This smoked salmon appetizer is beautiful and the ultimate crowd-pleaser! Crisp cucumber rounds are layered with smoked salmon and a dollop of sour cream studded with lemon zest and chives. Finish with a crunchy pumpernickel crouton on each for a bite-sized take on bagels and lox.
Last weekend my parents and sister came over for our first get together in my new house. My sister, Mary, LOVES smoked salmon so I decided now would be the perfect time to test out a new smoked salmon appetizer. I honestly wasn’t expecting this smoked salmon appetizer to be such a hit, but they were devoured in a mere 5 minutes!
Why were they so incredible, you ask? Well, imagine this: crunchy cucumber rounds as the base, topped with a layer of smoked salmon, a dollop of creamy sour cream, little garlicky pumpernickel croutons, a dash of lemon zest, chives, and freshly cracked black pepper. It was a refreshing flavor explosion that looked like they were straight from a magazine!
But we have to pause and talk about the star of the show – those mini pumpernickel croutons. They’re seriously addictive with their sweet rye crunch, taking these bites to a whole new level of yum. If you haven’t tried pumpernickel and smoked salmon, these bites are the perfect excuse to try this crazy delicious combo that reminds me so much of bagels and lox.
If you have leftover smoked salmon after making these bites, save it for the morning to make the BEST Avocado Toast. It’s no average breakfast; it’s the best way to kickstart your day!
Smoked Salmon Bites
Have you ever heard of the expression, “You eat with your eyes first”? If this is a reality, you will be indulged not once, but twice! These smoked salmon appetizer bites are simply stunning. The contrast between the pink salmon, vibrant green cucumber, and a whisper of yellow from the lemon zest will definitely catch your eye with its elegant presentation. Whether you’re celebrating a bridal shower or hosting an upscale event, this appetizer checks all the boxes from beauty to big flavor.
Ingredients For This Smoked Salmon Appetizer
- Smoked salmon – I use cold-smoked salmon without any flavoring but you can use whatever looks the best in the grocery store!
- English cucumber – English cucumber rounds are extra crunchy and the perfect bite-sized base for the rest of the toppings.
- Soft pumpernickel sandwich bread – pumpernickel is a type of dense, dark rye bread. In the bread aisle, look for soft sandwich bread. Sub with regular rye bread, sourdough, or really any soft sandwich bread you like!
- Garlic – fresh garlic gives us all what we’re looking for… the garlicky finish to the croutons!
- Chives – fresh chives add a pop of green and a hint of fresh onion.
- Lemon – lemon zest adds brightness to the salmon bites. The key is to only zest the outer yellow part of the lemon, not the inner white part. The white part is bitter.
- Sour cream – sour cream adds tangy creaminess. Remember that people know what sour cream is!
- Extra virgin olive oil – extra virgin olive oil is used to help toast the croutons.
How To Make Smoked Salmon Bites
Learn how to make this smoked salmon appetizer recipe! Full instructions in the recipe card; this is an outline!
- Add.
Add olive oil, slivered garlic, and pumpernickel bread to a skillet.
- Toast.
Over medium-high heat, toss croutons for 6-10 minutes until toasted and crunchy. Remove and set aside.
- Place.
Place cucumber rounds on a serving platter.
- Slice.
Slice smoked salmon into thin pieces, twisting each one into spirals. Place one spiral on each cucumber round.
- Add.
Add a small dollop of sour cream on top of each piece of smoked salmon.
- Place.
Place a crouton in the center of each dollop.
- Peel.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel tiny pieces of lemon zest. Then, place one piece on top of the sour cream dollop of each salmon bite.
- Sprinkle.
Sprinkle each cucumber round with chives, salt and pepper.
Smoked Salmon Appetizer Variations
- Use avocado or herbed cream cheese instead of sour cream.
- Use store-bought croutons instead of homemade. Or try a different type of soft sandwich bread for croutons.
- Use crackers instead of cucumber rounds. Or use large crostini! Slice a ciabatta loaf into thin rounds and toast them until they are crisp. Then, spread each toast with a thin layer of sour cream or cream cheese and top with a piece of smoked salmon and sprinkle with chopped chives or dill. Bonus points if you make homemade Crostini!
- Try roll-ups. Lay thin slices of smoked salmon and spread a light layer of cream cheese or sour cream evenly over them. Roll up the salmon slices with a cucumber strip inside and secure with individual toothpicks.
Serving And Storing Tips
Serve: for best results, chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Make ahead: to make ahead, keep these smoked salmon bites in the refrigerator up to 12 hours before serving.
Store leftovers: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Salmon Recipes You’ll Love!
Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites
Ingredients
- 8 ounces smoked salmon
- 1 English cucumber, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- 4 slices soft pumpernickel bread, crusts removed & cut into small ¼ inch squares
- 1 lemon
- 1 large garlic clove, sliced
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Small handful chives, snipped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add olive oil, slivered garlic, and pumpernickel squares.
- Over medium-high heat, toss croutons for 6-10 minutes until they are toasted and just crunchy. Remove pan from burner and set aside.
- Place cucumber rounds on a large serving platter.
- Slice smoked salmon into thin pieces, twisting each piece into spirals. Each spiral should fit nicely on a cucumber round. Place one spiral on each cucumber round.
- Add a small dollop of sour cream on top of each piece of smoked salmon.
- Place a crouton in the center of each dollop.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel tiny pieces of lemon zest. Place one piece of zest on top of the sour cream dollop, on each smoked salmon bite.
- Sprinkle each cucumber round with chives, salt and pepper. For best results, chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving!
Video
Notes
- Pumpernickel and smoked salmon go together so well. But you can use any other type of soft sandwich bread (sourdough, oatmeal, wheat, rye, etc.) if preferred!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
