Cold Cut Platter Ideas – How to Arrange Your Platter

Looking for cold cut platter ideas? I’ll show you how to arrange a platter that looks the part, whether it’s for a birthday, a relaxed evening with friends or an appetizer at a barbecue.

A Wurstplatte is essentially the German counterpart to a charcuterie board. Honestly, I’d say they’re largely identical apart from a few details. If you’re also interested in cold cuts and cold supper ideas, a platter is a simple way to bring them together.

I’ll give you a practical guide with portion sizes, my personal platter recommendation and tips I’ve collected over the years.

Have fun and good luck arranging your cold cut platter!

How to arrange a cold cut platter

1. Choose the ingredients

A cold cut platter doesn’t need many ingredients, but the right mix makes the difference. Alongside the star of the show, the sausage, I recommend a few accompaniments for decoration. I’m a firm believer that you should be able to eat the decorations too.

Aim for a mixture of textures and flavors:

• At least 3 different sausage types (sliced cold cuts, spreadable sausage and raw cured sausage)
• Something tangy for balance: cornichons, olives or pickled vegetables
• Nuts and crackers for crunch
• Fresh bread or baguette
• Optional: mustard, horseradish or chutney as a dip

2. Choose your platter or board

You can use different materials as your base. Wooden boards and slate platters are the most popular. Wood feels rustic and warm; slate looks more modern and elegant.

Glass, porcelain or metal platters work too. Important: Make sure the platter is big enough. Choose a size larger or combine several small platters.

3. Arrange the platter

Presentation is everything with a cold cut platter. Here are the tips I’ve collected over the years:

1. Large pieces first: Start with the largest items, such as cheese wedges or whole sausage rings, then work toward the smaller ones.
2. Cut bite-sized pieces: Keep the pieces small enough for guests to help themselves easily.
3. Use contrasting colors: Arrange different sausage colors beside one another: light next to dark, pink next to brown.
4. Add height: Don’t just lay sausage slices flat. Roll them, fold them or fan them out. An upside-down small bowl under the sausage gives you extra height.
5. Keep the rim clear: Leave the edge free so you can carry the platter without touching the sausage.
6. Decorate the gaps: Fill spaces with radishes, pickles, tomatoes, herbs or crackers.
7. Plan ahead: Think about how you’d like the platter to look before starting. Sometimes a quick sketch helps.

How much sausage per person for a cold cut platter?

Estimating the right amount is always the biggest challenge. Here’s how I work it out:

• As a snack or appetizer: about 60 to 70 g sausage per person
• As a main meal or cold supper: about 150 to 160 g sausage per person

Add bread, accompaniments and dips. Allow about 2 to 3 slices of bread and a handful of accompaniments per person.

Here’s an overview for different group sizes, served as a main meal:

People	Total sausage	Varieties	Bread
2 people	about 300 g	3 to 4 varieties	1/2 baguette
4 people	about 600 g	4 to 5 varieties	1 baguette
6 people	about 900 g	5 to 6 varieties	1.5 baguettes
8 people	about 1200 g	6 to 7 varieties	2 baguettes
10 people	about 1500 g	7 to 8 varieties	2 to 3 baguettes

Tip: Plan a little extra. Leftover sausage is easy to serve as cold cuts the next day.

My recommendation for a balanced cold cut platter

Ingredients for a platter for 4 people as a main meal

• 75 g salami
• 75 g turkey breast
• 75 g liverwurst (coarse or fine)
• 100 g Mett
• 100 g cooked ham
• 100 g smoked bratwurst
• Tangy accompaniments: mustard, cornichons, olives
• Nuts, crackers
• 1 baguette

I deliberately combine sliced cold cuts (salami, turkey breast, cooked ham), spreadable sausage (liverwurst, Mett) and a warm element (smoked bratwurst). That gives every guest something they enjoy.

Of course, you can adjust this selection however you like. For a platter for 10 people, simply multiply the quantities by 2.5.

The right board

I recommend a slate platter or wooden board. Make sure the base has enough room to arrange the ingredients attractively, or use several platters.

Bread

Good bread or baguette belongs on a cold cut platter. Tip: Don’t slice the entire loaf in advance. That keeps it from drying out and gives you fresh bread with every cut.

Modern or rustic cold cut platter?

You can style your platter differently to suit the occasion and your taste:

Rustic cold cut platter

Use a wooden board, dark bread and full-flavored sausages such as salami, Mettwurst and smoked bratwurst. Pickles, mustard pickles and coarse mustard go well with them. You can cut the sausage a little more thickly here.

Modern cold cut platter

For a modern look, choose slate or a white porcelain board. Use thinly sliced ham, finely sliced salami and carpaccio-style arrangements. Add olives, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme. Here, less is more.

Tips for the perfect cold cut platter

• Thoughtful arrangement: A sausage board should look rustic but still considered. Distribute the varieties evenly and create color contrasts.
• Provide utensils: Put forks, knives, small bowls, spoons and a bread knife beside the platter so guests can help themselves easily.
• Wine pairing: A full-bodied red or dry white wine goes well with a cold cut platter. Ask a specialist retailer which wines suit your sausage selection.
• Don’t leave it out too long: Sausage and cold cuts should spend no more than 2 hours at room temperature. In warmer weather, replenish early instead of setting everything out at once.
• Give it a go: Don’t be afraid to arrange your first platter. It can look harder than it is. Just try it!

Frequently asked questions