A wine and cheese party can be an excellent way to enjoy food, meet new friends and catch up with old ones.
It can be fun whether you invite many people or just a few.
But do you know what to serve with wine and cheese? If you're looking for some ideas, you're at the right place.
You can serve plenty of stuff with the beverage and cheese, like dips and sauces, pickles, cured meats and fresh fruits.
Besides these, several others pair with wine and cheese and we'll list them below.
So you can check them out and grab some ideas.
Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Wine and Cheese?
Having only wine and cheese can be boring when hosting a party.
Besides, you need to fill up your belly or the alcohol can make you tipsy.
Everyone looks forward to food when attending an event.
Hence your guests will be disappointed if you don't serve side dishes.
Wine and cheese make an excellent pairing with numerous items so why shouldn't you experience more flavors at the same event?
What to Serve with Wine and Cheese? 10 Best Side Dishes
Here are the items you can serve and enjoy with wine and cheese.
1 - Fresh Fruits
Adding fruits to the menu is excellent as it brings a fresh element.
Fruits also taste good with wine and cheese.
So, you'll have an ideal combination and everybody will have a fabulous time.
You can include various types of fresh fruits on the platter.
They can be strawberries, pears, apples, grapes, blackberries, blueberries, kiwis, mangoes and pineapples.
Cantaloupe, honeydew melon, dragon fruit and papaya are also suitable.
Add a lovely dip on the platter so everyone can enjoy the fruits, wine and cheese.
You must ensure not to use overripe fruits or they will ruin your platter.
2 - Crackers
Crackers will also come in handy if you're planning a light snack event.
They're versatile, mildly flavored and taste good with wine and cheese.
Crackers are among the most nutritious snacks, so you'll have taste and goodness.
Crackers come in many shapes and sizes.
Arranging different types can make your platter quite attractive.
Now, you can also find mildly sweet, bland and saltine crackers so you can include all kinds.
Making crackers is easy since you don't have to undergo many steps or use numerous ingredients.
If you can't make them or don't have enough time, you can get readymade products.
3 - Cured Meats
Earlier, we learned that wine cheese is versatile and they go nicely with various items.
Cured meat is one of the items that make a lovely pairing.
Cured meats are those which undergo the process of preservation.
Most curing processes use salt and spices.
The curing method removes moisture and prevents germs from growing and breeding.
Hence, they're safe to eat and amazingly delicious.
You can add easily sliced meats like chorizo, pepperoni, salami, prosciutto and soppressata to the menu.
That way, everyone can choose their favorite type.
4 - Dips and Sauces
You might also like to add dips and sauces as a side dish with wine and cheese.
Since you'll have multiple items to enjoy like fruits, crackers and cheese, the dips and sauces will come in handy.
Add sweet and savory dips so you and your guests can enjoy different types instead of only one.
Spicy honey mustard, classic pesto, peach jam, apple butter, fig chutney and olive tapenade make suitable dips and sauces to serve with wine and cheese.
You can make the dips and sauces from scratch if you have the ingredients and time.
If not, readymade stuff is available too.
So, you can choose the best brands for maximum flavors.
5 - Pickles
Pickles can also make a suitable side dish when serving wine and cheese.
The slightly tart flavor of the pickles complements the sweet wine and the tasty cheese.
However, not all pickles are suitable for all wines and cheeses.
So, once you select which wine and cheese to serve on the occasion, you can choose the pickles.
If you don't have much idea, you can include sweet, sour, salty and mild-flavored pickles.
That way, you will have variety and be able to choose several types.
6 - Dried Fruits
Next on the list is dried fruits.
They're easy to procure and they also complement wine and cheese.
Dried fruits also come in numerous flavors so the options are vast.
There may be only one wine option but you're sure to have several cheese types.
Hence, it will be fun to include various dried fruits to complement the cheese varieties and the wine.
Some popular dried fruits include raisins, cherries, dates, apricots, apples, figs and plums.
If you can find them all, the platter will look colorful and appealing.
But your dish will look good with few options and will be sufficient.
7 - Nuts
Nuts are the perfect choice if you're looking for a crunchy option with wine and cheese.
They're delicious and easy to get and there are several varieties, so you have many options.
Besides, everyone loves nuts because they're so delicious.
Nuts are also a healthy choice because they contain plenty of nutrients.
Hence adding them to your diet can be beneficial.
But it's best to choose unsalted or unsweetened nuts to receive maximum goodness.
Almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts, pistachios and macadamia are some tasty and popular nuts you can serve with wine and cheese.
Add different types since everyone has a particular preference.
You can add both raw and toasted versions since everyone prefers something different.
They'll also have more options to enjoy at the party.
8 - Gluten-Free Cookies
They may sound odd, but cookies can also make a suitable pairing with wine and cheese.
Cookies also come in multiple flavors and aromas so you can choose several kinds.
If you're gluten intolerant or don't want to serve food that contains the substance, you can make and serve gluten-free cookies.
You can use flours made with grains that don't contain gluten.
You can use buckwheat, sorghum, oats, rice, and corn flour.
All these are gluten-free grains; you can make multiple items, including cookies.
Incorporate chocolate, nuts, and dried fruits for additional flavor.
9 - Chocolate Covered Truffles
You'll need some yummy chocolate-based delicacies to pair with wine and cheese.
What better than chocolate-covered truffles? They taste oh, so excellent and also complement the beverage and cheese.
Desserts are slightly trickier than savory dishes but you can make the yummiest items if you follow the correct steps.
Thus, making chocolate-covered truffles won't be much of a problem.
However, if you have doubts, you'll find the most fantastic chocolate truffles at the store.
Plenty of brands make the truffles so you can choose the best or your favorite one.
You can also select various types to add variety to your menu.
10 - Vegan Queso
Typically, queso is a Tex-Mex dish with chile peppers and melted cheese and it's wonderfully delicious.
But you can also make a vegan version using only plant-based ingredients.
Vegan queso is yummy and easy to make and it matches wine and cheese nicely.
Since you'll also add crackers, nuts and dried fruits, the queso will be a suitable side dish.
The main ingredients in vegan queso are cashew nuts, nutritional yeast, potatoes and vegetable broth.
Spices, hot sauce, garlic and water make up the rest of the ingredients.
It's essential to use the best nuts so always look for the freshness date and avoid expired products.
