How to Make a Spanish Charcuterie Board (Jamón, Chorizo, Manchego)
What goes on a Spanish charcuterie board, how much to buy per person, how to slice and arrange jamón, chorizo and Manchego, and what to serve with it.
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A Spanish charcuterie board is a tapas board built around three things: jamón, chorizo and Manchego. Add a second cured meat, a second cheese, quince paste, almonds, olives and good bread, and you have the board Spaniards put out for friends — no cooking, ready in 15 minutes.
What goes on a Spanish charcuterie board
| Part | Classic choice | Why it’s there |
|---|---|---|
| The star | Jamón (Ibérico, or Serrano for a crowd) | The flavour everyone comes for |
| Second meat | Chorizo (smoky, paprika) | Colour and a bit of spice |
| Third meat (optional) | Salchichón (peppery) or lomo (lean cured loin) | Contrast with the chorizo |
| Main cheese | Manchego, young and aged | Nutty sheep’s cheese that goes with everything |
| Second cheese | Mahón, Idiazábal or a blue Cabrales | A different milk or style |
| Sweet | Membrillo (quince paste) | The classic partner for Manchego |
| Crunch | Marcona almonds, picos or breadsticks | Texture |
| Salty | Green olives (manzanilla or gordal) | Between bites |
| Bread | Rustic bread or pan con tomate | To carry everything |
→ Not sure how chorizo, salchichón and lomo differ? Spanish cured meats explained
How much to buy
As a starter, plan on roughly 30 g of jamón, 30 g of other cured meats and 60 g of cheese per person. If the board is the meal, double it.
| Guests | Jamón | Chorizo / salchichón / lomo | Cheese |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 60 g | 60 g | 120 g |
| 4 | 100–120 g | 120 g | 250 g |
| 6–8 | 180–240 g | 180–240 g | 350–500 g |
Step by step
- Take everything out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before. Cold jamón and cold cheese taste of almost nothing.
- Start with the cheese. Cut the Manchego into thin triangles (rind off) and set it in two or three groups.
- Add the jamón in loose folds, never piled up: separate the slices one by one so the fat stays glossy.
- Fan out the chorizo and salchichón in overlapping rows; roll the lomo slices or lay them flat.
- Membrillo next to the Manchego, cut in small squares or thin slices.
- Fill the gaps with almonds, olives and picos. Put the olives in a small bowl so the juice doesn’t touch the cheese.
- Bread on the side, or make pan con tomate just before serving. → Pan con tomate with jamón
The jamón
The jamón is the most expensive part and the one people remember. Ibérico de bellota, hand-carved, is the real thing; for a large crowd, a good Serrano plus a small pack of Ibérico to taste works well. → Iberico vs Serrano
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Cinco Jotas 5J Jamón de Bellota 100% Ibérico, sliced (70 g)
Cinco Jotas (5J) · Jabugo, Huelva · Pre-sliced leg (jamón), 70 g pack
The benchmark most Spaniards would name first. Jabugo style: intense, long, savoury. The pack to buy when you want the 'this is why people rave about it' moment.
Why we like it
- The reference brand in Spain
- Intense Jabugo flavour
Keep in mind
- Premium price for 70 g
Best for: A first taste of the top tier, a special gift
Price and availability on Amazon.co.uk
The other cured meats
The easiest way to get chorizo, salchichón and lomo together is a selection pack:
Ibérico selection: ham, salchichón, chorizo and cured loin (200 g)
Spanish deli selection · Spain · 4 sliced cured meats, 200 g
The easiest 'Spanish bar at home' kit: ham plus the three classic Ibérico cured meats. Check the label on the ham — it isn't the same grade as a black-label pack.
Best for: Tapas night, trying everything once
Price and availability on Amazon.co.uk
The cheeses
A 6-month Manchego is the all-rounder; put membrillo right next to it. → Build a Spanish cheese board
Manchego PDO 6 months aged (curado)
LalolaGourmet · La Mancha · Wedge
The all-rounder: firm but still buttery, nutty without being sharp. Good on a board and in a sandwich.
Why we like it
- Versatile middle age
El Quijote dulce de membrillo (quince paste)
El Quijote · Córdoba, Spain · Block
Manchego's classic partner: a thin slice of quince paste on a piece of cheese. Sweet, floral, a little tart.
Short on time? A ready-cut selection of Spanish cheeses:
Spanish cheese selection: Manchego, Ibérico and goat, 32 ready-cut wedges (400 g)
LalolaGourmet · Spain · 400 g, pre-cut
A ready-cut tapas platter: open, arrange, done. Handy for parties.
Why we like it
- No cutting needed
Keep in mind
- Pre-cut dries faster once opened
What to drink with it
A chilled fino sherry or a dry cava with the jamón, a young Rioja with chorizo and Manchego, or simply a cold beer. → What to drink with tapas Please drink responsibly. You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol.
Mistakes to avoid
- Serving it cold straight from the fridge.
- Piling the jamón in a heap: the slices stick together and the fat turns dull.
- Too many strong flavours next to the jamón (blue cheese, spicy salami): give it its own corner.
- Cutting the cheese too thick. Thin triangles taste better and go further.
Keep reading
→ 10 easy Spanish tapas with no cooking · A Spanish tapas menu for a holiday party