A stunningly beautiful hors d’oeuvre! Set out these savory Smoked Salmon Crostini at your next celebration, and your guests will swoon!
This Smoked Salmon Crostini is one of the best appetizer recipes around! It’s sophisticated, delicious, and so so simple! You only need cold-smoked salmon, a French baguette, and a block of cream cheese (and a few seasonings) to serve this spectacular treat!
Smoked Salmon Crostini is Fast and Fabulous!
If you love a good bagel with lox and schmear of cream cheese, you’re going to flip for this smoked salmon recipe! It’s crispy and creamy, savory and spicy, creamy and smoky!
Plus, the recipe is only 3 base ingredients + herbs & spices and takes only MINUTEs to prep! (The only “cooking” is toasting the bread!) The result is a platter of gorgeous hors d’oeuvres you’ll be proud to serve for any occasion!
Other Appetizers to Serve with Smoked Salmon Crostini
- Another elegant appetizer are these Cranberry Goat Cheese Bites – sweet and savory with such a unique flavor!
- Crab Stuffed Mushrooms are another easy finger food recipe! One delicious bite and your eyes will roll back in your head!
Ingredients
Base: It’s not crostini without a great baguette! I prefer a thin loaf, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces and coated front and back with a little olive oil.
Salmon: Cold-smoked salmon is the PERFECT salmon for this appetizer. It’s smooth and brightly colored and delicious!
Seasoned Cheese: A block of softened cream cheese gets blended with one minced jalapeno, the juice of one lemon, some fresh dill stems, a teaspoon of minced garlic, and a sprinkle of salt.
Garnish: To finish off these beautiful little bites, you’ll need capers and a little fresh dill.
How to Make Smoked Salmon Crostini
STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast the bread slices in the oven for 15 minutes, flipping them at the 10-minute mark. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and let the crostini cool.
STEP TWO: Arrange the crostini on a serving platter and add a piece of salmon on top of each one.
STEP THREE: Blend the softened cream cheese, jalapeno, lemon juice, minced dill, garlic, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
STEP FOUR: Spoon the cream cheese mixture onto each crostini. Or, because it’s easier AND prettier, put the filling in a ziploc bag, snip the corner, and pipe a generous swirl onto each piece of salmon.
STEP FIVE: Top each appetizer with a few capers and a sprig of fresh dill and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- For a more casual, portable app, turn this into a dip! Slice the salmon and mix it with the cream cheese in a serving bowl. Top the center with capers and fresh dill and serve with toasted crostini or a favorite cracker.
- Crostini (Italian for “little toast”) refers to the individual slices of toast that can be made from almost any type of baguette. The slender ones work best for appetizers.
- Spreading olive oil on the bread before it’s toasted adds a barrier that keeps the crostini crispy once the toppings are added.
Is Smoked Salmon Raw or Cooked?
Smoked salmon is cooked, but be aware there are two types of smoked salmon.
The first is hot smoked. Hot-smoked salmon is cooked at 120 – 180 F, so the salmon will be dryer and flakier, just like if you cooked a salmon filet in the oven.
The second is cold smoked. Cold-smoked salmon is cooked at a VERY low temperature (below 90 F). Cold-smoked is pinker and juicier. It has a fresher flavor – less smoky – and is GREAT for appetizers or sushi. However, it will have a quicker expiration date and is not recommended during pregnancy.
How Long Will Smoked Salmon Crostini Last?
This appetizer should be eaten within a couple of hours once assembled. After that, the toast starts to get soggy. However, if you want to save the ingredients or have them in advance, great! The baguette will be good for 5-7 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. The salmon, unopened, will keep for a while (depends on the type of salmon – check the expiration date). And the cream cheese filling can be made and kept in an airtight container for up to a week!
Spectacular Salmon Recipes for Supper
- Salmon Croquettes
- Grilled Orange-Rosemary Salmon
- Baked Pecan and Mustard Salmon
- Souvlaki Salmon Skewers with Yogurt Feta Sauce
- Hawaiian Grilled Salmon Filets
- Parmesan Herb Salmon
*This post was originally posted on 11/27/2016.
Equipment
- Piping Bag or Ziploc Bag
Ingredients
- 1 baguette cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 ounces wild smoked salmon
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 jalapeno seeded and minced
- 4 sprigs fresh dill stems removed and minced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Capers drained, for garnish
- Fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping after about 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the crostini to cool.
- Arrange the crostini on a serving platter. Top each bread slice with a piece of smoked salmon.
- In a medium mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese, jalapeno, dill, lemon juice, garlic, and salt together. Top each of the crostini with some of the cream cheese mixture. (see note)
- Garnish each crostini with a few capers and a small dill sprig. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use a spoon to spread the cream cheese mixture over the salmon. For a fancy look, use a piping bag (or a ziploc bag with the corn snipped off) to pipe a generous swirl of cream cheese on top of the salmon.
- You can prep ahead by pre-toasting the baguette slices, cooling, and popping them in a food storage bag. Make the cream cheese mixture before hand and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Then just assemble when ready.
ekunina says
I’m native american (feathers, beads, bones) and I know salmon. Wild salmon is far better than farmed. Farmed is dull and lacking significantly in flavor. I will never buy farmed salmon either at a store, or in a restaurant.
Liz says
I tried this recipe yesterday and it was a hit with our friends who we had over for dinner. I used candied Jalapeno’s and all I can say this is wonderful. Additionally, I used Medterrean Olive Oil. Probably put in more of the pepper that what is 1 fresh pepper is normally used. I’m going to make this again for my golf gals when we meet up this coming Thursday. I’ll have to check out your salmon dip recipe.
Cindy says
I am wondering about the nutrition facts. Is the 79 calories for one piece? Thank you!
Aubrey Cota says
The nutrition facts are per prepared crostini.
Ken, a guy who can cook says
The original recipe on the web describes buttering the bread with a layer of the cream cheese/yogurt/dill mixture, nesting the salmon on top and then putting another bit of the above to hold the capers/dill. This modification makes these crostini even better and a little more moist. Suggest you try it. This my favourite appetizer for taking to guest homes, and there are never any left on the plate,
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you!
Allana says
Hi Aubrey,
Do you find that if I don’t use wild salmon, it will have a similar flavour? I find it hard to find in the grocery stores around me 🙁
Thanks
Allana
Aubrey Cota says
Hi Allana, honestly you probably won’t find a huge difference in flavor. Wild caught salmon tends to be less fatty but farmed salmon is higher in omega 3 fatty acids so the trade of isn’t a bad one. What you find in your local grocery store will still taste just as great.
Pam Morgan says
For the Smoked Salmon Crosstini, can I assume that the salmon is cooked? and not raw? It looks so pink, hard to tell.
Aubrey Cota says
Smoked salmon is mostly commonly dry cured and smoked, because there’s no true “cooking process” it is left with an almost raw like color and texture. Store bought is ready to eat from the package but if you choose to do the process at home you will want to research that process.
Stephanie Adamson says
So yummy and easy to make! Ill be making this again and doubling the batch
Aubrey Cota says
Awesome!!