Keep It Fresh – For the best food experience, prepare the board close to serving time to keep ingredients as fresh as possible.
More easy Valentine’s Day recipes
- Strawberry Bruschetta – A tasty appetizer that goes well with a charcuterie board and it’s always a hit!
- Fruit Kabobs – An easy sweet treat, if you want to keep it simple.
- Heart-Shaped Appetizer – This caprese salad is not only easy but quick to put together!
Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
This beautiful Valentine’s Day charcuterie board features red berries, salami roses and heart-shaped cheeses, along with crackers, dried fruits and nuts!
Ingredients
- 5 ounces salami (see note 1)
- 10 strawberries (or to taste, see note 2)
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup red grapes
- 4 babybel (mini cheeses)
- 3 ounces cheddar (diced)
- 5 slices mozzarella (see note 3)
- 3 ounces prosciutto (see note 4)
- crackers (see note 5)
- ½ cup pistachios
- ½ cup dried pineapple
Instructions
- Choose a serving tray/platter/board. If you have a heart-shaped one, use that. If not, use any round-shaped serving vessel. To help you keep the heart shape, cut a heart out of parchment paper (Check the post for photos, if not sure how). Place this over your serving board.
- Prepare salami roses: The large one was made with a champagne glass, the small ones without. With champagne glass: Take a slice of salami and fold it about halfway over the edge. Repeat with more slices, making sure they are overlapping. I used about 8. Then, simply place one hand over the rim of the glass, and with the other hand, turn the glass over. Your salami rose will stay in your palm. Without a glass: Take a slice of salami. Place it onto a clean worktop. Take another one and place it right next to the first slice, making sure they are both overlapping. Repeat with about 6 slices. Now fold them in half and roll from one end towards the other creating a rose-like shape.
- Prepare the fruits: Rinse the fruits under running water and dry thoroughly.
- Cheeses: If you have a tiny heart-shaped cookie cutter, use it to cut the wax out of each Babybel cheese. If not, you can just add them to the board for color. Take a larger cookie cutter (but still small – about 2 inches/5 centimeters) and cut out about 20 hearts out of the Mozzarella slices.
- Assemble the board: Arrange the large pieces first – salami roses and spread Babybels around. Take strawberries and position them around the edges of the parchment paper. You can continue any way you like. I recommend outlining the heart shape so use diced cheddar, Mozzarella hearts and then start filling the gaps inside and wherever needed. Keep the tiniest ingredients to the last – nuts and dried fruits.
Notes
- The salami roses – You might need to secure them with toothpicks. It will depend on the salami you use. I did one but it was not needed at all.
- You can use chocolate-covered strawberries or raspberries if you like.
- I have a small heart-shaped cutter, so I got 4 cheese hearts out of 1 slice.
- Italian prosciutto can be substituted with Spanish serrano ham or other deli meat of your choice.
- Crackers: Use as many as you like. You want to fill up the empty spaces, so you might need more or less. You can serve them on the side as well if there is not enough space on the board. Options: crostini, crackers with or without seeds, water crackers, ...
Nutrition
Calories: 753 kcal (38%), Carbohydrates: 52 g (17%), Protein: 30 g (60%), Fat: 49 g (75%), Saturated Fat: 18 g (113%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 8 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19 g, Trans Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 91 mg (30%), Sodium: 1525 mg (66%), Potassium: 570 mg (16%), Fiber: 6 g (25%), Sugar: 28 g (31%), Vitamin A: 563 IU (11%), Vitamin C: 30 mg (36%), Calcium: 415 mg (42%), Iron: 3 mg (17%)
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