This Smoked Salmon Appetizer will make it look like you spent hours preparing, when in reality, these little bites of fresh salmon, light dill sauce, and robust capers only take about 30 minutes to come together. Perfect to add to an appetizer spread at your next party or gathering.
The Easiest Smoked Salmon Appetizer Recipe
There are lots of smoked salmon appetizers out there, but these salmon cucumber bites truly are a show stopper from their creative assembly to every last delicious bite. This recipe is proof that all you need are a few simple ingredients to wow a crowd. If you’re looking for more of a classic, try out our smoked salmon dip or our other delicious salmon recipes.
What You Will Need
Cucumber Cups:
- smoked salmon – This might also be labeled as lox at your local grocery store.
- english cucumbers – The low moisture content provides the best foundation for these appetizers.
- capers – A flavor explosion of brininess, lemon, and tang.
- dill – A classic herb that pairs perfectly with mild flavored salmon.
Dill Sauce:
- sour cream & cream cheese – The perfect amount for smooth and creamy sauce.
- fresh dill, chives, & parsley – Just the right amount of seasonings to give your sauce a depth of flavor.
- lemon juice & zest – Adds brightness throughout.
- garlic – A bit of heat, earthiness, and buttery flavors.
- rice vinegar – Adds a slightly delicate and mild flavor.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – Don’t for get the kitchen staples!
How To Make The Best Smoked Salmon Appetizer
Start by gathering and prepping your ingredients for easy assembly.
Next, in a medium sized bowl, mix together the dill sauce ingredients. For easy mixing, make sure that your cream cheese is softened or at least at room temperature before mixing. You can do this by hand or with a food processor. Once it’s fully combined, take a taste and adjust flavors as needed and set aside until later.
Now for the cucumber cups! Cut your cucumber into 1 1/4 inch tall pieces. Then scoop out the middle using a small spoon being careful not to puncture the bottom.
You should end up with about 15 cucumber cups once this step is complete.
To assemble, place a small piece of salmon in a cucumber cup, followed by a dollop of dill sauce, 4-6 capers, and a tiny sprig of fresh dill garnish. Repeat these steps for each cucumber cup with the remaining ingredients.
Place these little guys on a serving platter and serve immediately or cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator until serving time.
What To Serve With Smoked Salmon Appetizer
These light and refreshing bites go with just about anything. And because they don’t leave you feeling weighted down, feel free to pair them with some classic main course without fear that your guests filled up on appetizers before the main meal. Try this appetizer out with our Smoked Turkey, Prime Rib or a Crockpot Ham. Or make a full appetizer plate of finger food complete with these salmon bites plus classic deviled eggs, veggie dip, and olive tapenade.
Recipe FAQs
- Quantity: This recipe makes about 15 cucumber cups, but scroll down to the recipe card to double or triple this recipe if feeding a crowd.
- Dairy-Free: You can easily use dairy-free sour cream and dairy-free cream cheese to make this dairy-free.
- Make Ahead: A great way to save time is to make these the night before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge to serve them the next day- I wouldn’t recommend making them more in advance than that as the cucumber may lose some of it’s crispness.
- Modification: Instead of making cucumber cups you can simply serve on a large cucumber slices.
Made these appetizers with smoked salmon and loved them?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Appetizer Recipes You Might Like
Smoked Salmon Appetizer
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 15 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Counter Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Smoked Salmon Appetizer – a delicious and easy smoked salmon appetizer recipe that is perfect for the holidays! A crowd favorite!
Ingredients
Cucumber Cups:
- 4oz smoked salmon (lox)
- 3 english cucumbers
- 3 tablespoons capers
- fresh dill for garnish
Dill Sauce:
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chive, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Gather ingredients and cut cucumber into 1 1/4 inch tall pieces. Scoop out the inside using a small/narrow spoon, being careful to not puncture the bottom. You should end up with approx. 15 cucumber “cups.” Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the Dill Sauce. Stir and taste. Add additional salt, pepper or dill, as-desired.
- Taking one cucumber cup at a time, add a small piece of salmon, a dollop of dill sauce, 4-6 capers and tiny piece of dill for garnish. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator until serving time.
Notes
- makes approximately 15 smoked salmon appetizers – feel free to double/triple/etc. as-needed
- Dairy-Free: you can easily use dairy-free sour cream + dairy-free cream cheese to make this dairy-free.
- Make Ahead: You can make these overnight, just make sure they are stored in an airtight container – I wouldn’t recommend making them more in advance than that as the cucumber may lose some of it’s crispness.
- Modification: instead of making cucumber cups you can simply serve on a large slice of cucumber!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 oz
- Calories: 132
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 97.2 mg
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
- Protein: 18.4 g
- Cholesterol: 51.6 mg
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