Fruit can be an important ingredient for any charcuterie board and adds a sweet and colorful touch. Fruit also adds a variety of textures and can be cut in fun and decorative shapes. The best fruit for charcuterie board designs is typically apples, berries, melon, and pears. Below you can find a complete list of fruits to consider.
While I love to add fruit to every charcuterie board that I make, I also love assembling a fruit charcuterie board as a fun and healthy snack. This is especially good for an afternoon or for a kids party.
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List of the Best Fruit for Charcuterie Board
Below you can find a list of the best fruit for charcuterie board ideas and designs. You can scroll down more more details on the different fruits. Many of these fruits can be found in your local grocery store and some of the more specialty items or tropical foods can be found in more specialty shops.
- Apples
- Pears
- Grapes
- Berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc)
- Melon (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew)
- Kiwi
- Citrus (oranges, clementines, etc)
- Star Fruit
- Mango
- Papaya
- Pineapple
- Pomegranate
- Peaches and nectarines
What to Consider When Selecting Fruit for a Charcuterie Board
So what do you need to know when deciding which fruit to add to your charcuterie board? Below are a few things to consider when choosing the best fruit for a charcuterie board.
Color: We love a bright and vibrant charcuterie board and fruit is one of the best ways to add some color. Choose a variety of fruit that are different colors, shapes, and textures.
Taste: Fruit offers a balance to some of the richer and heartier flavors found on most charcuterie boards. Many fruit pairs well with nuts, cheese, and meats, and the fresh taste adds a great contrast.
Decoration: Just as fruit adds colors, the best charcuterie board fruit can also be molded or cut into beautiful shapes.
Best Fruit for a Charcuterie Board
Apples
Apples are a perfect fruit to add to a charcuterie board. They are easy to cut up, colorful and pair well with sweets, nuts, and cheese. I love to serve apples with cheddar cheese and crackers as some people prefer to stack apples and cheese over crackers and cheese. There are many ways to cut apples, but I like to slice them thinly and lay them in arcs or rows in the charcuterie board.
Pears
Pears are a great and sweet addition to a charcuterie board. While they may not add the same colorful punch as some of the other fruit, pears are great paired with goat cheese or a more mild cheese that offsets the sweet pear flavor. Pears can be slices in wedges or thin slices and serves with other fruit or on a general charcuterie board.
Grapes
Grapes are a popular charcuterie board fruit. They are an easy finger food and since they can be served whole they are clean and don’t go bad like apples and pears. Both green and red grapes make great additions. Choose seedless grapes or provide a place for the grape pits. You can keep your grapes with the stems on, or remove them from their stems and serve them in a pile or a bowl.
Berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc)
All types of berries make a great addition to a charcuterie board. Like grapes, berries can often be serve whole. Blueberries, raspberries, and raspberries add incredible pops of color and taste. Serve berries with almost any other ingredients such as chocolate, crackers, cheese and cured meats. Strawberries make a great addition and can be cut into a variety of shapes or laid out in rows.
Melon (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew)
Melon makes a good addition to a charcuterie board and can be cut in a variety of shapes. Serve melon on any charcuterie board or alongside other fruit. Melon pairs especially well with cured meats and you can even wrap melon cubes in meat for a delicious and simple item for a charcuterie board.
Kiwi
Kiwi are popular to serve on a charcuterie board. They off a unique flavor with a tart kick and a burst of green. In addition, kiwi can be cut into a variety of beautiful designs making this a beautiful and decorative addition to a charcuterie board. Cut one or two kiwi for decoration, or add kiwi to a fresh fruit charcuterie board.
Citrus (oranges, clementines, etc)
Citrus provides a beautiful burst of color for a charcuterie board. Serve citrus as simply a decorative item, or add lemons or other citrus to a charcuterie board with smoked salmon. Slicing the oranges thinly on the board lets you lay out the oranges in a variety of designs. You can make rows or flowers with the fruit. If you are serving as edible part of the board, make sure to provide a place for people to put the peels in.
Star Fruit
Star fruit has an interesting flavor, but it’s real power is it’s unique and fun shape. Cut a start fruit into thin slices and use the amazing star-shaped fruit as an edible decoration on your next charcuterie board. You can find star fruit in most grocery stores.
Mango and Papaya
Mango is a delicious fruit and is useful on a charcuterie board even if it is a bit messy. Choose a mango that is a bit stiff so you don’t end up with a mushy lump of your board. Mango pairs well with a tropical charcuterie board or spicy ingredients. Another popular tropical fruit that works well on a charcuterie board is Papaya.
Pineapple
Pineapple has both visual appeal and a unique and delicious taste. Serve pineapple in slices or cubes. Like melon, pineapple pairs well with some cured meats (like ham) but can also be served on tropical themed boards or general fruit charcuterie boards. Use the entire pineapple as a serving board or get creative with cutting pineapple to make a pretty decoration.
Pomegranate
This is one of my favorite fruits to add to a charcuterie board as the burst of color and flavor pairs well with so many things. Pomegranate seeds are fun to eat and can be put on a variety of charcuterie board designs. Pile them into a bowl, sprinkle them across your finished board or even serve them as it in chunks. The only downside is that the juice can be a bit messy, so serve it with napkins!
Peaches and nectarines
Peaches and nectarines make delicious fruit for a charcuterie board and can be laid in slices alongside crackers, cheese and meat. They also give a sweet flavor and color to a fruit charcuterie board and can be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes.
There are of course a number of other less commonly available fruit that make colorful, delicious and fun ingredients for a charcuterie board. Choose fruit like persimmon, pawpaw, dragonfruit, or lychee.
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