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Spooky Spider Web Charcuterie Board: Best Easy Halloween Appetizer

spider web charcuterie board halloween - featured image
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A show-stopping Halloween charcuterie board featuring a spider web made of string cheese, salami roses, and a variety of cheeses, meats, and snacks. It’s the perfect centerpiece for a Halloween party that comes together in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large wooden cutting board or serving platter (at least 18 inches wide)
  • 1 cup black olives (canned or from the olive bar, drained)
  • 1 cup green olives stuffed with pimento (for a pop of color, optional)
  • 1 cup red seedless grapes (washed and dried)
  • 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine, drained)
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 8 ounces aged gouda (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 8 ounces salami (sliced, for making roses)
  • 8 ounces prosciutto (thinly sliced, folded into ribbons)
  • 1 cup crackers (butter crackers or water crackers work best)
  • 1 cup pretzel sticks (for a salty crunch)
  • 6 sticks of string cheese (mozzarella sticks, at room temperature)
  • 1 large black olive (pitted, for the spider)
  • 8 thin pretzel sticks (for legs, broken in half)
  • Small dollop of cream cheese (to attach legs)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs (for garnish, optional)
  • Dried cranberries (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Salami Roses (5 minutes): Take 5-6 slices of salami. Overlap them slightly in a straight line. Starting at one end, roll them up tightly to create a rose bud. Place it on the board with the seam side down. Gently pull back the outer layers to create petals. Repeat to make 4-5 roses.
  2. Prepare the Prosciutto Ribbons (2 minutes): Take a slice of prosciutto and fold it in half lengthwise. Then, fold it again into a loose ribbon. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the Spider Web (5 minutes): Take one stick of string cheese at room temperature. Carefully peel the cheese into thin, long strands. Repeat with all 6 sticks to create a pile of cheese strings.
  4. Assemble the Web on the Board (3 minutes): Place your empty board in front of you. Lay a long strand of cheese in the center as the first spoke. Lay another strand perpendicular to form a cross. Add two more strands diagonally to create an X, resulting in 8 spokes. Then, lay shorter strands in concentric circles around the center, connecting the spokes. Leave the center empty for the spider.
  5. Build the Spider (3 minutes): Take the large black olive as the body. Break the 8 pretzel sticks in half to create 16 legs. Use a tiny dollop of cream cheese to attach 4 legs to each side of the olive. Place the spider in the center of the web.
  6. Arrange the Rest of the Board (5 minutes): Fill in the spaces around the web. Start with larger items: place salami roses in clusters, add prosciutto ribbons, then cheese cubes (cheddar and gouda). Scatter mozzarella balls, grapes, and both types of olives. Fill any gaps with crackers and pretzel sticks.
  7. Final Touches (2 minutes): Add rosemary sprigs around the edges for a ‘haunted forest’ look. Sprinkle a few dried cranberries around the board to look like blood drops.

Notes

Let string cheese sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before peeling to prevent breaking. Assemble the board no more than 2 hours before serving to keep crackers crisp. For a vegetarian version, skip the salami and prosciutto and add more cheese or marinated vegetables.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween appetizer, charcuterie board, spider web, easy appetizer, party food, spooky snack, salami roses, cheese board

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/spooky-spider-web-charcuterie-board-best-easy-halloween-appetizer/