Loaded mini smoked salmon platter with fresh vegetables, cream cheese, capers, and toasted bread. Enjoy it as an appetizer platter or a light meal. Ready in minutes!
Small platters are some of my favorite snacks and I'll even enjoy them as a light meal. This smoked salmon platter is hearty and filling and if you love smoked salmon as much as I do, I know you'll absolutely love this delicious platter too.
When I have friends over, I almost always make a large salmon platter to serve. This type of platter is beautiful and is a delightful alternative to a charcuterie board.
I hesitate to call this a recipe because you should use the amount of each ingredient based on how hungry you are. The ingredients I recommend using are ones I often use in my own smoked salmon platter. Feel free to substitute your favorites.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to customize: Customize your salmon platter with other ingredients you love. You can also make it as big or as small as you like.
- Make ahead: You can assemble most of the platter a day in advance.
- Quick and easy: It takes minutes to assemble a smoked salmon platter.
- Hearty and filling: The ingredients are substantial enough to satisfy but not overly heavy.
Smoked Salmon Platter Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
A smoked salmon appetizer platter is very easy to customize. Use ingredients you love to accompany the salmon. My favorite salmon platter ingredients include:
- Smoked salmon: Look for good quality smoked salmon. You can ask someone in the seafood department for a recommendation or read our tips below to see what we look for when buying smoked salmon.
- Bread or crackers: I love using toasted pumpernickel bread but you might like using toasted slices of a baguette or rye bread. Consider a bagel - lox and bagel, anyone? Water crackers also make a great addition.
- Cream cheese: I like using whipped cream cheese because it's easier to spread.
- Red onions: Chopped or thinly sliced red onions add a pretty color to the platter.
- Tomatoes: Chop a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes. You can also thinly slice a Roma tomato to use instead.
- Capers: I love the salty, briny flavor of capers. You might also love adding pickled onions or pick up a jar of olives, roasted red peppers, or pickled mushrooms from your grocery store.
- Dill sprigs: Dill and smoked salmon is a classic flavor pairing.
- Cucumbers: A delicious addition to this smoked salmon appetizer.
Other optional ingredients:
- Hard boiled eggs: Add them chopped or sliced.
- Everything Bagel seasoning: Sprinkle some over the cream cheese and bread.
- Radishes: I love the peppery flavor of sliced radishes but leave them out if you prefer.
- Fruit: Berries, grapes, and sliced strawberries are great additions.
- Avocado: A few slices of avocado also make a delicious and colorful addition.
How To Buy Good Smoked Salmon
When purchasing smoked salmon, it's important to examine the salmon well.
- Avoid buying salmon with dark spots on its flesh.
- Although salmon is an oily fish and will have a slight shine to it, it should not look oily or slimy. This is a sign that the fish has not been properly cured.
- Look for salmon that has been cured with only salt and no sweetener or spices added.
How To Assemble A Salmon Platter
- Place a small bowl of cream cheese in one of the corners of the platter. Place the capers in another bowl on the opposite side of the platter.
- Arrange the toasted bread, salmon, cucumbers, sliced onions, radishes, and other ingredients you are using around the platter.
- To eat: Either eat each ingredient separately or spread cream cheese over the bread. Then, top the cream cheese with a slice of smoked salmon. Add some capers, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Make this platter your own: Choose your favorite ingredients or ones you have on hand.
- Add variety: Use different vegetables for color and contrast.
- Keep it easy: Slice the ingredients so it is easy to assemble the platter.
- Don't overthink it: Make it fun and simple to enjoy.
- If you're entertaining, a smoked salmon platter makes a beautiful presentation. Add more of each ingredient depending on the number of people you are serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
In a nutshell, smoked salmon is cured or brined, then smoked. Lox is cured, but not smoked. Either will work in this recipe.
Definitely! Place the cream cheese in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. You can also slice the vegetables and store them in airtight containers or plastic zip topped storage bags and refrigerate them.
Once the package is opened, wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 7 days.
If you have any leftovers, wrap each component of the platter separately in plastic wrap or in airtight containers and keep them in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Other Single Serving Appetizers
- Hot Spinach Dip
- Mexican Corn Dip
- Cowboy Caviar
- Hummus
- Guacamole
- Roasted Garlic, Olives and Feta
- Baba Ganoush
- Bruschetta
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small smoked salmon platter, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Smoked salmon: Smoked Salmon With Eggs and Pesto and serve on Avocado Toast
- Pumpernickel Bread: Reuben Sandwich
- Cream cheese: No-Bake Cheesecake, Icebox Cake, Spinach Turkey Wrap
- Capers: Tomato Salad, Chicken Piccata
- Tomatoes: Pan-Fried Okra and Tomatoes, Crustless Quiche With Tomatoes And Pesto, Chicken Caprese Salad
- Cucumbers: Cucumber Salad, Cucumber Salsa
- Red onions: Greek Salad, Mediterranean Chicken, Chicken Caprese
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page. For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this mini smoked salmon platter or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini Smoked Salmon Platter
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Ingredients
- Smoked salmon
- Toasted pumpernickel bread
- Cream cheese
- Capers
- Chopped tomatoes
- Sliced cucumbers
- Sliced radishes
- Sliced red onions
- Dill sprigs
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Place a small bowl of cream cheese in one of the corners of the platter. Place the capers in another bowl on the opposite side of the platter.
- Arrange the toasted bread, salmon, cucumbers, sliced onions, radishes, and other ingredients you are using around the platter.
- To eat: Either eat each ingredient separately or spread cream cheese over the bread. Then, top the cream cheese with a slice of smoked salmon. Add some capers, and enjoy!
Notes
- Make this platter your own: Choose your favorite ingredients or ones you have on hand.
- Add variety: Use different vegetables for color and contrast.
- Keep it easy: Slice the ingredients so it is easy to assemble the platter.
- Don't overthink it: Make it fun and simple to enjoy.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
J. Hegyi says
Great recipe.