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Sliced cucumber topped with a swirl of cream cheese, a piece of smoked salmon, dill, and cracked pepper, served on a white plate with a lemon wedge.
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Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

No-cook, 15 minutes, and somehow the first thing to disappear from the table. Cold-smoked salmon on bias-cut English cucumber with a chilled herbed cream cheese filling that pipes clean and holds its shape. Make the filling the night before and this is legitimately the easiest impressive thing you'll ever bring to a party.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings (about 4-5 bites per person)
Calories: 85kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Ingredients

For the Filling

  • 4 oz chive and onion cream cheese softened (or plain cream cheese)
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Bites

  • 1 large English cucumber
  • 4 oz cold-smoked salmon torn into bite-sized pieces
  • freshly ground black pepper for garnish
  • extra fresh dill for garnish

Instructions

Make the Filling

  • Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, dill, and garlic powder together until smooth with no lumps, about 1 to 2 minutes.
    A glass bowl of whipped cream cheese mixture with herbs sits on a dark surface beside a hand mixer, a checked towel, a cutting board, dill, and a metal dish of ground pepper.

Chill the Filling

  • Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes until firmer and pipeable.

Slice the Cucumber

  • Cut the cucumber on the bias about 1/4 inch thick to create oval slices with more surface area.
    Sliced cucumber arranged on a white cutting board with a knife, whole cucumber, and herbs on a dark surface.

Dry the Slices

  • Pat the tops of the cucumber slices completely dry with paper towels immediately before topping.
    Eight cucumber slices topped with piped cream cheese are arranged on a rectangular white cutting board, with herbs, pepper, and lemon visible in the background.

Top and Garnish

  • Pipe or spoon the chilled cream cheese filling onto each slice. Top with smoked salmon, fresh dill, and a few cracks of black pepper.
    Nine cucumber slices topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and dill are arranged on a white rectangular serving board. A towel, lemon, dill, and black pepper are nearby.
  • Arrange on a platter and serve cold.

Notes

Storage: Assembled bites keep in the fridge in a single layer for up to 1 day. The filling alone keeps up to 3 days.
Make ahead: Filling gets better overnight — dill infuses and garlic mellows. Assemble within 1-2 hours of serving.
Keep salmon cold until the moment you use it so it tears cleanly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 0.3mg