Summer Fruit and Cheese Board

This Summer Fruit and Cheese Board is the perfect meal to throw together when you want a fun appetizer or an easy weeknight dinner where you don’t have to turn on the oven! Loaded with fresh Summer fruit + tons of cheeses and meats, this board is the BEST! 

This post is sponsored by La Panzanella – thank you for continuing to support the brands that make OBB possible! 

We are officially well into Summer and I don’t know about y’all, but here in North Carolina, it’s getting HOT! Like, too hot to turn on the oven hot. Like, too hot to even dream about cooking hot. 

So, what better way to celebrate being in the heat of Summer than making a Fruit and Cheese Board?!? Specifically, one that is loaded with the BEST Summer fruit, tons of cheese, meat and of course, my favorite – La Panzanella Croccantini crackers!

Creating Memories and Moments:

Alright y’all, as I mentioned before, it’s Summertime. It’s hot. And instead of spending 2 hours each evening in the kitchen for dinner – I’d rather enjoy time with my loved ones eating and enjoying delicious food!

One thing I love about whipping up this Summer Fruit and Cheese Board is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s not at all about an aesthetic you have to meet to post on social media or for photos – it’s all about the memories and moments you have as you’re reaching across the board for a creamy piece of cheese or juicy piece of peach. 

It’s about being silly and feeding your significant other a strawberry or packing the board up as a picnic as you enjoy the sunshine on your skin. 

This board is all about the experience! And one of my favorite parts includes the La Panzanella Croccantini! 

For this board, I used their Croccantini Original flavor which paired perfectly with each component of this board. 

These crackers are the perfect light and crispy accompaniment to each component of this board. From the juicy peaches, the sharp white cheddar cheese, the slices of salty salami…the crackers are simply perfect with each bite!  

Another favorite part of this board? All of the delicious Summer fruit! Summer is by far my FAVORITE season for fruit. There is just something about those juicy peaches, the deliciously sweet plums and the BERRIES! Oh my – so sweet, poppable and delicious! 

All of these ingredients pair together perfectly. It’s an approachable board with classic ingredients. So let’s get into what you need to make it!

Ingredients You Need: 

• La Panzanella Croccantini Crackers 
• Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries 
• Peaches, Plums 
• Variety of cured meats (I used Salami, Prosciutto, and Capicola) 
• Grapes 
• Variety of cheeses (I used smoked apple gouda, grass fed white cheddar, and sharp cheddar)
• Cashews 
• Honey
• Spinach Dip (if desired) 

Best Board Making Tips: 

Alright, so like I said above, remember that when you are making this Summer Fruit and Cheese Board, that you’re not participating in a contest for most beautiful board. Have fun with it! I think that is my number one and best tip I can give someone who might be making a cheese board for the first time 🙂 

Another tip I have is to start by prepping everything! This includes washing the fruit and then slicing and dicing it the way you want.

For me, I personally love buying cheese in blocks instead of the pre-cut cubes or slices. I think that the cheese is fresher and looks more beautiful when it’s freshly sliced by you! Plus there are so many fun varieties of cheeses you can buy when it’s in block form like that – like this delicious apple smoked gouda! 

Next, slice up and/or begin preparing the meat. You can fold it, slice it into chunks…whatever your heart desires! 

I love adding little bowls of nuts or any kind of dip as well – it adds another savory element to the board, especially the dip! I whipped up a quick greek yogurt spinach dip and it was loaded with lots of garlic. So yummy! 

Begin by creating your board – and if desired, similar to me, you can make a couple of “mini” boards instead of a huge wooden cheese board. 

One of the main stars of the cheese board just so happens to be the easiest component – the La Panzanella Croccantini! 

Stack the crackers up against freshly sliced cheese, fresh strawberries or the meat. 

Have small plates nearby for your family to easily get a big plateful of each ingredient and ENJOY! 

Substitutions/Additions: 

I focused on Summer stone fruit and berries…but one super fun substitution would be adding in watermelon and cantaloupe! They would add incredible juiciness, crispness and extra sweetness to the board. 

Another yummy addition would be dark chocolate chunks or chips! The bitterness and richness of the chocolate would be SO delicious. You could even melt it to be able to dip some of the fruit in it. YUM. 

Another yummy substitution would be a soft cheese – like a baked brie! The creamy and melty cheese would be perfect on this board. 

Storing Leftovers: 

If for some reason you have leftovers after digging into this yummy board, no worries! Simply store the sliced cheese, meats and fruit into three separate tupperware containers in the refrigerator. Snack on them all week for lunches and make fun snack plates like this one: 

However you eat this board, whoever you enjoy it with, I hope you love every bite! 

Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie