Easy Seafood Charcuterie Board (Seacuterie)

This seafood charcuterie board brings salmon, scallops, cod, shrimp, mussels, and creamy crab dip together in one generous appetizer made for sharing. A few smart store-bought shortcuts keep the prep manageable, while warm garlic butter, cocktail sauce, lemon, and briny olives give everyone plenty of ways to build the perfect bite.

A Seafood Feast, Charcuterie Style

A seafood charcuterie board—sometimes playfully called seacuterie—takes the relaxed, graze-as-you-go spirit of a traditional charcuterie board and gives it a coastal spin. Instead of meat and cheese, guests can sample different seafood, dips, sauces, and briny little extras.

For this version, I bake the salmon and white fish and give the scallops a quick sear, then lean on precooked shrimp, prepared mussels, and store-bought crab dip to keep the workload reasonable. The fish is delicious at room temperature, so you aren’t stuck trying to time every component for the exact moment your guests arrive.

It’s an easygoing year-round appetizer for dinner parties, cocktail hours, holidays, or any gathering that calls for something a little different. You can find even more inspiration in my charcuterie board ideas collection.

Key Ingredients

For the full ingredient list and quantities, see the recipe card below.

Salmon and white fish: Salmon brings richness, while cod or halibut adds a lighter, flaky contrast. Choose similarly sized fillets so they finish cooking at about the same time.

Sea scallops: Look for large, dry-packed scallops when possible. Pat them very dry before searing so they develop that lovely golden crust instead of steaming.

Precooked shrimp: One of my favorite shortcuts here. Thaw if frozen, drain well, and pat dry before adding them to the board.

Prepared mussels: Heat frozen prepared mussels according to the package directions. Drain them well before arranging them directly on the board, or serve them in a shallow bowl with a bit of the broth.

Crab dip: A good-quality store-bought crab dip gives the board its rich, creamy element, which is why I don’t think it needs cheese.

Olives and bread: Castelvetrano olives add a buttery, briny counterpoint to the seafood. Serve the board with toasted baguette slices and a few sturdy charcuterie crackers that can hold up to the dip.

How to Build a Seafood Charcuterie Board

The detailed cooking directions are in the recipe card below, but this simple order makes the board much easier to arrange.

1. Prepare the seafood: Bake the salmon and white fish, sear the scallops, and cook the prepared mussels according to the package directions. Keep the shrimp and crab dip chilled until assembly.
2. Place the bowls first: Arrange the crab dip, cocktail sauce, and garlic butter around the board. If you’re serving the mussels with a little broth, place them in a fourth bowl and use it as another anchor.
3. Fill in with shellfish: Add clusters of shrimp and scallops, followed by the well-drained mussels. Place contrasting colors and shapes beside one another rather than grouping all the pale ingredients together.
4. Finish the board: Tuck olives, lemon wedges, and fresh herbs into the open spaces. Add toasted bread or crackers along the edges, set out cocktail forks, and warm the garlic butter just before serving.

How Much Seafood Do You Need Per Person?

For an appetizer, plan on about 4 to 6 ounces of edible seafood per person. If the seafood board will serve as the main meal, increase that to approximately 8 to 10 ounces per person.

This recipe is sized for 8 to 10 appetizer servings, with salmon, white fish, scallops, shrimp, mussels, and crab dip. Toasted bread, crackers, olives, and dipping sauces help round it out without asking everyone to fill up on seafood alone. For a crowd of serious seafood lovers—or if this is the only appetizer—count on this board serving closer to 8 people. When it’s part of a larger appetizer spread, it can comfortably serve 10.

More Seafood Charcuterie Board Ideas

Think of this recipe as a starting formula rather than a strict list. Choose four or five seafood components, one creamy dip, two sauces, and a few fresh or briny extras so the board feels generous without becoming chaotic.

• Easy seafood swaps: Smoked salmon, smoked trout, mini crab cakes, sliced lobster tail, crab legs, or cooked clams.
• More dipping sauces: Lemon aioli, remoulade, tartar sauce, or a fresh herb sauce like pesto all work well in place of the cocktail sauce or garlic butter.
• Briny additions: Cornichons, pickled onions, Peppadew peppers, or marinated artichokes add acidity that cuts through the richer seafood. My guide to the best pickles for charcuterie has more pairing ideas.
• Fresh fillers: Cucumber slices, radishes, cherry tomatoes, lemon wedges, and fresh dill bring color and a crisp counterpoint to the seafood.

Serving and Keeping the Board Fresh

Keep the prepared seafood and crab dip refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble the board. Set it out shortly before guests arrive, with cocktail forks, small spreaders, napkins, and a bowl for discarded mussel shells nearby.

For extra chilling, arrange the seafood on a shallow serving tray nested over a larger tray of ice. Keep the food above the melting water and replenish the ice as needed.

Seafood and other perishable foods shouldn’t sit unrefrigerated for longer than two hours—or one hour when the temperature is above 90°F. For longer gatherings, another easy option is to put out smaller portions and replenish them from the refrigerator.

Wine and Drink Pairings

A crisp, high-acid wine is the easiest match for a board with this many different seafood flavors. Sparkling wine is my first choice—it works beautifully with shellfish, cuts through the crab dip and garlic butter, and naturally suits a gathering.

A dry Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pacific Northwest Pinot Gris would also be lovely. For a nonalcoholic option, serve sparkling water with plenty of lemon or a tart citrus spritz rather than something overly sweet.

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