Easy Charcuterie Skewers Appetizers

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When I’m looking for an appetizer for a party, a charcuterie board is always my first instinct. What I love most about those boards is that I can customize them, which means I can easily make them using my favorite ingredients. But when I don’t feel like setting out an entire spread at my party, these individual charcuterie skewers come to the rescue! My guests can get all the flavors of a charcuterie board without all the extra work for me!

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Charcuterie Kabobs

The great thing about making appetizers on a stick is that I can add whatever I want to the kabob sticks! I’ll start out by telling you everything I included in my appetizers, then I’ll give you some other ideas you could put on your own charcuterie skewer.

To make these easy charcuterie appetizers, I used:

• Mini dill pickles
• Sliced salami
• Sliced pepperoni
• Cheddar cheese cubes
• Babybel cheese wheels

How to Make Charcuterie Skewers

Now that you know what’s on my charcuterie on a stick, you’re probably wondering how to make them. Before we get started assembling the sticks, I wanted to tell you that in addition to the ingredients you’ll need to add to the skewers, you’ll also need:

• Bamboo skewers: These bamboo sticks are a great option for displaying the different elements of your appetizers. And they’re long enough to fit just the right amount of meats and cheeses for one person to enjoy.

Before I start putting the charcuterie sticks together, I always take a minute to prepare the ingredients so assembly goes quickly and easily. First, I unwrap all the meat slices, as well as the Babybel cheese. Then, I cut the cheddar cheese into large cubes.

I wouldn’t recommend using pre-cut cheese cubes for these kabobs. I’ve tested them, and the cheese cubes in a bag are too small to thread onto the bamboo kabob sticks. They almost always crack and break in half. Instead, I suggest buying a block of cheese and cutting the cheese into one-inch cubes to use on your kabobs.

After preparing my ingredients, I start adding the meats and cheese to the kabob sticks. If you’re wondering how to fold pepperoni for charcuterie, I have found that the easiest way is to fold my pepperoni slice in half, then fold it in half again. This makes a nice ruffle on the meat slices that looks amazing on the skewers!

To make these skewers, I fold a slice of pepperoni and a slice of salami and thread both pieces of meat onto the kabob stick. As I’m pushing the meat on top, I try to make sure to leave a little bit of space on the end of the stick for the Babybel cheese and mini pickle.

After I add the two slices of meat, I carefully slice a cheese cube under the meat slices. To keep it from cracking or breaking, I make sure that the stick is placed right at the center of the cheese cube.

Then, I continue layering meat and cheese on the kabob stick until it’s almost full. As I’m putting the skewers together, I always leave a few inches on the bottom of the stick bare so that my guests can easily hold the stick and eat the food off of it.

I finish decorating my kabob sticks with a Babybel cheese wheel and a mini pickle on top. Then, I display my finished charcuterie kabobs on a large wooden board for my guests to enjoy.

Charcuterie Kabob Ideas & Variations

Once you have the basic idea of how to make your own charcuterie skewers, the possibilities are endless! Whether I’m coming up with Christmas party food ideas or Valentine’s Day appetizers, these easy appetizers are my go-to recipe. I like adding some of these other ingredients to my own kabobs when I make them for parties, and they’re always a hit:

• Other deli meats, like turkey, ham, roast beef, or prosciutto
• Different cheeses, like mozzarella, provolone, Swiss, pepper jack, white cheddar or Brie
• Vegetables, like olives, roasted red peppers, or cherry tomatoes
• Antipasto ingredients, like cheese tortellini or artichoke hearts
• Fresh herbs, like basil or oregano

How to Serve Charcuterie Kabobs

I’ve made these charcuterie sticks several times, and I like to change things up when I set them out. Here are a few different ways I’ve tried serving these appetizer kabobs:

• With crackers. Add some crackers to the tray with your kabobs for easy snacking
• On a charcuterie board. Dress up a classic board with these skewers for a pretty snack display
• In a jar. Stand up the charcuterie sticks to create a charcuterie jar filled with delicious snacks

Prepping and Storage Suggestions

Here are a few tips I’ve uncovered after preparing these cold appetizers several times:

• Make your kabobs ahead of time by layering the ingredients on the skewer and storing them in an airtight container for up to one day
• Keep the skewers refrigerated until you’re ready to serve them and after you’re finished enjoying them
• Leftovers will stay good for up to four days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge
• Don’t leave the kabobs out for more than 4 hours at room temperature

More Easy Appetizer Recipes:

Easy Charcuterie Bites

Low Carb Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie Mason Jars

How to Make a Charcuterie Board