This Highland Cow Charcuterie Board might just be one of the cutest snack boards you’ll ever make! Made with salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, and olives, this adorable Highland cow is surrounded by all your favorite charcuterie snacks for an easy appetizer that doubles as the centerpiece of your table.
And don’t let that cute little face fool you—this charcuterie board is actually so easy to make. You don’t need to be artistic or have any fancy charcuterie skills. I’ll walk you through it step by step, from making the salami body and cheese horns to those adorable pepperoni flowers on top.
This is such a fun board for football parties, game day, birthdays, girls’ nights, holiday gatherings, or a farm-themed party. Best of all, once you make the Highland cow, everything surrounding it is completely customizable. Add your favorite crackers, cheeses, fruit, nuts, pretzels, or anything else your family loves.
If you’re planning a party, you may also want to try my 7 Layer Dip Cups, Smoked Queso, or Million Dollar Dip for a few more easy appetizers to add to the table.
Why You’ll Love This Highland Cow Charcuterie Board
There is just something about a Highland cow that makes everything cuter, and turning one into a charcuterie board makes it even more fun. Here are a few reasons I think you’ll love this one:
It looks impressive but is surprisingly easy. You’re really just arranging meats and cutting a few simple cheese shapes.
It’s completely customizable. Keep the Highland cow the same and change everything surrounding it.
It doubles as party decor. Put this in the middle of your appetizer table and you instantly have a fun centerpiece.
You can make most of it ahead of time. That means less work when your guests arrive.
It works for so many occasions. Game day, holidays, birthday parties, showers, farm parties, girls’ nights—you name it.
No special equipment is needed. A large platter or charcuterie board and a sharp knife are really all you need.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The actual Highland cow only requires a handful of ingredients. Then you can have fun filling in the rest of the board.
Hard Salami: You’ll need about 1 pound. The round slices make up the cow’s face and body.
Pepperoni: These are rolled into little flowers to give our Highland cow that signature shaggy hair on top.
Provolone Cheese: You’ll use the provolone to make the horns, the long center portion of the face, and the muzzle.
Green Olives: A few small pieces of olive create the eyes and nostrils.
Your Favorite Charcuterie Sides: This is where you can make the board your own. I used a combination of crackers, cheese cubes, grapes, nuts, and additional meats.
What Can I Put Around My Highland Cow?
Once you have your cow assembled, use the remaining space to add a variety of colors, textures, and flavors.
Some of my favorite options are crackers, pita crackers, cubed cheddar or provolone, red and green grapes, mixed nuts, pretzels, additional salami and pepperoni, olives, berries, or sliced vegetables.
You definitely don’t have to use exactly what I used. In fact, this is a great way to use up little bits of cheese, crackers, fruit, and snacks you already have in the house.
How to Make a Highland Cow Charcuterie Board
1. Make the Body
Start with the hard salami. Arrange the slices in two overlapping columns on a large platter or charcuterie board. You want to create the basic long shape of your Highland cow’s face.
Don’t worry about making every slice perfectly even. Once everything else is added, it will all come together.
2. Add the Horns
Cut one of the provolone slices into two long horn shapes. Place one on either side at the top of the salami.
3. Make the Cow’s Face
Cut another piece of provolone into one long strip for the center of the face.
Then cut an oval piece of cheese for the muzzle and position it toward the bottom.
Use small pieces of green olive to create two nostrils on the muzzle and two eyes above it.
4. Make the Pepperoni Flowers
Now for my favorite part—the Highland cow’s “hair!”
Take two pepperoni slices and slightly overlap them. Fold them in half lengthwise and then roll them into a small flower.
Repeat until you have enough pepperoni flowers to arrange between the horns and across the top of the cow’s head.
They don’t need to be identical. In fact, slightly different sizes make the “hair” even cuter.
5. Fill Your Board
Once your Highland cow is finished, fill all that empty space with your favorite charcuterie goodies.
I like to place larger items first, such as bunches of grapes and piles of cheese cubes, and then use nuts, smaller crackers, and other little snacks to fill any remaining gaps.
Tips & Tricks
- Build the Highland cow first. It’s much easier to get the shape right when you have an empty platter to work with.
- Keep your cheese cold. Cold provolone is much easier to cut into horns and facial features than cheese that has been sitting at room temperature.
- Overlap the salami. This gives the cow a fuller look and keeps the platter underneath from showing through.
- Don’t stress over perfect pepperoni flowers. Highland cows are known for their shaggy hair, so imperfect actually works in your favor here!
- Use contrasting colors. Green and purple grapes, different cheeses, crackers, and nuts make the finished board much more visually interesting.
- Save the smallest ingredients for last. Nuts, small crackers, and cheese cubes are perfect for filling awkward little spaces.
- Use the photo as your guide. Once you see how the basic shapes fit together, assembling your own Highland cow becomes incredibly simple.
Make It Your Own
One of the things I love most about charcuterie boards is that there really aren’t many rules.
Don’t like green olives? Use black olives. Prefer cheddar over provolone for snacking? Add cheddar cubes around the outside. You can add strawberries or raspberries for more color, use different crackers, add pretzels for the kids, or include your favorite dips alongside the board.
You could even change the surrounding ingredients based on the occasion while keeping the Highland cow in the center.
Make Ahead & Storage
You can assemble the Highland cow portion of the board several hours before your party. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
If you’re making the entire board ahead, I recommend waiting to add the crackers and other crunchy items until shortly before serving. Refrigeration can cause crackers to absorb moisture and lose some of their crunch.
Any leftover meats and cheeses should be transferred to airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator.
FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Serve your Highland Cow Charcuterie Board as an appetizer or snack board and let everyone help themselves. For a party, I love the idea of putting it in the center of the table and surrounding it with a few dips and other finger foods.
For game day especially, pair it with Pepperoni Pizza Chips, Grillo Pickle Dip, or another one of your favorite Sparkles to Sprinkles appetizers for an easy spread everyone can graze on.
Highland Cow Charcuterie Board
This adorable Highland Cow Charcuterie Board is almost too cute to eat! Made with salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, and olives, then surrounded by your favorite charcuterie snacks, it’s an easy and fun appetizer for game day, parties, holidays, and entertaining.
Ingredients
- 1 pound hard salami, sliced
- Pepperoni
- 3 slices provolone cheese
- Green olives
- Your favorite charcuterie sides, such as crackers, cheese cubes, grapes, nuts, additional meats, and pretzels
Instructions
- Arrange the hard salami slices in two overlapping columns on a large platter or charcuterie board to create the Highland cow's head and body.
- Cut one slice of provolone cheese into two horn shapes. Place the horns at the top of the salami.
- Cut another piece of provolone into one long strip for the center of the cow's face and an oval for the muzzle. Arrange both pieces over the salami.
- Cut small pieces from the green olives. Use two pieces to create the nostrils and two more for the eyes.
- To make the pepperoni flowers, slightly overlap 2 slices of pepperoni. Fold them in half lengthwise and roll them tightly to create a small flower. Repeat with additional pepperoni.
- Arrange the pepperoni flowers between the horns and across the top of the cow's head to create its signature shaggy hair.
- Fill the remaining space around the Highland cow with your favorite crackers, cheese, grapes, nuts, meats, and other charcuterie snacks. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I’m Melissa, the imaginative force behind Sparkles to Sprinkles, where creativity comes to life, and sprinkles of joy are scattered generously. Melissa is a proud Jersey girl who found love with a New York boy. As a mom to four wonderful boys and a few fur babies, her journey into the world of blogging began after making the life-changing decision to stay home and raise her children. Previously a dedicated workaholic, Melissa’s blog became her creative outlet and passion project. Inspired by her mother-in-law, a masterful cook renowned for her delicious home-cooked meals and legendary holiday feasts (think mouthwatering sausage stuffing), Melissa honed her culinary skills through a combination of family recipes and countless cooking classes. She often attended these classes with her son Michael, who shared her enthusiasm for cooking from a young age. Melissa’s love for learning extends beyond familiar cuisines, as she enjoys exploring international recipes in hands-on cooking classes. Her blog features a diverse array of recipes, showcasing her expertise with various kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot, air fryer, Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex Plus, and more. Join Melissa on her culinary adventures as she shares tried-and-true family favorites alongside exciting new discoveries!
