How to Create a Fun and Tasty Spanish Cheese Board

If you’re looking for the perfect thing to bring to your next potluck or dinner party, a scrumptious charcuterie board is just the thing. Salty meats and cheeses, sweet fruits and jams, and crusty bread and crackers really hit the spot in the most perfect way. Here are some tips for what to include on your tasty Spanish cheese board that will win the crowd over. We guarantee there won’t be a crumb left by the end of the night!

Cheeses

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The key to any good cheese board or charcuterie platter is variety in flavors and textures. So when you’re putting together your Spanish cheese board, you’ll want a nice mix of cheeses in there to please all tastes. It’s always a good idea to have at least one soft cheese and one hard cheese on the plate. Depending on the size of the cheese board you’re creating, we recommend using 3-5 different cheeses. Some delicious options for your cheese board are:

• Manchego: Spain’s most famous cheese. This sheep’s milk cheese is hard in texture and has a rich deep flavor.
• Torta del Casar: hard on the outside, creamy on the inside. This will please those who prefer soft cheeses, like brie or Camembert.
• Cabrales: aged blue cheese. Strong in flavor with a softer texture.
• Mahón: cow’s milk cheese from the island of Menorca. Medium in both texture and strength of flavor.
• Idiazábal: sheep’s milk cheese with a smoky flavor and nutty, buttery undertones.

Meats

As phenomenal as Spanish cheese is, the country is really known for its cured meats, and for good reason. Delicacies like jamón ibérico, chorizo and fuet are treasures in Spanish cuisine and are present at any kind of party or holiday meal. Your Spanish cheese board should have a few varieties of meats to pick from.

• Spanish ham: jamón ibérico is king of Spanish ham, but jamón serrano is an excellent option that is more budget-friendly.
• Hard, dried meats: choose one of these to slice thinly and throw on your Spanish cheese board. Fuet, chorizo, salchichón, or longaniza all work well.
• Lomo: this dried pork tenderloin provides a different texture than those above, and really delivers on flavor.

See more: 5 Absolutely Delicious Spanish Sheep Cheeses to Try

Breads and spreads

Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay

Now that you’ve got the meats and cheeses, it’s time for breads and spreads! Ideally, a nice, crusty baguette would be the carb of choice here. In Spain, every meal is eaten with a bit of bread. Slice it up and everyone can put their toppings of choice on it. However, high-quality crackers will work just fine, too.

As for spreads, you’ll want something sweet to pair with all the salty things on your Spanish cheese board. Spaniards love membrillo, a quince paste that is perfect with Manchego cheese. If you can’t find this at your supermarket, you can try marmalade or honey for the same desired taste.

Fruit, nuts, and olives

Any good Spanish cheese board needs to include some salty snacks to nibble on. Nuts, olives, and something pickled is the way to go here. Toasted almonds, marinated olives, and pickles or lupini beans are the perfect little bites to much on between a mouthful of meat or cheese. Remember, the fun of a Spanish cheese board is that you can make it your own!

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