Read on to learn the best fruits to grill and perfect cheese pairings, plus score some assembly inspiration from some Instagram-trending grilled fruit and cheese charcuterie board ideas.
The Best Fruits to Grill
You might be surprised by all of your options for grilled fruit! Of course, sturdy planks of large fruits work well, but smaller, more tender fruits are also good to grill once you place them on skewers. As long as the fresh fruit is fairly firm and not overripe, you should be good to grill. Consider these options for your grilled fruit and cheese charcuterie board:
Peach wedges or halvesNectarine wedges or halves Watermelon cubes or “steaks"Honeydew melon cubes or “steaks"Cantaloupe cubes or “steaks"Cored pineapple slices or cubesBanana halvesFig halvesBerries on skewersCherries on skewersTomato wedges or slices, or cherry tomatoes on skewersAvocado wedges or halves
It’s important to start with a clean grill when grilling fruit. Not only will this prevent grime and gunk from sticking to your food, but it will also remove any savory flavors hanging around from the last time you grilled beef, pork, chicken, or seafood. Heat your grill to medium-high for 10 minutes, then scrape off any debris and lightly oil the grates. Allow the fruit to grill for a few minutes so the surface sears, then using a set of tongs ($12, Target), gently try to loosen the fruit to check for doneness. If it doesn’t release easily, let the fruit grill on that side for a minute or two longer. Once golden brown, flip and cook until both sides are evenly grilled.
Cheeses to Pair With Your Grilled Fruit Charcuterie Board
As explained in our ultimate guide for how to make a cheese board, the best boards include a variety of flavors (from mild to strong) and textures (from soft-ripened to hard). Try at least one of each of these types of cheeses:
Hard cheese: Gruyère, cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego Soft cheese: Brie, goat, Camembert, mozzarella, burrata, Port du Salut Blue cheese: Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort
Similar to pairing wine and cheese, no hard and fast rules dictate what grilled fruit goes well with what cheese. Sample and snack your way through a variety of combinations to find your favorites—if you enjoy the two together, that’s a good fruit charcuterie board pairing.
How to Assemble a Grilled Fruit and Cheese Charcuterie Board
For large grilled fruit and cheese charcuterie boards, we generally swing for a lazy Susan ($40, Target) so it can easily be rotated for all to savor any side. A large board with handles ($22, Walmart) can also come in handy if you’re planning to transport the fruit and cheese charcuterie board from outdoors to indoors or vice versa, or from the grill to the patio table or potluck spread. Gather your selected cheeses, grilled fruits, and your board or serving vessel of choice, and now it’s time to unleash your creativity!
