Last Updated on April 15, 2024 by Sabrina Currie
Smoked salmon makes a delicious appetizer for almost any occasion and this smoked salmon, crackers and cream cheese platter is no exception. An easy to make smoked salmon platter lets everyone garnish their own salmon appetizer bites. Luxurious yet simple, this appetizer board is quick and easy, can be made ahead and is easy to transport too.
I grew up eating my dads home smoked salmon and I now consider myself a connoisseur. He first started making hot smoked salmon in a Little Chief smoker in our yard and then moved on to making lox or cold smoked salmon.
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Sweet and salty, it is still one of my favorite things to eat. It can be a simple snack on Ritz crackers or a tasty breakfast served on a good bagel. It's also great whipped up into smoked salmon spread alongside crackers or in an elegant quiche. This smoked salmon cracker and cream cheese platter makes a perfect appetizer. (Leftover smoked salmon is great in this hot-smoked salmon salad.)
A smoked salmon, crackers and cream cheese platter fits right into a Christmas eve celebration or New Years eve party but it's equally at home served at on a baby shower buffet or Mother's day brunch. This can also be built as a plate for one single person or a platter for a crowd. It keeps well for a day, if made in the morning and stored, well wrapped, in the fridge until evening. I do recommend making it no more than 12-18 hours ahead of time so the salmon stays moist and pretty looking.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this smoked salmon appetizer platter are simple and flexible. Use the classic, suggested garnishes or add in some of the more unique suggestions in the substitutions section. Variations of this platter are on repeat through the month of December at my place.
- Smoked Salmon - You can use hot-smoked salmon, cold-smoked salmon, or make it into a smoked salmon dip. Add one or all 3 to the same board.
- Cream Cheese - A creamy spreadable cream cheese is perfect. I prefer Philadelphia cream cheese brand.
- Capers - A classic topping, these tiny pickles add a burst of bright flavor to salmon bites.
- Crackers - Choose one type of crackers or use an assortment. Butter crackers like Ritz are a great choice as are simple water crackers. Rice crackers are a great way to make this platter gluten-free. I generally like to keep the crackers simple, without any strong flavors to detract from the flavor of the salmon.
- Garnishes - Fresh dill, slivered red onion, green onions or garden fresh chives, radishes, sliced or chopped hard boiled egg, lemon wedges, lemon zest, sea salt and black pepper. There are more tasty ideas in the section below.
I love the richness of wild salmon and sockeye is the best with it's bright red color.
These piquant little pickled capers are great with smoked salmon but if you have leftovers, pop them into pasta sauces and martinis!
How Much Smoked Salmon Per Person
As an appetizer, 1 to 2 oz of smoked salmon is perfect. If you are serving this as a main course, serve 3 oz or more of smoked salmon. That is 30-60 grams of lox or cold smoked salmon for an appetizer and around 90 grams or more for a main course.
(Serving salmon for dinner? Here is a full guide to how much salmon per person.)
Substitutions + Variations
There are so many ways to change up this easy appetizer. Here are some great options but don't be afraid to get creative!
- Blinis - Another classic base for serving smoked salmon appetizers, these are traditional topped with creme fraiche (sour cream), cold smoked salmon and, of course, caviar.
- Caviar - Get fancy and add a tin of your favorite caviar to the salmon platter. Dark pearls of beluga or osetra caviar are a splurge and if you love it, you'll know it's worth it. Northern Divine sturgeon caviar is a little less expensive and often easier to find as is bright red-orange salmon caviar also known as salmon roe or ikura.
- Sour cream - Sour cream makes a great substitute for cream cheese, especially if you're serving softer blinis instead of crackers.
- Cucumber slices - Cucumber slices make a great, low-carb 'cracker' to top with cream cheese and smoked salmon or to serve alongside a smoked salmon dip or spread. Other crisp thin veggies like endive spears or sliced large radishes are tasty bases, too.
- Crostini - Make salmon crostini with toasted baguette slices topped with a cream cheese mixture, smoked salmon, capers, onion and dill. If making these ahead, brush the tops of the crostini with a little olive oil before adding the cream cheese to keep it crisp and fresh for longer.
- Make it a 'butter' board - Take a page from the butter board trend and spread cream cheese all over a non-porous board or tray. Top the cream cheese with a sprinkling of slivered red onions or chives and capers. Next add rosettes of smoked salmon over top of the cream cheese and then scatter chopped dill and fresh lemon juice over top. A crack of fresh pepper and sprinkle of sea salt are the perfect addition to your smoked salmon board. Serve with a side of crackers or crusty bread.
- More flavor ideas - The choices for garnishes are really only limited by your taste buds. No capers? Try chopped pickles or pickled onions. Piquant horseradish is one of my favorite optional condiments or add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. Below, I topped my smoked salmon with flavorful microgreens and a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt flakes. Together with a black slate board, it made a stunning presentation.
Step By Step Instructions
There are no hard and fast rules when making a charcuterie board. I like to start with some herbs or a bed of greens and build up. A few sprigs of fresh (rinsed) fir or cedar make a nice base too.
Step 1. Choose a platter, plate or board and gather some smaller bowls to corral any small or messy ingredients. Choose some small spoons, spreaders, knives or other appropriate serving utensils.
Step 2. If your serving board is wooden, it's a good idea to line it with some parchment or foil to avoid your board smelling like salmon after.
Step 3. Arrange your dry and contained ingredients first (this can be done ahead of time). Next add your salmon and fresh ingredients. Cold smoked salmon can be draped or gently rolled into rosettes to add a little height. Hot smoked salmon can be eased apart into large, bite-sized pieces and place in a pile or into a dish.
Step 4. Finish with lemon wedge, radishes, snipped chives, and other garnishes, tucking them around bowls and anywhere that needs filling or a pop of color.
Add serving utensils, side plates and napkins. Small spoons, forks and butter knives make it easy for guests to serve themselves.
And that's it. Easy and delicious and ready to take to a party! If you are taking it to a party, or storing it in the fridge, wrap it well with plastic wrap to prevent the salmon drying out. Also, if you are making this ahead of time and storing, you may want to add crispy crackers last so they don't absorb moisture from the other ingredients and lose their crispiness.
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More Delicious + Easy Salmon Recipes
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Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Smoked Salmon Crackers And Cream Cheese Platter
Ingredients
- 150 g Cold smoked salmon (lox), thinly sliced or hot smoked salmon
- ½ c Cream cheese
- 20 Crackers
- 2 tablespoon Capers drained
- ¼ c Red onion sliced very thin or chopped
- ¼ c Dill or other herbs
- 1 Lemon Cut into wedges, ½ or ¼ wheels
- Salt, pepper and any other optional condiments you like.
Instructions
- Choose a large platter or serving board. Start with a bed of greens, dill or other herbs. These can be laid all over or just in a few corners.
- Place small bowls and dishes around and fill with the cream cheese and some of the small ingredients like capers, chopped onions, salt and pepper or place them in small piles right on the board. Add crackers in a straight line, a curving line, or small piles.
- Next arrange your salmon. Cold smoked salmon can be draped or gently rolled into rosettes to add a little height. Hot smoked salmon can be eased apart into large, bite-sized pieces and placed in a pile or into a dish. If you have smoked salmon pate, dip or spread, it will likely need to be in it's own bowl or dish on the platter with a spoon or spreading knife beside.
- Add in lemon wedges and other garnishes like radishes, egg or , tucking them around bowls and anywhere that needs filling or a pop of color.
- Finally, be sure to add appropriate serving utensils, side plates, and napkins. Small spoons, forks, and butter knives make it easy for guests to serve themselves.
Notes
Nutrition
Deb says
You made this look so beautiful.
We love it for an appetizer.