Salsa Boards Are A Low-Price, High-Reward Twist On Charcuterie

Charcuterie boards have long been a snacking staple when it comes to entertaining guests, and are typically made with a selection of cured meats, cheeses, crackers, and other delectable bite-sized morsels. Although they've been around for a long time, in recent years they have really taken off, with social media feeds increasingly full of aesthetically beautiful and over-the-top versions. They have also spawned all sorts of spin-offs, from fruit boards and dessert boards to breakfast boards and the latest TikTok trendy butter boards (which has in turn inspired dozens of riffs like hummus boards and avocado boards).

Well, there's another new trend for the appetizer board that's not only delicious and easy to make, but will make a big impact without costing a fortune: the salsa board. Chips and salsa are another popular (and budget-friendly) snack option at parties, but they can totally be the star of their own snack board. Here's what to consider when putting together a salsa board for your next get-together.

When it comes to building your salsa board, you want a variety of colors, flavors, heat levels, and textures. Luckily, there are many different types of salsa to choose from. Start with one or more of the classic tomato-based salsa, and add a green variety, like salsa verde or the avocado-based salsa de aguacate, for a color contrast. For some textural contrast, add a fresh salsa like pico de gallo. For something more unusual, try adding the spicy peanut-based salsa de cacahuate or the pickled vegetables of a salsa bruja. Many different varieties of salsas are available pre-made at your local grocery store, but you can also easily make your own, which gives you more control over the flavor and spice level, as well as the ability to add in extras, like corn or seasonal fruit.

Don't forget to include a variety of chips for dipping in the salsa, including white, yellow, and blue corn and wheat tortilla chips, in different sizes and shapes for visual interest. Feel free to add extras like avocados, cheeses, sour cream, jalapenos, garnishes, veggies, and meats for heartier snacking. Martha Stewart provides a few tips on assembling your salsa board, which include using a larger board than you think you might need, taking advantage of contrasting bowls of different colors and heights, and adding spoons for easy serving as well as labels indicating the heat level of the different salsas.