Pickled Walnuts Are The Missing Link On Your Charcuterie Board

A charcuterie board often consists of cured meats paired with cheeses, crackers, nuts, fruits, veggies, and sauces or spreads that are presented in an aesthetically pleasing way. It's a great shareable appetizer to enjoy with your significant other or a group of friends that mixes elements of savory, salty, sweet, and sour and varied textures of soft, chewy, and crunchy. The next time you build your own charcuterie board lineup for a party or social gathering, consider adding pickled walnuts to this smorgasbord.

Pickled walnuts add a salty brininess that complements strong cheeses such as the pungent English cheese Stilton. The acid of the pickling also offers a welcome flavor balance to meats and cheeses. Pickled walnuts can make a great accompaniment to any charcuterie board, but they partner especially well with Camembert and goat cheeses. Moreover, coupling pickled walnuts with a creamy soft cheese delivers a perfect counter of tastes and textures.

One of the main reasons that nuts are included on a charcuterie board is to enhance texture, and pickled walnuts can also provide some much-needed crunch and bite. And there are ancillary benefits beyond the flavor and texture qualities that make pickled walnuts a solid choice for a charcuterie board.

Walnuts contain polyunsaturated fats (a good source of fat). Research by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that they lower LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol), and may decrease a person's risk of cardiovascular disease. They are packed with nutrients including protein, fiber, manganese, potassium, and iron, and are high in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, which further benefits heart health (via Health). Additionally, walnuts provide more omega-3 fatty acids than any other nut, which can also contribute to lowering a person's risk of heart disease. Other studies have shown that eating walnuts may even reduce the chance of developing certain cancers, such as breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers (via Healthline). With its balancing of flavors and textures and multiple health benefits, walnuts could be the missing link on your charcuterie board.