This smoked salmon appetizer ticks all my boxes for finger food: it’s fast to make loads (no fiddly assembly), it’s served at room temperature and can be made ahead. Oh – and it looks gorgeous and tastes fabulous! It was a hit with my taste testers!
Smoked Salmon Appetizer
Whenever I am taking something to a gathering, the first thought that pops into my head is logistics. How the food will travel, does it need reheating, does it need to be assembled, how many people do I need to serve. The decision of what to take is invariably narrowed down drastically once these factors are determined.
If it’s a gathering where I can’t reheat what I’m taking (or if I don’t want to add to the craziness of an event), then that cuts out half the appetisers in my repertoire. If I don’t want to bother with assembling little crostinis or similar gorgeous, delicious but fiddly things, then that chops out another good chunk of finger food recipes I regularly use. Ever assembled 50 smoked salmon blinis before? No? It’s a pain. I want to be chatting to my friends, not using tweezers to assemble gorgeous little appetisers that people inhale in one bite!
So this smoked salmon appetizer solves a bunch of my party food logistical challenges. Easy to transport. No fiddly assembly. They’re served at room temperature. And they taste SO GOOD!
PS Yes, the recipe says it makes 49 and yes you can only count 45 in the photo above. You know what happened to the missing 4.
I totally cheat with this recipe. It was inspired by an appetiser I had at a professionally catered event and it was made with crepes. I make mine with flatbreads or soft tortillas. Honestly, I promise you, it is just as good – and saves tons of time.
Am I weird for thinking this smoked salmon appetizer is quite elegant? This really is the sort of food I would proudly serve at a dinner party!
I very deliberately waited until I had a gathering at my place before I made these because this is the sort of food that I have difficulty controlling myself around. So I actually asked my mother to organise her weekly golf day at a course near my house, just so I could invite her and her friends around for wine and taste testing after golf!
They gave these Smoked Salmon Bites and Dorothy’s Moist Apple Cake a VERY big thumbs up. I got plenty of constructive feedback on another appetiser I tried out and am working on it! 😉 – Nagi x
More cocktail food for parties
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Coconut Shrimp / Prawns with Thai Mango Dipping Sauce
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See all Dip Recipes, all Party Food and the Top 25 Party Foods!
PS My mother texted me on the 8th hole (they only play 9 holes) which is when I decided to make Dorothy’s Easiest Ever Moist Apple Cake. I had it in the oven and baking when they walked in the door. It is that fast!
PPS I’m fully aware that I’m swinging between “appetiser” and “appetizer”. US vs Aus spelling – auto correct is killing me!
More smoked salmon recipes
-
Smoked Salmon Dip – the dip version of the smoked salmon spread
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Smoked Salmon Bites (Appetizer)
Ingredients
Spread
- 250g / 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Zest of 1 lemon (large) - more is better, adjust to taste!
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup dill, chopped
Assembly
- 3 soft large wraps / tortillas (approx 23 cm / 9" diameter) (Note 1)
- 350 - 480 g / 12 - 16 oz smoked salmon slices
- Table butter
Instructions
- Mix Spread ingredients together.
- Spread half on a flatbread in a square shape.
- Top with half the smoked salmon.
- Spread a flatbread with butter - just thinly, like buttering a piece of bread. Place the butter side down onto the salmon (Note 2)
- Spread remaining Spread on flatbread, again in a square shape. Top with remaining salmon. Butter 3rd wrap and place butter side down onto the salmon.
- Use a large flat object, like a cutting board, and press down lightly to smooth the surface and compress everything.
- Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours (up to 48 hours) so the filling sets.
- Using a serrated knife, trim edges to make a square. Don't cut down - filling may squirt out, cut back and forth in a sawing motion. Chef privileges: nibble on offcuts.
- Cut square into 6 or 7 even strips, then each strip into squares. Serve with toothpicks, wedges of lemon and extra dill for garnish.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Smoked Salmon Appetiser cooking video! Dozer fans – don’t miss his cameo at the end! 😉
LIFE OF DOZER
Dozer! Shame on you – some modesty please!!!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Nagi! These are amazing! You would catch me just standing next to the platter munching one after the other! Tortillas and flatbreads are so versatile! I need to get some salmon! I think an appetiizer night is in order!
Nagi says
I would be standing right there next to you!!!
Neena | Paint the Kitchen Red says
Oh, they look so pretty! Something to keep in mind for upcoming holiday gatherings. In the photographs, the Australian flatbread looks like an American tortilla. For us a flatbread looks much thicker, like what you would wrap a gyro with…. I bet using a colored tortilla, like spinach would also make it look lovely!
Nagi says
Ooh yes! Multi coloured one! 🙂
Sue | My Korean Kitchen says
OMG! These look so good. I bookmarked it for my upcoming gathering. Thank you!
Nagi says
Thank you Sue! I was on your blog today, browsing for some new Korean recipes to try. 🙂 Any suggestions? What’s your favourite??