8 Cheeses For Your Charcuterie Board To Buy At Costco And 2 To Avoid

Charcuterie boards are a wonderful way to celebrate occasions big and small. There's no ideal time of year to make one, but you can always customize the board add-ins to the season — whether that means using seasonal fruits or specific cheeses fit for a wintery holiday board. Costco has a lot of scrumptious cheese options to choose from, but I wanted to stroll the aisles to find the best ones for a charcuterie board. I picked out a selection of cheese that sounded tasty and seemed like a good fit for a grazing platter. 

I tried everything and made my decision based on the cheese's flavor, whether it would be appropriate for a charcuterie board, given the amount and potential pairings, and whether I thought people would eat it or it'd remain on the board untouched by the end of the night (based on my experience hosting and making charcuterie boards quite often). Some are easy to eat on their own and pair well with many ingredients, while others you have to be more strategic with or potentially plan around the cheese — this also factors into the results. A charcuterie cheese needs to work with a range of items you may include on the board. Hopefully, this list will give you some insightful tips on what to invest in next time you're whipping up a tasty board.

I love an aged white cheddar, and the Kirkland Signature Coastal Rugged Mature English Cheddar is a delight. The packaging says it may be aged up to 15 months, so it's hard to know exactly how long the process takes. Still, an aged cheddar is perfect for a charcuterie board, and you'll find plenty of professionals and at-home charcuterie enthusiasts using it or recommending it, too. 

Because it's dry and crumbly, you can cut it in different ways, which gives it new life on a board to set it apart from other fromages you may include. You can go the typical sliced route (or cut them into squares or triangles for added pizzazz) or cut them into crumbles, as I've done here. A lot of the cheeses on this list are soft, so a hard, crumbly one can mix things up in a refreshing way. Plus, if you already have softer cheeses on your board, this English cheddar is a great addition. 

It pairs well with usual charcuterie board suspects like fig jam, dried apricots, and more. The package is priced per pound, so you can choose the lightest one for a smaller gathering or buy multiple for a larger one. I like the nutty notes and the tantalizing little crunchy bits; if you like Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar, this is similar.

Like the Jarlsberg, Gruyère might not suit everyone's taste, but there's no arguing that it is an essential charcuterie cheese. It is a hard cheese with a dry texture and a nutty, earthy taste. Emmi Le Gruyère AOP Cheese is made with raw milk and aged for eight months. It's a product of Switzerland, which gives it the AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée or Protected Designation of Origin) stamp. It serves as a more complex cheese option in a sea of creamy delights like goat cheese or Brie. 

The firm texture contrasts with some of those soft cheeses, giving you something to sink your teeth into. I like the 1-pound size too; this makes it much more feasible to cut and use in a board. Since it's a stronger cheese, people might not eat it as quickly as they would something like Gouda, so the quantity is a happy medium. It can pair nicely with pears, apples, fig jam, prosciutto, nuts, and more, so your guests will have no trouble assembling your board and creating combinations. Slice them into thin pieces so they can lie flat like a cracker or a similarly cut piece of fruit.

Kirkland Signature's Gouda is more of a middle-tier cheese option for me. It's good, but there are some drawbacks. To begin, there are plenty of grocery store Gouda options out there, so you might want to discover their flavor profiles and what sets them apart to best help you decide what to get. Kirkland Signature's version comes in larger quantities, which isn't a surprise. You'll get around 2 pounds, give or take, so this may be a better fit for a larger party that needs more cheese. 

If you need a smaller amount, I suggest getting the variety pack I'll discuss later, which includes a Gouda option (or opting for another cheese brand entirely). Kirkland's semi-hard cheese is imported from Holland and has a mild, milky taste. It's certainly a young Gouda because it lacks the depth, nuttiness, or even caramel essence of an aged Gouda. This can be a big plus, though; the cheese is a safer bet for those who don't want the adventurous flavors of options like Gruyère or aged cheddar. I can recommend this one as long as it hits your specific party needs. Gouda, in general, is one of the more affordable cheeses to put out on a charcuterie board.

Let me first say that I like this cheese. Jarlsberg is a reputable brand that offers a variety of cheeses, and Costco specifically sells the Jarlsberg Part-Skim Soft Cheese Wedge. The wedge has a memorable nutty flavor that lingers on the tongue, with a semi-soft, rich texture. I like it and can appreciate it, but I wouldn't reach for it on a board surrounded by other fromage options. It might also not work as seamlessly with some charcuterie meats you might include. It may be better suited for something like a ham and cheese sandwich.

Not just that, but as with anything from Costco, it comes in a giant size. The flavor is pretty strong, so it's not as though you need a huge, thick slice for a cracker. Therefore, I think it might be too much for a charcuterie board. Given that it isn't one of the most popular charcuterie cheeses for summer either, I'd say it's likely better for your wallet just to skip this one — not because it tastes bad, but because it might not be a good fit for a charcuterie board. You'll probably have a lot of leftovers. The company sells smaller 6 and 8-ounce servings at other grocery retailers, so I'd go that route if you want to include it on your board. Plus, I have another option for you further down on the list that I prefer.

You know what? Get the Cello Variety Pack. It's one of the most appropriate charcuterie options from the 10 I tried. First, you get four options, so you get a variety without having to buy Costco-sized, multiple pounds of cheese. The Cello has aged cheddar, Jarlsberg (I mentioned earlier), creamy Havarti, and Dutch Gouda. The pack is a great way to go if you aren't familiar with Costco's selection and don't know what to get. 

Then, everything's pre-cut and ready to go, saving you precious prep time. All need to do is take it out of the fridge, since the packaging says to serve at room temp. It actually comes in a tray, so you can take it out and serve it that way for a straightforward presentation, but it doesn't hurt to arrange them nicely on your platter and separate the cheeses more across the board. I like the small squares, since they fit perfectly on a cracker. 

As I noted earlier, I liked the Jarlsberg, but felt it'd be too much cheese for a board, so this medley lets you include it in a much smaller amount. You'll get 2 pounds of cheese total, without having to commit to anything. Guests will be happy, and you will too, since you saved yourself so much prep time. I really like the rich Havarti and Gouda. They have a similar rich, creamy, soft texture that makes them easy to pair with other items.

The Marin French Cheese Petite Variety Pack is absolutely perfect for charcuterie boards, thanks to its small size. The assortment comes with four 4-ounce cheeses: Petite Creme Triple Creme Brie, Petite Breakfast Fresh Brie, Petite Camembert, and Petite Truffle Triple Creme Brie. The truffle is a standout for its unique flavor; it's earthy and pairs well with any cracker or baguette. I think it works nicely with classics like olives, grapes, carrots, or other board essentials. 

The back of the packaging also offers alcohol pairings for the cheeses, such as wheat beer or hard cider for the Petite Breakfast, and sparkling wine or Champagne for the Petite Truffle. The cheeses are wonderfully creamy straight from the fridge, so they're even more pliable when they get to room temperature. It basically becomes a cheese spread, though the rind still retains some of its firmness. The size, flavor variety, and appearance make this a wonderful pick for a charcuterie board. You can space them out on the board and, ideally, label them so people know which is which. If you have plenty of other cheeses, this pack is a good way to offer variety without it feeling too cheese-heavy. These are easy to eat and go by quickly, since guests can place a thick slice on a cracker without much thought.

Boursin is a long-time favorite of mine, and I'd say it's a fantastic pick for a charcuterie board. At Costco, you can get a pack of three that includes two Garlic & Fine Herbs and one Shallot & Chives. They both offer a multidimensional allium and herb note with a luxe creaminess, making them a good board option. Boursin cheese has the most spreadable consistency, even when served straight from the fridge. That means you can easily swipe it onto just about anything, whether you have a crusty baguette or celery sticks. 

You'd be surprised how quickly you can go through one Boursin, so you could put out one of each flavor, and potentially bring out the last one if you need to replenish the platter. There are loads of ways to use Boursin in various grazing platter-appropriate dishes, such as stuffed dates or prosciutto roll-ups. I love the melt-in-your-mouth quality, and despite the garlic, onion, or herbs, it doesn't taste too overpowering. The richness of the cheese makes a delightful complement. Boursin is a nice way to elevate your board with minimal effort, since you can quickly pop it out of the foil packaging.

I like the Frigo mozzarella and buy it frequently for my family. However, it doesn't seem like the best fit on a charcuterie board. The mozzarella has a nice, clean dairy flavor, but it's coupled with a drier-than-other-mozzarellas texture. You can see how the cheese sticks and leaves a residue, which doesn't make for an attractive charcuterie board. Plus, it wouldn't be very exciting compared to other options with more captivating flavors or rich, buttery textures. 

Instead, I'd suggest getting the part-skim mozzarella for other applications or occasions. There are many wonderful ways to use fresh mozzarella, and this one would be suited for dishes where you don't want moisture. It works well in quesadillas, all sorts of sandwiches, and other dishes. Some say the skim nature makes it less decadent, so that's worth considering too. You can't go wrong with the price, but 2 pounds of mozzarella is a lot for a board. I've found these mold quite quickly, too, so you'd have to use any leftovers right away. This isn't the best or most satisfying, flavorful, or chic-looking board option, so I'd say it's better off skipped.

If you're not sure what to get, cheese-wise, and want some variety, the Garcia Baquero Spanish Cheese Selection is a solid option. The negative is that there isn't too much cheese (just around 14.1 ounces), making it ideal for smaller boards with fewer people. You get three Spanish cheeses: manchego, queso de cabra, and iberico, which come pre-cut in small wedge pieces. At first glance, it looks like thick wedges, but each portion actually has several pieces of cheese. I made the mistake of breaking off a corner, which ended up being the corner of multiple pieces of cheese. Oops! 

The cheese trio offers variety in the texture spectrum. Manchego, a cheese made from sheep's milk, is just as firm as Gruyère or English cheddar. I especially liked the balanced, earthy, dairy taste of queso de cabra, a goat-milk cheese — this is a semi-soft cheese, softer than manchego, but not nearly as soft as Brie or Havarti. Iberico is a milk trio, made of sheep, goat, and cow's milk, so it's complex, with a light acidic touch. Manchego, in particular, is a mainstay on charcuterie boards, so this is a resounding buy.

This is probably the easiest "buy" for me because it is so easy to devour. The Brie Le Crémeux Triple Cream Brie is incredibly creamy, as the triple cream moniker tells you. As it reaches room temperature, it becomes goo-like, making it a breeze to spread on crackers, place on a piece of apple or pear, or just plop it in your mouth. Even the rind is softer than some other varieties I've had. It's soft straight from the fridge, too. The cheese has a luxurious mouthfeel and has a somewhat mild taste. The fromage is imported directly from France, so it feels like you're eating globally without needing to travel far. 

The cheese pairs with nearly anything you add to your board, but it won't overwhelm or underwhelm anything either. It's delightful enough to eat alone, too. Brie Le Crémeux comes in an approximately 1-pound package, but the weight may vary slightly. That's to say it's not too enormous, and it's shockingly easy to eat the whole thing even with a handful of guests. If you have leftovers, you can finish them extremely quickly. The packaging even tells you how the flavors may change based on how close it is to the sell-by date. That's to say, you can buy this ahead of time, let it ripen until your party, and then set it out on your charcuterie board. Around 30 days before the sell-by date, it'll have a mild acidic creamy note, while it transforms into a richer "more authentic flavor" closer to the sell-by date, per the packaging.

I want to reiterate that I enjoyed all the cheeses, but I'm a cheese fiend. I understand these might not be to everyone's taste, and I factored that into my final buy versus avoid decision. I considered the general flavor, weight/amount of cheese, versatility, and how likely the cheese would be eaten. This is not an exhaustive list of Costco cheese, nor does it include every cheese that could work on a charcuterie board — this would have been extremely pricy to achieve. 

Other cheeses I have tried and would be good on a charcuterie board include the Kirkland Signature goat cheese logs and the 24-month-aged Italian Parmigiano Reggiano (the 36-month one might be a bit too nutty and intense), and the Kirkland Signature imported French Brie. Costco is a popular grocery store chain to buy cheese, so you can find a range of options that suit your hosting needs.