Impress party quests with this simple and easy smoked salmon platter using smoked salmon fillet. Easy with cheddar cheeses, crackers and complimented by horseradish cream sauce. A beautiful appetizer idea for your next wine tasting party.
This past Tuesday, we hosted our monthly wine tasting party with good friends.
For my contribution I served my favorite smoked salmon platter for an appetizer.
Grazing boards are such an easy way to entertain and one of my favorite things to throw together. Easy no-cook platters that are a breeze to make ahead and have ready when guests arrive.
A simple idea that I took away from a appetizer ordered at dinner years ago at the renowned Colorado resort Grand Lake Lodge.
A combination of buttery crackers, a chunk of Smoked Salmon, some Colby or Cheddar Cheeses served with a Horseradish Cream Sauce.
A combination of flavors that compliment the palate.
The horseradish cream sauce is simple and it goes with so many things, famously for Prime Rib Roast.
Ingredients You’ll Need, What to Serve with Smoked Salmon
- Cheddar Cheese: Medium cheddar or sharp cheddar will both work well.
- Smoked Salmon: Choose a smoked salmon fillet product rather than a salt cured salmon which is a thinner sliced product and traditionally served on a bagel with capers. . The most popular and easy to find is the fillets from the Honey Smoked Fish Company sold at Costco and Safeway. And as we know, salmon has so many beneficial healthy benefits.
- White Cheese: I chose an aged white cheddar cheese. Manchego is a bold Spanish cheese that would work well here. A nutty buttery Gouda would be wonderful. Or look for Parrano. A nutty flavor with a creamy texture. Parrano is also a wonderful cheese to serve with fruit. And as always, cream cheese is a popular choice for any smoked salmon plate.
- Crackers: Choose a sturdy cracker with a mild flavor. A buttery cracker like Ritz or Townhouse Crackers. I also like to add some very mild flavored crackers like Carr Water Crackers or Pita Crackers work well.
- Horseradish Cream Sauce.
- Garnish: Fresh chives or fronds of fresh dill.
The ingredients above are suggestions to make a simple smoked salmon platter. And this is how the smoked salmon appetizer was served at the lodge. If you’re want to make a more generous smoked salmon plate, here are some suggestions of how to serve smoked salmon.
- Grapes: Place grapes in-between items on the platter. Red, green or black grapes will work beautifully.
- Cornichons are a wonderful addition. Cornichons are tiny little dill pickles and their tart flavor makes them an ideal garnish for any charcuterie board.
- Nuts: Add a sprinkling of nuts here and there on the platter. Raw almonds, roasted shelled pistachios and lightly salted cashews are all good choices.
- Olives: A little bowl of olives would be lovely. Choosing olives from an olive bar, rather than jarred will bring more flavor.
- Fruit: A little bowl of raspberries would bring a nice pop of color.
- Boiled Eggs: Sliced of halved is always a welcome spot of color.
Smoked Salmon is fully cooked and needs no further preparation. Just remove the fillet from the package, place in the center of your serving platter and build that appetizer.
The salmon fillet meat is so tender it easily flakes apart. Using a fork will easily break a bite sized piece of the meat to build your cracker appetizer.
Once it’s out of the package, wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap or place in a zip lock back. Store in the refrigerator for a week to 10 days. You can also freeze smoked salmon for up to six months.
Please use hot smoked salmon for this “cold” salmon appetizer. Cold smoked salmon is smoked at a low temperature and yields a smooth silky texture. Hot Smoked salmon is smoked at a higher temperature. The result is a flaky piece of salmon that resembles a baked salmon fillet.
How To Serve Smoked Salmon
To serve, place a piece of smoked salmon on a cracker, top with a dollop of the horseradish cream sauce and top with a slice of cheese = delicious combo of flavors.
Tips: Make Ahead
- You can make the Horseradish Cream Sauce a day ahead of serving. Just cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
- Slice the cheese up to a day ahead of time, but make sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.
- Wait to assemble the platter right before serving. If you try to place the crackers on the salmon and cover with plastic wrap, the crackers will absorb some of the moisture from the salmon and become slightly soggy.
Smoked Salmon Platter
So if you’re looking for Smoked Salmon Platter ideas or how to serve smoked salmon, I hope you give this a try. I took it to so many gatherings during the month of December.
And if you have a favorite Smoked Salmon Appetizer recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
Smoked salmon recipes are always a hit. Here are some more ideas:
And don’t miss my Appetizer Category, you’ll find lots of fun party food ideas including the most popular on my site for BBQ Meatballs.
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Related Recipes
Smoked Salmon Platter
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Smoked Salmon fillet not a lox product
- 4 ounces Cheddar Cheese sliced, served at room temperature
- 4 ounces White Cheddar or complimentary cheese of your choice
- 1 recipe Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Assorted crackers Sturdy and buttery
Instructions
- On a platter or plate, place the smoked salmon. Arrange the cheese and crackers around the salmon.
- Place the Horseradish Cream Sauce in a bowl. Provide serving knives for building those appetizers.
- To eat; place a small piece of salmon on a cracker, add a slice of cheese smear with Horseradish Cream Sauce and enjoy.
Notes
- Grapes: Place grapes in-between items on the platter. Red, green or black grapes will work beautifully.
- Cornichons are a wonderful addition. Cornichons are tiny little dill pickles and their tart flavor makes them an ideal garnish for any charcuterie board.
- Nuts: Add a sprinkling of nuts here and there on the platter. Raw almonds, roasted shelled pistachios and lightly salted cashews are all good choices.
- Olives: A little bowl of olives would be lovely. Choosing olives from an olive bar, rather than jarred will bring more flavor.
- Fruit: A little bowl of raspberries would bring a nice pop of color.
Nutrition
Smoked Salmon Platter …It’s What’s for an appetizer.
This recipe was originally posted September of 2013, and republished with better photos and instructions.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Love smoked salmon! And this is such a terrific way to serve it — such an attractive (and tasty!) looking platter of food. Neat dish — thanks.
This looks like such fun! I will have to try out the salmon at Tony’s Market now. 🙂
Excellent idea, I usually only see “main course” when I look at salmon, you just opened my eyes to other possibilities, LA, thanks!
It’s been one of my favorite appetizer platters to serve for years. With cheese and horseradish, you can’t go wrong.
As usual these days, I am LATE TO THE PARTY! It looks like a delicious spread and I’ll keep my eye out for that wine. LOVE the shot of the prayshus pups. 🙂
Sure missed seeing you on Sunday Ansh.
Nice apps, perfect with wine!
Thanks Chef Mick. And thanks for the Salmon, I’ll never buy it anywhere else again. Great flavor.
Horseradish sauce – yum! Occasionally I am able to buy fresh horseradish which is just wonderful – in a different league from the prepared stuff. Although when you are grating it, it can almost hurt your nose it is so pungent – like sniffing wasabi. Cheers
I’m such a horseradish fan Carole. And I have grown it and made my own grated horseradish. I hear ya!
Thanks so much for visiting my blog! And reaching out. Would love to meet you-I don’t get the opportunity to meet many bloggers and after a party like the one above – well, looks like we could have a lot of fun!
Abbe, thanks for stopping by. We’ll have to meet soon.
Looks like a great spread for a fun time. Your salmon dish dish looks delicious – I never thought of horseradish sauce with it. Maybe you can post the mushroom-bleu cheese dip recipe if you get it.
Thanks for the reminder Larry. I need to email her right now for that recipe.
Also like the Cheetos pic. I can tell you and your friends might be wino’s but you’re not snobs. 🙂
Hi lea ann! Mmm there are so many yummy things about this post!! I have to say tho- my fav pic is your cute little doggies with the boot wine charm. After all the flooding here at my house and in longmont, it’s nice to read your blog.
I love the wine get-togethers with your friends. Lots of great food to munch on. I bet the blue cheese & mushroom spread really went over well with the guys.
Sam
Your friends have very good taste. 😉