Can I make the hash brown cups ahead of time?

You can! There are a couple of ways to get ahead with this recipe: The hash brown cups themselves can be baked up to 24 hours ahead of time - just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Crisp them up the next day in the air fryer or oven (3 minutes at 400°F/200°C in the air fryer and 6 or so minutes in the oven at the same temperature). The whipped Boursin filling can be made up to 3 days ahead of time , then stored in the fridge until you're ready to assemble.

I can't find Boursin - what else could I use?

Regular cream cheese , or garlic and herb flavored cream cheese, is perfect, or you could use ricotta , whipped cottage cheese , or whipped feta (try this creamy whipped feta dip ) instead.

What can I use instead of tater tots?

Tater tots are also called potato tots , potato gems , or hash brown bites , so double-check they're not listed under those names at your grocery store first. If you can't find them at all, you can use regular hash browns . Cook them for 10 minutes on a regular sheet pan first, to soften, then tear them into small pieces and press them into your mini muffin pan to form the cups.

What's the best smoked salmon to use in these hash brown cups?

I'm using cold-smoked salmon here - but hot-smoked salmon is great too, as is smoked trout . Sometimes you can find ' smoked salmon trimmings ' at the store, which are the off-cuts of smoked salmon and tend to be cheaper - they still work very well in these bites. Cooked shrimp , or crab meat works well too, or crispy bacon , chorizo , sausage meat , or prosciutto is lovely if your guests aren't keen on seafood.

How do I keep the hash brown cups crispy?

You want to make sure the cups look deeply golden all the way around before you remove them from the oven, then let them cool a little (5 or 10 minutes) before filling them. Filling them too early or removing them from the oven too early can cause the base to soften and fall apart.

Mini Smoked Salmon Hash Brown Cups

Description

Meet your new brunch-meets-party obsession – mini crispy hash brown cups, with creamy Boursin, silky smoked salmon, and everything bagel seasoning. Perfect for festive brunch spreads, or when you want a party appetizer that feels totally acceptable to eat for breakfast.

You’ll need a mini muffin pan for this recipe – I use this one I picked up from Amazon.

Ingredients

Scale

For the hash brown cups -

48 frozen tater tots (small frozen shredded potato bites, also called potato gems or hash brown bites)
Olive oil spray
Everything bagel seasoning

For the whipped Boursin filling -

1 box of Boursin (5.3oz/150g)
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (or ricotta, whipped cottage cheese, sour cream)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Zest of 1/2 a lemon (use the other half as a garnish)
Black pepper

For the topping -

3.5 - 4oz (100 - 120g) smoked salmon, sliced into strips
Everything bagel seasoning
A handful of fresh chives, finely sliced (or use fresh dill)
Lemon zest (use the remainder of the zest from the Boursin filling)
Pickled red onion (or capers), optional

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Instructions

Bake the tater tots. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C fan) and lightly grease a mini muffin pan with the olive oil spray (you can also rub the pan with oil or butter using parchment paper). Arrange 2 frozen tater tots in each hole (they don’t have to fit perfectly at this point). Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until they’ve softened but they’re not crispy.
Form the tots into cups. Remove the pan from the oven, then use the back of a teaspoon to press the tots into little cup shapes, pushing the potato up the sides and pressing down to form a base. Sprinkle the bottom of each cup with a little everything bagel seasoning.
Bake the cups again until crispy. Pop the mini muffin pan back into the oven for 15 minutes, until the cups are gorgeously golden and crispy around the edges. Remove from the oven, and let them cool in the pan for about five minutes before gently removing them.
Make the whipped Boursin. While the hash brown cups bake, add the Boursin cheese, two tablespoons of Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, half the lemon zest, and a good grind of black pepper to a bowl. Mix until soft and fluffy. I like to transfer the mixture to a piping bag at this point for easy assembly, but you can also just spoon the mixture into the cups.
Assemble the cups. Arrange the crispy hash brown cups on a serving platter. Either pipe or spoon in enough of the whipped Boursin to fill the cups, then top with a couple of slices of smoked salmon. Finish by scattering the cups with everything bagel seasoning, fresh chives, the remaining lemon zest, and a little piece of pickled red onion or a couple of capers if you’re using them. Serve right away.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: You can bake the hash brown cups a day in advance. Store them in the fridge, then re-crisp them in the oven or air fryer before filling. 3 minutes at 400°F (200°C) in the air fryer will work well, and go for 5 to 6 minutes in the oven at 400°F (200°C). The whipped Boursin will keep well for up to 3 days, stored in the fridge. It’s best to assemble the bites when you’re ready to serve.

INGREDIENT NOTES: If you can’t find tater tots, you can use regular hash browns. Cook them for 10 minutes out of the pan first, then break them up and pack them into the muffin pan to make the cups. You won’t need as many – allow roughly one-third of a regular-sized hash brown per cup.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap the smoked salmon for hot smoked salmon, cooked shrimp, crab meat, or smoked trout. I also love adding a little drizzle of chili crisp oil for a bit of heat. If you can’t find Boursin, use regular cream cheese, or garlic and herb flavored cream cheese. You could also use ricotta or whipped cottage cheese.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 25
Category: appetizers
Method: oven
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3 cups
Calories: 260
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 620mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 10g
Cholesterol: 35mg