2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (2024)

Table of contents

  • What Is A Vegetable Board
  • Preparation Techniques for Vegetable Boards
  • The Best Vegetables to Use
  • Add Flair with Sauces and Dips
  • Elevate Your Vegetable Boards
  • Where To Source The Best Vegetables

Vegetable boards are a chef’s best friend when it comes to displaying the finest of your seasonal fresh produce. Vegetable boards are naturally vibrant and colorful and need little help to impress, that is as long as you use the best quality fresh produce.

But just because vegetable boards come across as being easy and effortless, does not mean there is not a lot of work that goes into them behind the scenes.

If you are looking to up your vegetable charcuterie board game take a look at our five tips to elevate your veggie board game to the next level.

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (1)

What Is A Vegetable Board

Think of vegetable charcuterie boards as the traditional meat and cheese charcuterie board’s healthy cousin. Vegetable boards are packed with healthy vibrant seasonal vegetables and is the ideal vegan and vegetarian substitute for a traditional meat and cheese board.

Veggie boards are also great to have on any restaurant menu, as they are the perfect platform to use up any small pieces of leftover vegetables or produce that might go bad if not used soon. Vegetable boards are completely customizable to whatever seasonal or leftover vegetables you might have, making it simple, easy and versatile to suit any restaurant setting.

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (2)

Preparation Techniques for Vegetable Boards

The main component of any vegetable board is of course the vegetables. So, make sure that you source only the freshest produce, as there is no hiding limp vegetables on a fresh crudité platter. Properly cleaning and preparing your vegetables are also a must, so make sure to properly wash and clean all your vegetables in fresh water and a vegetable wash before using them.

Once you have selected your veggies you need to decide how to present them. There are many different types of cuts that you could do to best present your vegetables, like Julien, diced, thinly sliced, cubed or leave smaller vegetables like cherry tomatoes and mini corn whole on your platters. It is important to incorporate different types of cuts on your platters to create a visually appealing board, so try out as many different styles as possible.

When it comes to arranging your vegetables, keep in mind all of the different elements that you would like to have on your board. Place sauces in the middle of your board and arrange the vegetables around them working towards the outside. If you are incorporating elements of cooked vegetables, consider putting them in separate bowls or containers as to not have them drip all over the rest of your platter. Smaller elements like nuts or olives are also great to put in small bowls throughout your platter.

And lastly, consider creating different heights on your platter for more visually appeal. Stack vegetables, or place long vegetables like mini carrots or mini corn standing upright in a little jar. Cherry tomatoes and mini mozzarella also look great on skewers that will help you achieve more height and dimension in your platters.

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (3)

The Best Vegetables to Use

When it comes to what vegetables you should use for your vegetable charcuterie, almost any vegetable can work. Some easy favorite vegetables to incorporate in your boards include, carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and green beans.

And don’t think that you just have to stick to raw vegetables, cooked vegetables are a delicious addition to any veggie board and opens up even more possibilities of what vegetables you can incorporate, like eggplants, squash and pumpkins, caramelized onions and roasted whole garlic bulbs, to name but a few.

But no matter what vegetables you are planning on using on your boards, make sure to always choose the finest quality produce. And if you are looking to make assembling your vegetable charcuterie even easier, then check out the wide selection of wholesale vegetables and wholesale precut high quality fresh veggies from Riviera Produce.

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (4)

Add Flair with Sauces and Dips

No matter how healthy you claim to be, everybody loves a good sauce or dip with their veggies. And when you are planning your vegetable charcuterie board adding a variety of different complimentary sauces and dips are a must.

Some of the best sauces and dips that pair extremely well with a vegetable board are hummus, caramelized onions, a whipped feta dip, or try this delectable eggplant based babaganoush recipe with your next vegetable platter.

Adding sauces and dips to your veggie board is also a great way to add more visual appeal to your final product. Try using half a coconut shell to hold some of your sauces if you are going for a tropical inspired vegetable board, or if you are looking to keep your board elegant and sleek, try using glass or china bowls and spoons for your sauces and dips. Or you could even put your sauces in a half a bell pepper or other hollowed out vegetables. The options are only limited by your imagination when it comes to designing your vegetable boards!

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (5)

Elevate Your Vegetable Boards

The perfect vegetable charcuterie starts with the perfect serving platter to showcase your vegetable creations. Carefully consider what material of board would be best suited for your needs. Slate, marble and porcelain are all great, elegant sanitary options, but they can also be heavy and chip easily. Wood is a classic option, but keeping it sanitary in a busy restaurant might be a challenge.

You will also need to carefully consider how big you want your vegetable platters to be, and if you will be making different sized platters depending on the amount of people. Also keep in mind that big platters do look impressive, but you might not have the storage space or room on your tables to have big platters.

People eat with their eyes, and in order to elevate your vegetable boards you need to carefully consider how to make them visually striking and appealing.

This can be achieved by honing your vegetable carving skills, and creating some interesting edible shapes and designs. When working with vegetables, color is definitely your friend, as there are so many colors to choose from, so use complimentary colors to your advantage. Another easy and impressive way to add flair and color to your vegetable boards is to incorporate edible flowers.

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (6)

Where To Source The Best Vegetables

High quality fresh vegetables are the key to any great vegetable board, and if you are looking to place your next wholesale fresh produce order with the best wholesale precut vegetable supplier take a look at what your one stop wholesale produce supplier, Riviera Produce, has on offer for you.

Riviera produce services the five boroughs of New York, as well as Connecticut and New Jersey and take pride in sourcing their produce from trusted family farms.

They are also one of the few wholesale vegetable suppliers that let you order up until midnight for next day delivery, ensuring that you will never be in a pickle when it comes to creating the freshest vegetable boards.

Take a look at what Riviera Produce can do for your restaurant today!

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce (2024)

FAQs

2023 Vegetable Charcuterie Boards (5 Tips) | Riviera Produce? ›

Place sauces in the middle of your board and arrange the vegetables around them working towards the outside. If you are incorporating elements of cooked vegetables, consider putting them in separate bowls or containers as to not have them drip all over the rest of your platter.

What is the trend in charcuterie board 2023? ›

Themed charcuterie boards are making waves in 2023

Some popular themes to consider include: Seasonal boards: Reflect the flavors of each season with carefully selected ingredients, such as fresh summer fruits, autumnal roasted vegetables, or wintery cured meats.

What vegetables are good on a charcuterie board? ›

Some of the best vegetables to include on a charcuterie board are carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables like radishes, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower.

How to arrange veggies on a charcuterie board? ›

How to make a vegetable charcuterie board
  1. Place a bowl of dip off to one side on a large board. ...
  2. Layer leaves of radicchio around the platter, then fill in the spaces with the vegetables.
  3. Add dips and any other goodies you might want to the board, then serve!
Jun 3, 2023

What is the vegetable version of a charcuterie board? ›

A vegetarian charcuterie board is an arrangement of appetizers on a serving platter or wooden board. Lay out fresh fruit, veggies, and a cheese board to create a colorful and dynamic spread of appetizers.

What is replacing charcuterie boards? ›

You can make a butter board for any season or holiday. It's a great way to express your creativity and surprise friends with something different at your next party. Try a butter board.

What should every charcuterie board have? ›

Recipe Ingredients
  • Cured meat. Use a selection of 3-4 different cured meats for your charcuterie board. ...
  • Cheese. Select 4 or more cheeses of varying texture and flavor. ...
  • Bread and crackers. I love to include a baguette with a charcuterie board. ...
  • Nuts and chocolate. ...
  • Condiments and jams. ...
  • Fruit. ...
  • Garnish.
Dec 16, 2023

What is the 3-3-3 rule for charcuterie board? ›

The 3333 rule applies to the number of foods to create the perfect board. To follow the 3,3,3,3 rule, stick to three cheeses, three meats, three starches, and three accoutrements.

What are 5 things to avoid on a charcuterie board? ›

CHARCUTERIE // Stop Adding These 10 Ingredients To Your Charcuterie Boards!
  • STINKY CHEESES. The cheese section at the grocery store can be overwhelming and intimidating. ...
  • FRUITS THAT GO BROWN. ...
  • SPICY FOODS. ...
  • CRACKERS & BREAD. ...
  • Veggies. ...
  • Allergens and Sensitivities. ...
  • Dips, Sauces and Jams. ...
  • Boring and Bland Foods.
Jan 15, 2024

What do you put on a vegetable board? ›

Vegetables
  1. Snap peas.
  2. Cherry tomatoes.
  3. Baby bell peppers, (sliced in half, seeds removed)
  4. Carrots, (or rainbow carrots)
  5. Radishes, (quartered)
  6. Cucumbers, (sliced in rounds or short spears)
  7. Cooked beets, (quarters)
Dec 5, 2021

What makes a good veggie platter? ›

Fresh veggies: Since they can be crafted into easily scoopable shapes and are crowd-pleasers, I recommend a mix of carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, green beans, watermelon radishes, baby bell peppers (or a selection of your favorites from that list).

How to make a fancy veggie platter? ›

Start by collecting an assortment of vegetables of different sizes, colors and textures. Arrange the veggies in a decorative pattern on a board or platter. Spoon some dips of your choice into bowls, and nestle the bowls among the veggies. Garnish with fresh herbs, then serve and enjoy.

How do you make a veggie tray look fancy? ›

Tips for Creating a Fancy Vegetable Tray

Go beyond the traditional carrot & celery combo and bring in a diversity of veggies, including watermelon radish, mini bell peppers, orange cauliflower, purple cauliflower and broccolini. Less common or unexpected veggies can elevate a board & make it fill at “bit fancy”.

How to make a vegetable board? ›

How to Make a Veggie Charcuterie Board
  1. Wash and Prepare the Veggies: Wash, dry, and then cut the vegetables.
  2. Cut the Pepper For the Dip: Cut the top off the bell pepper and deseed the inside. ...
  3. Place Hummus on the Board: Fill the hummus into small bowls and space them out onto your board.
Nov 13, 2022

What vegetables go on a cheese platter? ›

Arrange burratas, mozzarellas and ricotta cheese spread on serving board. Fill in board with breadsticks, assorted grilled vegetables (sugar snap peas, green onions, yellow summer squash, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, sweet red bell peppers and red onions), basil and dill.

Do carrots go on charcuterie? ›

Carrots, radishes, endive, bell peppers, celery are all great additions to a holiday charcuterie board. Salty cured vegetables like olives, gherkins, or other pickled vegetables can also be a great addition.

What are the future menu trends for 2023? ›

Menu trends 2023: Look what's cooking
  • Irresistible Vegetables. ...
  • Modernised Comfort Food. ...
  • Low-Waste Menus. ...
  • Wild and Pure. ...
  • Flavour Contrast. ...
  • Feel-Good Food. ...
  • The New Sharing. ...
  • Mindful Proteins.
Mar 9, 2023

Why are charcuterie boards so popular now? ›

If Generation X was known for having cereal for every meal, then the millennial generation's equivalent is turning charcuterie into a meal. Millennials have taken the concept of charcuterie to a new level by getting extremely creative with the selections they choose to put on charcuterie boards.

Are charcuterie boards still in style? ›

A Top 3 hot menu trend and No. 1 in appetizers, charcuterie can change up with new ingredients, keeping the concept fresh. The key to a great charcuterie board is presentation, Café Ba-Ba-Reeba Chef Eric Jorgensen says.

When did charcuterie boards become trendy? ›

However, it wasn't until the 1990s that charcuterie boards had a resurgence in popularity as American grocery stores diversified their offerings and specialty food stores became more common.

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