Memorial Day Charcuterie Board

This Memorial Day charcuterie board is the easy, colorful snack board you can set out before the grill is ready, while guests are grabbing drinks, or when you need something festive that does not feel fussy.

It is savory, crisp, creamy, and full of simple store-bought favorites like cheese, salami, crackers, blue corn chips, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, and dip. The cheese stars and red, white, and blue layout give it that patriotic look without turning it into another dessert.

Scroll down for the ingredients and step-by-step.

Why You’ll Love This Memorial Day Charcuterie Board

This board is made for low-stress Memorial Day hosting. It works as an appetizer, snack board, pool party platter, BBQ starter, or easy patriotic centerpiece for the food table.

You’ll love it because:

• It is quick to assemble, about 25 to 30 minutes total.
• It is mostly no-cook, besides cutting the cheese stars.
• It is savory, which is a nice break from all the red, white, and blue desserts.
• It works for adults and kids.
• It is easy to customize without changing the main look.
• It is great for Memorial Day cookouts, BBQs, pool parties, picnics, and summer gatherings.
• It can also work later for the 4th of July, Labor Day, or any patriotic party.

Recipe details

• Servings: 6
• Course: Appetizer, Snack
• Cuisine: American
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Arrange time: 15 minutes
• Total time: About 30 minutes
• Chill or hold time: 0 to 15 minutes if letting it rest before guests arrive
• Calories: About 460 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 300 g)
• 1 to 1.5 pounds cheese cubes, cheddar or your favorite cheese (450 to 680 g)
• 1 cup dip, such as hummus, ranch, or a red, white, and blue yogurt dip (240 ml)
• 6 to 8 ounces assorted crackers, such as water crackers or seeded crackers (170 to 225 g)
• 1 bag blue tortilla chips or blue corn chips, about 9 ounces (255 g)
• 10 to 12 slices salami or other cured meat, rolled or folded
• 1 to 1.5 cups blueberries (150 to 225 g)
• 8 to 10 Swiss cheese slices, cut into star shapes
• Fresh parsley or dill (optional, for garnish)
• Small edible sugar sprinkles, mini flag picks, or red and white striped napkins – optional, for a patriotic touch

Practical tips before you start

• Use a board that is a little bigger than you think you need. If everything is packed too tightly, the red, white, and blue pattern gets lost.

• Dry the tomatoes and blueberries very well before adding them. That small step helps keep the crackers and chips crisp.

• Cut the Swiss cheese stars while the cheese is cold. Soft, room-temperature cheese can bend or tear when you press the cutter into it.

• Keep the crackers and blue corn chips off the board until the end if you are prepping ahead. They are the first things to go soft if they sit near dip, tomatoes, or berries.

• For the cleanest patriotic look, keep the blueberries in one tight corner or cluster. Scattered blueberries still taste good, but they do not read as clearly as the blue field of the board.

How To Make A Memorial Day Charcuterie Board

1. Choose your board or platter

Use a large wooden board, tray, or platter. You want enough room to create a red, white, and blue layout without piling everything on top of itself.

A large board works best, but a sheet pan lined with parchment paper also works if that is what you have.

2. Add the dip bowl

Place your dip bowl in the center of the board or slightly off to one side. This anchors the board and gives you a natural place to arrange the other ingredients.

Ranch, hummus, whipped feta, garlic-herb dip, or salsa all work well. A white dip gives the board a cleaner Memorial Day look, especially next to the blue chips, blueberries, tomatoes, and cheese stars.

3. Build the blue section

Add the blueberries in one corner or on one side of the board to create the blue section. Keep them grouped together so the color looks intentional.

Add the blue tortilla chips nearby, or tuck them upright around the dip bowl for height and crunch.

4. Add the red ingredients

Arrange the salami in a loose stripe, curved line, or fanned section. You can roll the slices, fold them in quarters, or layer them in a row so they are easy for guests to grab.

Add the cherry tomatoes in small clusters around the board. Try not to place them directly against the crackers if they are juicy.

5. Add the cheese

Place the Swiss cheese stars on top or in a visible white section so they stand out.

Add the cheese cubes in small piles across the board. Use them to fill empty spaces and balance the red, white, and blue colors.

If you have both orange cheddar and a white cheese, use them in separate areas for better contrast.

6. Fill in with crackers and chips

Add the crackers and extra blue corn chips last so they stay crisp. Tuck them into open spaces around the cheese, salami, tomatoes, and dip.

This is also the moment to adjust the board. If one area looks too heavy, move a few crackers, cheese cubes, or tomatoes to balance the colors.

7. Garnish and serve

Add a few sprigs of parsley or dill for a fresh pop of green. Keep it light so the patriotic colors stay the focus.

If using mini flag picks, red and white napkins, or a few small decorative touches, add them right before serving.

Optional upgrades

• Use pepper jack, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, white cheddar, or cheddar cubes.

• Add a small bowl of red salsa for extra color.

• Use whipped feta as the white dip.

• Add cucumber slices or bell pepper strips for a fresher board.

• Add olives, roasted chickpeas, or extra hummus for a Mediterranean-inspired version.

• Use gluten-free crackers if serving gluten-free guests.

• Make it vegetarian by leaving off the salami and adding more cheese, veggies, hummus, olives, nuts, or roasted chickpeas.

• Add small mozzarella balls for another white ingredient.

Make-ahead tips

You can prep the ingredients ahead, but I would not fully assemble the board too early.

Prep ahead:

• Cut the cheese stars.
• Cube the cheese.
• Wash and fully dry the tomatoes.
• Wash and fully dry the blueberries.
• Roll or fold the salami.
• Add the dip to a covered bowl.
• Gather the crackers, chips, picks, and serving utensils.

Wait to add:

• Crackers
• Blue corn chips
• Fresh herbs
• Decorative picks or sprinkles

For the best texture, assemble the chilled items first, then add the crackers and chips right before serving. right before serving.

Serving tips

If serving indoors, set the board out shortly before guests arrive.

For an outdoor Memorial Day cookout, keep the board chilled as long as possible before serving, especially if the weather is hot. Cheese, salami, and dip should not sit out in the sun.

Set out small tongs, toothpicks, or cheese picks so guests can grab what they want easily.

Keep extra crackers and chips nearby for refilling. It is better to refresh the board as people snack than to crowd everything onto the platter at once.

What to serve with it

This Memorial Day charcuterie board works well before or alongside:

• Burgers
• Hot dogs
• BBQ chicken
• Grilled chicken
• Pasta salad
• Potato salad
• Corn on the cob
• Fruit salad
• Lemonade
• Summer cocktails or mocktails

Storage

This board is best served fresh.

Store leftover cheese, salami, tomatoes, blueberries, and dip separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Do not store leftover crackers or chips with the moist ingredients, since they will soften.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Do not add the crackers too early if the board is sitting for a while. They can soften near the dip, tomatoes, or berries.

• Do not scatter the blue ingredients everywhere. A tight blue section makes the board look more like a patriotic flag-inspired platter.

• Do not overload the board with too many decorations. The cheese stars, blueberries, tomatoes, and blue chips already give it a festive look.

• Do not skip drying the fruit and tomatoes. Moisture is the fastest way to make a snack board messy.