Place the bowls first. Start by placing small bowls or ramekins on the serving board for dips, spreads, and jam. Space them out so they anchor different corners of the board. For my board I placed two ceramic mini tart pans for Carrot Pate and Black Olive Tapenade. I also placed a mini ramekin for some fig jam.

Next, place your vegan cheeses in 2–3 spots around the board. Mix up the shapes for variety.

Then layer in seasonal fruits and veggies. Surround the cheeses with fresh and roasted produce for color and texture. Fan out apple slices, add bunches of grapes, and tuck in roasted sweet potato and dried apricots for warm fall colors. Think about trying to balance colors. On my board I placed the the dark grapes next to the orange carrot pate and I mirrored those colors on the other side of the board with the black olive tapenade surrounded by roasted sweet potato and dried apricots.

Fill in with crunch. Add piles of crackers, crostini, Asha Pops (or popcorn) and seeds in between the fruits and cheeses. This helps create balance and makes the board feel abundant. Place everything in small clusters so guests can easily grab and mix flavors.

Add “meaty” plant-based options. Tuck in strips of smoked plant-based jerky or vegan deli slices. Place them in rolled or stacked shapes to mimic charcuterie style. On my vegan fall charcuterie board I tucked maple bacon flavored Louisville Vegan Jerky in behind the mini ramekin of fig jam.

Garnish and decorate. Finish by sprinkling in fresh rosemary or thyme, placing a few more pieces of dried fruit or seeds around the board. Go back and fill in any areas that may not look full. Use items you have already placed elsewhere on the board to create a balanced effect.