The Charcuterie Board Must-Have To Keep Textures Varied And Intriguing

Cheese, crackers, nuts, fruit, and sometimes jam are the common foods that make it onto any given charcuterie board. As delicious as a chunk of brie and fresh grapes taste together, there's another food that should certainly be included. Although it might not be as common, pâté is meant for charcuterie boards and will offer a textural contrast to those crunchy crackers and semi-hard cheeses. 

For those who don't know what pâté is, there are variations and different types of this French dish. It's often made of meat byproducts from chicken to liver, but sometimes mushrooms, and can be served and eaten cold or hot. It has a soft, creamy texture, which means it can easily be spread on crackers just like your go-to cheese. Its rich flavor also complements sweet options like fruit, including apple slices and briny pickles.

The type of pâté that you add to your next charcuterie board depends on the desired flavor profile. One of the many uses of canned pâté is on a charcuterie board, but if you have more time, you can make pâté from scratch. However, whether it's store-bought or homemade, opt for classic foie gras if you want a rich flavor to offset the sweetness of fresh or dried fruits. For a smoother consistency to spread on crackers, try chicken or pork liver pâté. And if you want to please those dinner or party guests who don't eat meat, there are mushroom pâtés that will still offer a rich flavor and smooth consistency for varying textures on the board.

If you plan to put in the effort to make pâté from scratch for your charcuterie board, we've got some options. Make our earthy mushroom pâté that's ready in 30 minutes. Another recipe that takes a little more time but has the meat component is our chicken liver pâté with dill-pickled green beans. Our classic salmon rillettes recipe isn't necessarily a traditional pâté, but it is similar, if you want some fish on the board to pair with the nuts, crackers, and fruits. And to really get it right, here's our ultimate guide to building a charcuterie board.