Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites
These smoked salmon cucumber bites come together in just 10 minutes and are perfect for entertaining or a light meal. I have to be honest, they are always a hit at parties but I love enjoying them as a snack during the week. Fresh cucumbers layered with cream cheese (regular or dairy free) and smoked salmon create an impressive yet simple appetizer.
Love smoked salmon? Me too, so be sure to check out these Smoked Salmon Rice Bowls or Smoked Salmon Frittata recipe.
As a former personal trainer and nutrition coach, I know firsthand how challenging it can be for busy women to prepare nourishing meals while juggling work, family, and life. That’s why I create these quick, nutritious recipes that take 20 minutes or less – because I believe eating well shouldn’t feel like another full-time job. Every recipe on this site is designed with busy women in mind, so you have one less thing to worry about.
Why you will love this recipe
- Ready in 10 minutes
- Perfect for parties, especially bridal showers, baby showers, new years eve celebrations
- Can easily prep components
- Easy high protein snack that gluten free, low carb and can be dairy free
- No cooking required
- Customizable
- Great for brunch, light meals or easy appetizer
Ingredients
- English cucumber or persian cucumbers are best as they have thin skin so do not require peeling.
- Cream cheese – regular or dairy free cream cheese will work.
- Smoked salmon – smoked salmon is the star of this recipe. You can find good quality wild caught smoked salmon at Trader Joe’s for a good price.
- Red onion (optional) but recommended!
- Dried or fresh dill
How to make salmon cucumber bites
Cut cucumber into 1/2 inch rounds. Thinly slice the red onion. Cut smoked salmon into squares. Spread cream cheese over the cucumber. Add smoked salmon on top of the cream cheese layer. Add thinly cut red onion to the smoked salmon bites.
Top tips
- Slice cucumbers uniformly for best presentation
- For parties: Prep components in advance but assemble last minute
- Use fresh dill for the most flavor
Creative flavor options
Mix any of these into the cream cheese to change the flavor:
- Chopped capers
- Fresh chives
- Everything but the bagel seasoning
- Horseradish
- Lemon zest
Common questions
What is smoked salmon and how it is made?
Smoked salmon is salmon that is salt-cured or brined (just like Lox) first, then smoked either by a method called cold smoke or hot smoke.
- Cold smoke is a method where the salmon is exposed to smoke in a cooler environment. Cold smoked salmon has the texture more like raw salmon and is what most people think of when you hear smoked salmon.
- Hot smoke is a method where after brining the salmon, it is exposed to hot heat for smoking. This salmon thus has the texture of cooked salmon and has a smoky flavor.
Can you prepare these salmon cucumber bites in advance
These smoked salmon cucumber bites are best served within 8 hours of preparing them.
However here are some tips so you can easily prep these quickly the day you are serving.
- Slice the cucumber store it in a container filled with cold water to keep the cucumber fresh.
- Slice the red onion and cube the smoked salmon ahead of time.
Right before serving, spread the cream cheese and assemble the cucumber bites.
What are the best cucumbers to use
English cucumbers are best. They have thin skin so no peeling needed. They are available in most grocery stores and are usually wrapped in plastic since they don’t have a waxy covering. This makes them perfect for making these cucumber bites.
Other options are Persian cucumbers, which are smaller and can be more difficult to find. They also have thin skin so don’t require peeling. If you want to use traditional cucumbers, be sure to peel them at least partially before slicing, since the skin tends to be thick and harder to eat.
Where do you find dairy free cream cheese?
The best dairy free cream cheese is the Chive Cream Cheese from Kite Hill.
Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 English Cucumber - cut about 1/2 inch slices
- 4 oz Cream cheese spread - Kite Hill Dairy Free Cream Cheese, Chive
- 1 package smoked salmon
- 1/8-1/4 small red onion - thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dry dill - or 2-3 tbs. freshly chopped dill
Instructions
- Wash and cut the English cucumber into 1/2 inch slices.
- Slice the red onion into thin slices.
- Cut the smoked salmon pieces into 12 equal pieces.
- Top each slice of cucumber with about 1/2 – 1 tsp dairy free cream cheese. Top with half of a thin slice of salmon and a few thinly sliced onions
- Sprinkle lightly with dill and serve!
Notes
- Slice cucumbers and store in cold water. Thinly slice red onion and cut smoked salmon into cubes and store in the fridge.
- When ready to serve, spread cream cheese over cucumbers, then add smoked salmon and red onion.
Nutrition Information
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in November of 2015, but was published again in January 2020 to include step by step directions, recipe notes and new photos
Served these for NYE 2022….used goat cheese mixed with honey and capers (added the liquid from capers) to help make goat cheese smooth! Wrapped in plastic wrap and let it set up again before I cut it to top the cucumber! They were a huge hit!!!
Add a few capers too!
This is so quick and light, I love how you don’t have to substitute flavor or pleasure for cutting carbs out of this recipe. This is the type of healthy eating recipes we should use to ease people into cutting down on carbs and sugars.
Kudos,
Jake
This looks divine. Yummy.