How to Garnish a Cheese Plate

What to Serve With Cheese

By
Jennifer Meier
Jennifer Meier
Jennifer Meier
Food writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer Jennifer Meier specializes in creating healthy and diet-specific recipes.
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Updated on 10/10/19

Whether you are serving one cheese or a dozen, garnishing a cheese plate adds visual appeal. Each of these garnishes are easy to find and easy to arrange next to a piece of cheese. You can choose one garnish or combine several on one plate.

  • 01 of 08

    Sliced Meat

    Cured Meat and Cheese
    Cured Meat and Cheese.

    The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

    Sliced meat is a savory addition to a cheese plate and makes a cheese plate a little heartier. Salami pairs especially well, as do other cured meats such as canadian bacon, culatello, lomo, serrano hamand prosciutto.

  • 02 of 08

    Olives

    Olives and Cheese
    Olives and Cheese.

    The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

    Olives are a popular snack and pair well with most types of cheese. Serve both green and black olives, to add different colors and flavors to the cheese plate. Some type of olives to look for are kalamata, luque, picholine and cerignola. 

  • 03 of 08

    Nuts

    Nuts and Cheese
    Nuts and Cheese.

    The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

    There are a few nuts that pair especially well with cheese but really, you can't go wrong with this combination. Consider serving glazed nuts, as the sweetness is a delicious contrast with salty cheese. 

  • 04 of 08

    Fruit

    Fruit and Cheese
    Fruit and Cheese.

    The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

    Fruit is the most common pairing with cheese. Both healthy and flavorful, fruit also brings color and texture to a cheese plate. Fruits that pair especially well with cheese are figs, apples, pears, berries, and grapes. Dried fruit also pairs well, especially when combined with nuts.

    Continue to 5 of 8 below
  • 05 of 08

    Herbs

    Herbs and Ricotta
    Ricotta Herbs.

    The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

    While you might not want to eat fresh herbs with cheese, they add a brilliant burst of color and pleasing aroma to a cheese plate. Herbs are strictly for visual appeal and can fill up extra space on a cheese plate to make it look full and abundant. Rosemary, basil, and thyme are some herbs to try. 

  • 06 of 08

    Fruit Spreads & Chutneys

    Spanish Quince Paste and Cheese
    Spanish Quince Paste and Cheese.

    The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

    Spread some jam or chutney on a slice of baguette, cover it with a little cheese, and you'll quickly understand why fruit spreads and cheese pair together so well. It's all about the sweet and salty balance.

    Fruit spreads made from apricots, figs and plums pair especially well with cheese. Fruit chutneys with just a hint of spice are also delicious, as is Spanish quince paste.

  • 07 of 08

    Cheese and Honey

    Blue Cheese and Honey Toasts
    Blue Cheese and Honey Toasts.

    The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

    A drizzle of honey (especially over blue cheese, aged cheese, and goat cheese) transforms the cheese into a sweet treat.

  • 08 of 08

    What Type of Cheese Do You Recommend With Sparkling Wine?

    Prosecco, Cava, Champagne...if it has bubbles, we love to drink it. What type of cheese do you usually pair with sparkling wines?