When you’re getting ready to host a gathering, having a charcuterie platter available for guests to help themselves with finger foods is essential. The word “charcuterie” is French for cold cuts, referring to prepared meat products primarily from pork such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit.

However, even though technically that would mean a charcuterie board is a board of meats, when most people think of classic charcuterie boards today, they think of meat and cheese boards perfect for wine pairings or with an assortment of crackers, fresh fruit, nuts, or a wide variety of other finger foods and themes.

Charcuterie boards make a great addition to any wedding reception spread. What makes a good charcuterie board is not only the aesthetics of the presentation, but most importantly choosing the right kinds of meats and cheeses to give your wedding guests an amazing taste and texture experience.

When choosing cheeses for the charcuterie board, you’ll want to consider the recommended ounces of cheese per person, including specialty cheeses and offering a wide variety of cheeses that are best served at room temperature.

So today, I’m sharing a roundup of the best cheeses to add to any charcuterie board to make sure yours is one your wedding guests will love.

10 Best Cheese For Charcuterie

When selecting the cheese for your charcuterie board, you’ll want to opt for a selection of hard cheese, soft cheese, and blue cheese. Many of them pair well with dried fruit, fresh fruit, cured meats, and crunchy breads. Below are a few options to get you started with making the perfect charcuterie board for your wedding reception.

Goat cheese

Goat cheese is tart, with a soft, almost spreadable texture. It can be served at room temperature on your charcuterie board or added into an apple and cheese puff pastry bite for a sweet & salty finger food option. It’s a “fresh” soft cheese intended for immediate consumption. Since there is no way to store goat cheese safely at room temperature, the USDA recommends tossing it after a couple of hours.

Aged gouda

This semi-hard cheese has roots in the Netherlands and comes in multiple varieties – aged, smoked, or infused with flavor. Aged gouda is a crowd-favorite that has a mild and premium flavor. Serve aged gouda thinly sliced or cut into triangles on your charcuterie boards and paired with salami. Hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Parmesan, or Gouda, are a tougher breed. If they've been sitting out for 2 hours, you can rewrap them and put them back in the fridge. However, if after 2 hours, your gouda becomes squishy, toss it into the trash.

Blue cheese

Blue cheese is another great option for your cheese charcuterie boards. It tastes salty, bright, and a bit funky or earthy. Blue cheese pairs well with dried fruit or fresh fruit like strawberries, little clusters of grapes, figs, apple or pear slices around. Toss unrefrigerated blue cheese after two days.

Mozzarella balls

Mozzarella balls strike a perfect balance of milky, grassy, and floral notes with just a hint of tang. Served fresh and pre-prepped from the grocery stores, you can add this cheese to a skewer along with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil to create the perfect caprese bites on your meat and cheese board. The U.S. Department of Health doesn't recommend keeping any perishable food sitting out of the fridge for more than two hours — and that's certainly the case for soft cheeses, like cottage or cream cheese, brie, or fresh mozzarella.

Cream cheese

Cream cheese is a soft, neutral-tasting cheese made from cow's milk and cream. It has a subtle sweetness, mild tanginess, and silky smooth texture, making it extremely versatile for breakfast ideas or desserts. Use a cream cheese mixture to create mini cheesecakes for your wedding charcuterie board. You may also elevate the mini bagel by adding some cream cheese and topping it with smoked salmon for the perfect mini bite. Just keep in mind that soft cheeses shouldn’t be left out at room temperature for more than two hours.

Queso Blanco Cheese Dip

Queso blanco has a fresh, traditional, slightly salty cow's milk cheese taste. Eat it straight or serve as a cheese dip with nachos or mini pretzel bites. Like most cheeses, Queso should be refrigerated until use and then left out at room temperature for no more than two hours.

Brie

Brie is a soft and creamy cheese that has a rich and buttery taste. Brie cheese pairs well with herbs or nuts like marcona almonds and can also be heated or baked or wrapped in pastry or phyllo. At your wedding reception, try brie and fig as an amazing crostini option. The melty cheese pairs perfectly with figs, and it’s great on some crispy crostini bread.

Feta

Feta is a specialty cheese that’s tangy, slightly salty, and mildly sour. Sitting out at room temperature, Feta cheese can last longer than most other soft cheeses — making this one a must have for any charcuterie board! It is safe for at least 6 hours because of the salt content. However, the longer it sits, the more likely it is to become unappetizing and get dried out more so than spoiling. Feta and olives are a classic combination. Serve them alongside a crispy dough to make the perfect bite. Or pair feta with an assortment of dark chocolate – a sweet treat best accompanied by a saltier cheese bite.

Cheddar cheese

You can’t have a meat and cheese board without offering cheddar cheese! The sharp, pungent and slightly earthy flavor of this American favorite cheese makes cheddar a popular go to for charcuterie boards. Serve it room temperature or cooked in a grilled cheese bite that can serve as a great wedding finger food. Hard cheeses like cheddar cheese can be left out longer than a variety of cheeses without becoming unsafe, but the quality and taste may change. For this reason and for the best taste and quality, it’s recommended to not leave cheddar cheese out for longer than two hours at room temperature.

Swiss cheese

Swiss cheese is a smooth, mildly sweet and nutty option. Buy them pre cut from grocery stores and serve them room temperature or have them baked into ham and cheese pinwheels for your charcuterie boards. Pinwheels are a very delicious finger food, great for any occasion. You can also save time and find this #1 party appetizer already made at Trader Joe’s! It’s just a combination of deli meat, cheese, mustard, and puff pastry. You can find an easy recipe here. And like with many of the other cheeses mentioned, it’s not recommended to leave swiss cheese sitting out of the fridge for more than two hours.

Like these ideas for your charcuterie boards and want more? Here are also some bachelorette party food and wedding appetizers ideas to try.