Giada De Laurentiis' Charcuterie Board Must-Haves For An Epic Evening

Giada De Laurentiis knows Italian cooking like few others, and one of the country's great specialties that she has put much thought into is charcuterie. The word charcuterie may be French (and they certainly have their fair share of delicious cured meats), but no place on Earth can quite compete with Italy's love for good preserved pork and beef. Combine that with one of the greatest varieties of cheeses in the world, and it's no wonder Italian charcuterie boards are so widely loved. But so many amazing choices also means that there are a lot of flavors to consider. That's why, when speaking to De Laurentiis about the authentic Italian food in her own kitchen, we had to ask what she considers her charcuterie board essentials.

"Cerignola green olives, taralli crackers, an amazing jam, and endless cheeses and meats are must-haves," she reveals. "I always keep my pantry stocked to make an amazing board." Because the cheese and meat options are so varied, De Laurentiis squares in on some key complimentary items. If you aren't familiar with Cerignola olives, they are large green olives that have a wonderfully light and buttery flavor, making them great for snacking. As for taralli crackers, they are not a brand but a style — and no, they don't resemble your typical cracker. These crackers are circular with a hole in the middle, almost like a small breadstick curled up into a bagel shape. Beyond their unique form, they are also often flavored with spices like black pepper or rosemary.

Of course, not just any jam will do for your charcuterie board either. As with her other choices, De Laurentiis often prefers an Italian favorite, fig jam, over popular American flavors like strawberry or blackberry. Plum, apricot, and peach jams are also beloved Italian flavors that will bring some uniqueness to a charcuterie board — and De Laurentiis has another trick for plussing them up as well. As she recommended in one TikTok post, try adding some chopped, jarred hot peppers like Calabrian chiles to a dollop of jam to create a sweet and spicy topping for your meats and cheeses.

Additionally, you'll need a well-stocked selection of meats and cheeses to complete things. It's always good to have a few different styles of cheese, beyond the obvious Italian cheese options like fresh mozzarella, parmesan, and gorgonzola. De Laurentiis also likes taleggio as a soft cheese, fontina or scamorza as a semi-firm choice, and asiago or pecorino romano for harder cheeses.

As for cured Italian deli meat, it's almost impossible to go wrong. Add an aged ham like prosciutto, or try rich, fatty dried sausages, such as soppressata; they are also great. Some bite-sized slices of hard salami will be delicious and easy to find, but it's also worth it to track down some more unique cuts like the savory, mild cured beef bresaola, or the smoky, spicy, and spreadable 'nduja. De Laurentiis wouldn't deny herself the best, so why should you?