Make these Easy Smoked Salmon Canapes ahead of time and freeze them all until you're ready to serve them as finger foods for an elegant dinner party. Because a busy host needs all the help they can get! Little bites like this simple appetizer are ideal, as they aren't too heavy or filling before a main course.
If you entertain a lot, then having a stock of frozen homemade canapés in the freezer ready to serve is such a boon at any time of year. I make these easy salmon on bread appetizers all the time and stash them in layers in Tupperware to whip out whenever I have guests coming and need an elegant appetizer. They work just as well for Sunday brunch as they do before Christmas dinner and never go out of fashion!
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Ingredients
The best thing about these easy smoked salmon canapes is how simple they are to make, and you don't need any complex ingredients or kit.
- Smoked salmon - It is very easy to buy packs of good quality smoked salmon in supermarkets and at the grocery store within a range of budgets. You can also use Gravadlax/Gravlax or Lox if you prefer.
- Bread - I prefer to use brown bread as I think the slight bite goes well with delicious smoked salmon canapés, but you can use white bread or even rye bread if you prefer. A dense bread is better; if the loaf is too fluffy it can struggle to support the salmon.
- Butter - I use a salted spreadable butter for this salmon canapes recipe. It makes it less likely to tear the bread, and you can get a nice, even layer of butter.
- Lemon - We need both lemon zest and lemon juice to garnish and elevate all the flavors. The acidity from the citrus really lifts everything.
- Dill - Fresh dill and salmon are a match made in heaven. Try my salmon en croute with dill cream sauce if you're a fan! You could also use other herbs like fresh chives.
- Salt and pepper - Smoked salmon is quite salty, so I go easy here, but a healthy dose of cracked black pepper on fish canapés is essential.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions on how to make these easy smoked salmon canapes and how to freeze them.
Instructions
Making this smoked salmon appetizer is super simple, but there are a few tips and tricks for making them perfectly elegant and tasting as good as possible at your cocktail party.
Butter each slice of bread evenly all the way to the edges.
Lay slices of smoked salmon onto the pieces of bread in an even, single layer. Try to keep each piece of salmon whole and don't tear it; cut with scissors if you need to make it smaller.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out easy smoked salmon canapes from the bread base. Alternatively, you can use a sharp knife or even scissors to cut shapes like smoked salmon triangles or squares.
If serving immediately, garnish with lemon zest, a small sprig of fresh dill, some salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with lemon slices to squeeze over the top at the last minute.
How to freeze smoked salmon canapes
Layer the smoked salmon canapes in an airtight container, separated by sheets of parchment paper (baking paper).
Seal the container and attach a freezer label to show the contents and date. Use within one month.
How to defrost smoked salmon canapes
To defrost smoked salmon canapes, simply take them out of the freezer a few hours before you intend to serve them and lay them out directly on the serving plate. Cover with plastic wrap. Garnish smoked salmon appetizers with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and a sprig of dill before serving.
Chef's notes and serving suggestions
Sometimes, I'll spread a thin layer of horseradish sauce over the butter to add more of a kick to these easy smoked salmon canapes, but not everyone can handle that level of heat! Alternatively, plain cream cheese works well, but I find it can be a bit too rich. Butter lets the smoked salmon be the main character in this easy appetizer.
If you're hosting a dinner party or special occasion and need some other easy dinner party canape recipes, you may also like to try my smoked salmon dip piped inside some vol au vents and these tasty truffle and porcini mushroom puff pastry pinwheels.
Wine pairing for smoked salmon canapes
The oily nature of smoked salmon and its smoky taste need a white wine to cut through and stand up to it. I recommend serving an aged sparkling wine like Champagne or an oaked cool climate Chardonnay (Burgundy or similar).
Equipment
This is a very low-fuss recipe with zero hassle. Literally, all you need is a butter knife and a breadboard. You can use a cookie cutter to cut round shapes out of the smoked salmon bread canapes or use a knife to make smoked salmon triangles or small squares.
I use Robert Welch and Opinel knives (not sponsored; I just love them!)
FAQ
Smoked salmon tastes delicious with cream cheese, creme fraiche, cucumber, lemon, and fresh herbs like dill and chives.
Smoked salmon can be served simply with cocktail sticks for guests to pick up slices and enjoy, or it can be layered on top of blinis, a bread base, or a pastry base.
Cold smoked salmon is salt cured and smoked at a temperature that never exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 29.5 degrees Celsius. So yes, technically, smoked salmon is raw.
📖 Recipe
Easy smoked salmon Canapés That You Can Freeze
Equipment
- 1 Butter knife
- 1 Breadboard
- 1 Cookie cutter or pastry cutter or sharp knife
Ingredients
- 300 grams (11 cups) Smoked salmon
- 6 slices Bread
- 3 tablespoon Butter
- 1 Lemon
- 1 tablespoon Fresh dill
- Salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Butter each slice of bread evenly all the way to the edges.
- Lay slices of smoked salmon on top of the buttered bread in an even, single layer.
- Use a knife or cookie cutter to cut triangles, squares, or other shapes from the bread and smoked salmon.
- Garnish with grated lemon zest, a sprig of fresh dill, and some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Other easy canape recipes
Looking for other easy hors d’oeuvres recipes like this? Try these:
Pam says
Never occurred to me that you can freeze these!! What a lifesaver!! Just took them out an hour or so before guests arrived and they were ready to go.