This smoked salmon appetizer is a plate of crisp golden crostini spread with lemony dill cream cheese and topped with silky smoked salmon, capers and a little red onion. It makes eight pieces, four for each of you, from a few slices of baguette and 3 ounces of salmon, so there is nothing left over to worry about. Every part can be made ahead: the toasts keep for two days and the spread for three, so all that is left before serving is a few minutes of assembly. It is an easy way to make an evening at home feel like an occasion.
Why you’ll like this appetizer
- Made for two. Eight crostini, four each, with a spread batch to match.
- Make ahead. Bake the toasts and mix the spread days in advance, then assemble in minutes.
- Hardly any cooking. The only heat is a quick bake for the crostini.
- Simple ingredients. A baguette, cream cheese, smoked salmon, lemon, dill and capers.
- Looks special. Folded ribbons of salmon and sprigs of dill make a pretty plate with no fuss.
What makes this appetizer work
Crostini that stay crisp. Half-inch baguette slices brushed with seasoned olive oil bake at 400°F into toasts that are crunchy all the way through. Cooling them completely before storing keeps steam from softening them in the container.
A spread that sticks. Cream cheese with a little mayonnaise is soft enough to spread without breaking the toast, and it gives the salmon something to hold on to. Lemon juice and fresh dill keep it bright, which is what smoked salmon needs.
Assembly at the last moment. Moist toppings slowly soften toast. Putting everything together within 30 minutes of serving keeps the contrast between crisp bread and creamy spread.
Small, balanced toppings. A few capers, a sliver of red onion and a sprig of dill give each bite salt, sharpness and freshness without hiding the salmon.
Make-ahead timeline
Up to 3 days ahead: mix the cream cheese spread, cover it and refrigerate it.
Up to 2 days ahead: bake the crostini, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Earlier in the day: slice the red onion and drain the capers, then keep them covered in the refrigerator. Pick a few small dill sprigs and wrap them in a damp paper towel.
Within 30 minutes of serving: spread, top and garnish. With everything ready, assembly takes only a few minutes.
Ingredients for smoked salmon crostini
The exact amounts are in the recipe card below. These notes cover the choices that matter.
- Baguette: a slim baguette gives toasts that are easy to eat in two bites. Slice it 1/2 inch thick on a slight angle for a little more surface.
- Smoked salmon: cold-smoked salmon, often labeled lox-style or Nova, is silky and thinly sliced, which drapes nicely over toast. Hot-smoked salmon is flaky and cooked through; break it into pieces if you prefer it.
- Cream cheese: 2 ounces, softened, so the spread mixes smoothly by hand. Regular or reduced-fat both work.
- Mayonnaise and lemon juice: just 1 teaspoon of each loosen the cream cheese and add tang.
- Fresh dill: chopped into the spread and in small sprigs on top. It is the classic partner for salmon.
- Capers and red onion: salty, briny capers and very thin red onion slices cut through the richness. Rinse the onion under cold water if you want it milder.
- Olive oil, salt and garlic powder: brushed on the bread for flavor and a golden finish.
Choosing and handling smoked salmon
Smoked salmon is sold in small vacuum-sealed packages in the refrigerated seafood section, which makes it easy to buy just enough for two. Look for slices that look moist and glossy, with an even color and no dry or darkened edges. Packages labeled Nova or lox-style are cold-smoked, which means the fish is cured and smoked at a low temperature and stays silky and tender. Hot-smoked salmon is cooked through during smoking, so it is firmer and flakes like baked fish.
Keep the package cold until you are ready to assemble, and separate the slices while they are chilled, since they tear more easily at room temperature. If a slice is too large for a crostini, cut it into strips with kitchen scissors and fold the strips loosely on top. Any salmon you do not use keeps well tightly wrapped for scrambled eggs or a bagel the next morning.
How to make smoked salmon crostini
- Heat the oven to 400°F and brush the baguette slices with seasoned olive oil.
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until crisp and golden, then cool.
- Stir the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill and pepper until smooth and chill.
- Within 30 minutes of serving, spread the cream cheese over the crostini.
- Top with smoked salmon, capers, red onion and dill, and serve.
Tips for the best crostini
- Check the toasts early. Crostini go from golden to dark quickly at the end, so look at them at 6 minutes.
- Cool them fully. Store the crostini only once they are completely cool, so they stay crunchy.
- Soften the cream cheese. About 30 minutes on the counter makes it smooth and spreadable.
- Fold, don’t flatten. Loosely fold or ruffle each piece of salmon for a pretty, generous look.
- Keep it cold. Take the spread and salmon out of the refrigerator just before you assemble.
Substitutions and variations
Store-bought base: ready-made crostini, sturdy crackers or thick cucumber rounds all work in place of the homemade toasts and skip the baking step.
Hot-smoked salmon: break it into small flakes and press it lightly into the spread instead of folding slices on top.
Herbs: chives work in place of the dill.
Toppings: swap the capers and onion for thin cucumber slices or a little lemon zest for a milder, fresher finish.
When and how to serve them
Four crostini each are a generous starter before dinner, or part of a small snack board with olives, grapes and a wedge of cheese. They are a nice way to begin a celebration dinner at home, a holiday evening or a relaxed weekend night. Arrange them on a board or a small platter with a few lemon wedges, and set out napkins, since they are best eaten in two bites.
Storage and food safety
Keep the baked crostini in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, and the cream cheese spread covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Once you open the smoked salmon, wrap it tightly, keep it refrigerated and use it within 3 days.
Assembled crostini are best eaten soon, because the toast softens as it sits. Do not leave them, the spread or the salmon out at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerated smoked seafood is also best avoided during pregnancy unless it has been cooked, so serve a different topping to anyone who is expecting.
Bake the toasts, stir the spread and let them wait for you. When it is time, a few minutes of assembly gives you a plate of smoked salmon crostini for two that feels like a celebration.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead can I make smoked salmon crostini?
Bake the crostini up to 2 days ahead and make the spread up to 3 days ahead, then assemble within 30 minutes of serving so the toasts stay crisp.
Can I use store-bought crostini or crackers?
Yes. Ready-made crostini, sturdy crackers or thick cucumber rounds all work and skip the baking step.
What kind of smoked salmon should I buy?
Thinly sliced cold-smoked salmon, often labeled lox-style or Nova, is silky and drapes well. Hot-smoked salmon is flaky and works if you break it into pieces.
Print
Make Ahead Smoked Salmon Crostini for Two
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 crostini
Description
Crisp baguette crostini spread with lemony dill cream cheese and topped with smoked salmon, capers and red onion. Every part is made ahead; eight pieces for two.
Ingredients
- 8 slices baguette, cut 1/2 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, plus a few small sprigs
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 3 ounces thinly sliced cold-smoked salmon
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon very thinly sliced red onion
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Stir the olive oil, salt and garlic powder together and brush it over both sides of the baguette slices. Arrange them on a small baking sheet.
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until crisp and golden at the edges; check at 6 minutes, since they brown quickly at the end. Let them cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes. To make ahead, cool completely and store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Stir the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chopped dill and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.
- Within 30 minutes of serving, spread the cream cheese mixture over the crostini.
- Fold or ruffle a piece of smoked salmon onto each one. Top with a few capers, a little red onion and a small dill sprig, and serve.
Notes
Equipment: small baking sheet, pastry brush, small bowl, airtight containers
- Let the crostini cool completely before storing so they stay crisp.
- Soften the cream cheese for about 30 minutes at room temperature so the spread mixes smoothly.
- Store-bought crostini, crackers or thick cucumber rounds work in place of homemade crostini.
- Cold-smoked salmon (often labeled lox-style or Nova) is silky and sliceable; hot-smoked salmon is flaky and can be broken into pieces instead.
- Keep baked crostini in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, and the spread covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate opened smoked salmon tightly wrapped and use it within 3 days. Assemble close to serving; assembled crostini soften as they sit.
- Do not leave assembled crostini, the spread or smoked salmon at room temperature for more than 2 hours (USDA FSIS).
- Refrigerated smoked seafood is best avoided during pregnancy unless it is cooked (FoodSafety.gov).
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Rest Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
