Thanksgiving Turkey Charcuterie Board

thanksgiving charcuterie board shaped like a turkey

5 from 2 votes

Thanksgiving Turkey Charcuterie Board

This festive Thanksgiving charcuterie board is shaped like a turkey and built around cozy fall flavors, no cooking required! A juicy pear makes up the turkey “body,” with ruffled prosciutto and salami layered into feather shapes, then surrounded by seasonal cheeses, crisp pears, juicy persimmons, grapes, and a cracker border.

Perfect as a Thanksgiving appetizer or centerpiece for your snack table, this fun and easy grazing board brings all the fall vibes and keeps guests happily snacking while the main meal finishes roasting.

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Total Time15

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Servings: light appetizer servings

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Ingredients

For the Turkey Body

1 large pear halved vertically; red or brown
2 cloves for the eyes
½ pistachio shell for the beak
2 sage stems for the feet

Cheeses

1 small wheel of Brie about 7 ounces, cut into wedges
5 ounces Manchego cheese sliced
6 ounces goat cheese log I had an apple cinnamon flavored one
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cubed

Meats

5 ounces prosciutto thinly sliced
5 ounces assorted salami thinly sliced

Fruits

2 persimmons sliced into wedges
black grapes large bunch
4 fresh figs quartered, or dried figs
½ cup pomegranate seeds

Nuts

¼ cup candied pecans
¼ cup pistachios

Crackers

Assorted crackers and crisps for the 'feathers'

Accoutrements

Seasonally appropriate jams, cookies, and honeys served on the side

Instructions

Create the Turkey Body

Secure a halved pear in the lower center of your round board to act as the turkey's body. Embed cloves for the eyes, attach a half pistachio shell for the beak, and place sage stems at the base for feet.
1 large pear, 2 cloves, 2 sage stems, ½ pistachio shell

Arrange the Meats and Cheeses

Drape thinly sliced prosciutto and assorted salamis around the pear to create ruffled feathers. Surround this setup with wedges of Brie, the log of goat cheese slices of Manchego, and cubes of cheddar cheese.
1 small wheel of Brie, 5 ounces Manchego cheese, 5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, 5 ounces prosciutto, 5 ounces assorted salami, 6 ounces goat cheese log

Add Fruits

Place slices of persimmons, bunches of black grapes, and fig quarters (or dried figs) onto the board among the meats and cheeses, using these items to fill in gaps and add a burst of color and texture.
2 persimmons, black grapes, 4 fresh figs

Set the Edges

Place assorted crackers and crisps around the outer edges of the board to mimic expansive turkey feathers, ensuring these are easily accessible.
Assorted crackers and crisps for the 'feathers'

Fill Small Spaces

Sprinkle pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, and pistachios in any small empty spaces.
½ cup pomegranate seeds, ¼ cup candied pecans, ¼ cup pistachios

Serve with Accoutrements

Accompany the board with small bowls of seasonally appropriate jams, sweets, and honeys on the side
Seasonally appropriate jams, cookies, and honeys

Notes

Just a Note

Please take this recipe as a guideline! Use your favorite meats, cheeses, and fruits to build your thanksgiving turkey cheese board.

Variations and Pro Tips for the Best Board

Vegetarian options - Include vegetarian pâtés, marinated and pickled vegetables, stuffed dates or figs, various cheeses, and use veggie-based dips like beet hummus or baba ganoush. Tuck in more veggies like red bell pepper slices, some baby carrots, celery sticks for dipping, etc.

Drink pairings - Sparkling wines like Champagne or Prosecco, light-bodied white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, or fruity reds like Pinot Noir. Non-alcoholic options could include sparkling apple cider or a festive mocktail.

Amount of food per person - Aim for about 2-3 ounces of cheese and 2 ounces of meat per person, supplemented by crackers, fruits, and nuts.

Make it for the kids - a turkey board is perfect for littles and makes them feel like their wants are part of the holidays, too! Kid-friendly cheeses are almost always in the cheese tray I find at ALDI (cheddar cheese, monterey jack, colby, pepper jack, usually), you can use kid friendly meats like pepperoni, ham, and other deli meats.

Nutrition