If you’re a fan of smoked salmon, then this is the dish for you! This Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter has all the best garnishes and treats to build your very own smoked salmon canapes. With luscious, melt-in-your-mouth smoked salmon the star of this board, everyone will love it when you bring out this amazing build-your-own appetizer platter!

smoked salmon

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Perfect for Mother’s Day bruching, Father’s Day feasting, or whenever you’ve got smoked-salmon loving guests, this amazing Smoked Salmon Appetizer Board is perfect. It’s great for nibbling at cocktail parties, too, because it’s loaded with so many yummy treats!

Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

You can pile smoked salmon on a crispy bagel chip or sliced baguette and top it with  a whipped cream cheese, capers, pickled red onions. Or even crumbled boiled eggs, lettuce, and a pickle. Don’t forget the fresh dill to build the perfect bite. Then, mix-and-match the toppings to create a whole new flavor sensation!

Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

Everything you need for appetizers or cocktail party nibbling is on this platter, and because it’s portable, you can take it to wherever the party is! 

salmon on baguette

Why I love this recipe

  • Smoked salmon seems like a decadent treat but it can be quite affordable.
  • I love building my own bites and this Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter is loaded with everything to make a variety of different canapes.
  • You can add your own favorites to the board. See all my suggestions below!

Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter ingredients

Gather these ingredients

  • Smoked Salmon
  • Whipped cream cheese Use a whole block, softened, or whipped cream cheese.
  • Crumbled boiled eggs – Easy to make ahead and smash with a fork.
  • Radicchio – leaves or a head of red or green leafy lettuce.
  • Pickled red onions – Thinly sliced.
  • Small jar midget gherkins – or any small pickle.
  • Red onion – Thinly sliced.
  • Capers – Drained 
  • Cream cheese
  • Lemon – For garnishing the platter.
  • Fresh herbs – Dill, to garnish the platter.
  • Toasted baguette slices – make your own crostini in the oven or use bagel chips.

You’ll also need

  • A large board – I love the 20-inch Big Board for this smoked salmon appetizer board.
  • A few small bowls
  • A few small knives for spreading

how to make Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

How to make the most amazing Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

First, you’ll need a board. I love using my 20-inch Big Board. It is large enough to hold all these goodies, and there’s a lip on the board so things don’t slide off. Plus, it’s food-safe. Would you believe a lot of charcuterie boards aren’t food safe? 

smoked salmon on platter

Make sure you have room for your Big Board. I love putting this out on a table and I”ll have a little bar area set up nearby. You could also keep it on a kitchen counter, a patio table, or wherever you think people will be gathering.

  1. Thinly slice the red onions.  
  2. Arrange the smoked salmon in the center of the board. 
  3. Set the cream cheese, boiled eggs, pickles, pickled red onions, and capers in small bowls, and on the board around the salmon.
  4. Fill the board with the remaining crostini, lettuce leaves, lemon slices, red onion slices, and herbs. 
  5. Dig in and enjoy!

making salmon crostini

Tips & substitutions

  • You can use a whole filet of smoked salmon, or use thinly sliced salmon.
  • Bagel chips, sliced baguette, pita chips or fresh pita wedges, and even cubed bread can all be added to the board to fill it out if you need to feed more people.
  • If you don’t buy pickled red onions, you can make my recipe (easy).
  • Add other veggies or ingredients to the platter – whatever you like, like avocado, tomato, and cucumbers.

salmon crostini

Serving suggestions

This Smoked Salmon Appetizer Board is perfect all on it’s own and I’ll often set something like this up if I know we’re having friends or family drop by for a visit. You can also incorporate this board into special occasions like Mother’s Day, Easter, or even your Memorial Day cookout. 

Set this board out for people to graze on before dinner. Smoked salmon pairs so nicely with other summery fare like a fruity salad, a holiday ham, or a prime rib dinner.

smoked salmon on board

Storage

Pack up the vegetables into an airtight container, return the capers to the brine in the jar, and wrap any leftover salmon in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 1-2 days.

pickled red onions

Check out these awesome boards and platters while you’re here

The Big Board®

Friends, The Big Board® is here! Yes, I’ve partnered with JK Adams, the premier woodmaking company in Vermont, with my own line of RE boards!

  • 20-inch round, maple
  • 26-inch round, maple
  • 12 x 36-inch maple
  • 12 x 24-inch maple 
  • 26-inch ebonized BLACK, cherry
  • 12 x 36-inch ebonized BLACK, cherry
  • 26-inch cherry
  • 12 x 36-inch cherry
  • 12 x 24 folding travel board
  • A board with a lip (or raised edged) so the food doesn’t fall off
  • FOOD SAFE
  • Made in the USA
  • Undercut handles (a unique design)

Thank you for your support, as we’ve sold out so many times already!

Order The Big Board® today!

smoked salmon
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Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

Make on 20-inch BIG BOARD. If you’re a fan of smoked salmon, then this is the dish for you! This Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter has all the best garnishes and treats to build your very own smoked salmon canapes. With luscious, melt-in-your-mouth smoked salmon the star of this board, everyone will love it when you bring out this amazing build-your-own appetizer platter!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 4-6 oz smoked salmon
  • ½ cup whipped cream cheese
  • ½ cup capers, drained
  • ½ cup pickled red onions
  • ½ cup crumbled boiled eggs
  • 1 head red or green leafy lettuce, really pretty or curly kale?
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • small jar midget gherkins
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 baguette - make your own crostini, toast in oven
  • Fresh dill - sprig

Instructions
 

  • Thinly slice the red onions.
  • Arrange the smoked salmon in the center of the board.
  • Set the cream cheese, boiled eggs, pickles, pickled red onions, and capers in small bowls, and on the board around the salmon.
  • Fill the board with the remaining crostini, lettuce leaves, lemon slices, red onion slices, and herbs.
  • Dig in and enjoy!

Notes

Updated from April 2017.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer
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a Smoked Salmon Appetizer board