How to make an Irish cheese board that is stunning and delicious

How to make a fabulous Irish Cheese board for St Patrick’s Day or a house party with friends

Ireland produces amazing dairy.

Irish milk, yogurt and cheeses are among the best local foods you can find here and there is no better way to enjoy them than creating a tasting platter to showcase their variety.

You don’t need a special occasion to offer a cheese platter; however, if you want to dress up your cheese offering with seasonal and occasion touches, there are easy way to do so!

Here’s how to make a beautiful Irish cheese board and decoration ideas to special occasions.

1. Pick a Base

Start with a large wooden board, slate, or marble slab to assemble your cheese board. I am fond of slate ones (they look so stylish!) but dark wooden ones also look great with cheese.

2. Include Irish Cheese of different texture and color

The Irish production of cheese is rather varied not juts in flavour but also colour and texture.

Some Irish cheeses are white, soft and creamy, some are more orange in color, some have white rim, some dark skin and many are flavored with fruit and berries, each adding their own shade!

Some you may enjoy are:

• Irish Cheddar: mild, medium or mature, white or red, plain or with flavored, pain or smoked
• Dubliner Cheese: A sharp, nutty cheese similar to aged cheddar.
• Cashel Blue: A creamy, mild blue cheese from the West of Ireland.
• Wicklow Blue Cheese: A creamy, tangy blue cheese made with cow’s milk
• Irish Porter Cheese: A striking marbled cheese with a caramel and smoky taste.
• Goat Cheese: creamy and mild, with or without herbs

3. Add fresh fruit and honey

To add color but also to enhance the flavor of the cheese and add freshness, I like to add fruit and a small pot of honey.

Fruits that work well are:

• Green apple wedges
• Red apple wedges – amazing with cheddar!
• Green and red grapes
• Blueberries – super tasty with goat cheese
• Dried apricots – perfect with cheddar and goat cheese

4. Add olives and pickles

Green olives are my favorite with cheese. Pickled onions are also a nice addition

5. Add nuts

For a bit of crunch, I like to add almonds to all my boards

6. Add Irish bread and crackers

Soda bread is the most traditional type of Irish bread and works great as a support for cheese. You can also opt for oat cakes, multi grain cracker and sourdough bread, all easy to find in Ireland and well within local traditions/

5. Add Green Dips

Ok, they don’t have to be green! But they go well with the theme so if you are looking for an extra ‘themed’ touch, why not look at green dips ideas?

6. Decorative Elements

Depending on the occaision, you can easily add your board seasonal decorations. For instance:

• Use mini shamrocks cut from cucumber slices to add a playful touch.
• Scatter fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or chives around the board for greenery.
• Add gold foil-wrapped chocolates or green jelly beans for St Patrick’s Day finish.
• Incorporate small Irish flags or shamrock toothpicks for embellishment.

7. Assemble with Care

• Arrange cheeses in separate areas of the board, cutting some into cubes or wedges for variety.
• Fan out crackers and bread slices around the cheeses.
• Fill small bowls with dips and place them at opposite ends of the board.
• Scatter fruits and nuts throughout, ensuring balanced coverage.

How to make a St Patrick’s Day cheese board – pin this!