Make-Ahead Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

Smoked salmon cucumber bites topped with lemon zest and chives on a wooden board.

5 from 2 votes

Make-Ahead Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

Freshen up your appetizer spread with these smoked salmon cucumber bites, loaded with whipped Boursin cheese, silky salmon, and colorful pickles. If you're looking for an easy smoked salmon appetizer you can make ahead, this is for you.

If you can't find Boursin cheese, regular cream cheese works brilliantly.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: smoked salmon appetizer, smoked salmon bites

Servings: bites

Calories: 119kcal

Author: Kate Phillips

Ingredients

1 cucumber
5 oz smoked salmon, sliced into small pieces (about 150g)
1 box Boursin cheese (5.2oz)
¼ cup pickled red onions chopped
A handful of fresh chives finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Nigella seeds to garnish (or use black sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or nutty spiced dukkah)

Instructions

Slice your cucumber.
Cut your cucumber into slices, about ⅓ inch thick. You want to make sure they're reasonably thick slices, as anything too thin won't be able to support the topping. Lay the slices out and gently pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture - this helps the topping stay put.
Whip the Boursin.
You can do this in a small food chopper or processor, or by hand in a bowl. Whipping the cheese aerates it and makes it smoother, so it's easier to spread.
Blitz the Boursin for a couple of minutes, until light and smooth (or mix and break up with a fork until smooth).
Assemble the bites.
Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the Boursin onto each cucumber slice, then top with a little pile of smoked salmon. Divide the chopped pickled onions on top, then finish with the nigella seeds, chives, and the lemon zest.

You can also transfer the whipped Boursin into a piping bag and pipe it onto the cucumber slices. It tends to be quicker this way, even though it's an extra step.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: The assembled bites will keep well for a fair few hours in the fridge, perfect for prepping in the morning, then serving them later in the day. Just cover them lightly and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Or, you can slice the cucumber and whip the Boursin ahead of time (the cucumber will be fine for 3 days and the Boursin for at least 5), and then just assemble the bites when you're ready.

INGREDIENT NOTES: Boursin is a soft, herby cream cheese. If you can't find it, use regular cream cheese, or a garlic and herb-flavored version. I often use smoked salmon trimmings in this recipe. They're cheaper and perfect for piling onto something small like these bites. Swap nigella seeds for sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or nutty spiced dukkah. You could use dill, basil, mint, thyme, or flat-leaf parsley instead of chives if you like.

Nutrition