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Overhead shot of a smoked salmon canapé on a slate board.

Smoked Salmon Canapés with Asparagus

These smoked salmon canapés are the perfect party appetizers! The crunchy cracker, smooth whipped cream cheese, smoky salmon and fresh asparagus creates a satisfying bite.
Created By: Shareba
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 3 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 18 minutes
SERVINGS: 30 pieces

Equipment

  • Glass Bowl
  • Large Saucepan
  • Serving Tray

Ingredients

  • 10 spears asparagus
  • 2 teaspoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup plain whipped cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons capers, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated (plus extra for garnish)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 ounces cold-smoked salmon, cut into 1.5 inch strips
  • 1 package Melba Canapé crackers, or Paris-Toast Mini Toasts

Instructions 

  • Fill a large saucepan with water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
  • Meanwhile, snap hard ends off of asparagus and discard. Cut remaining portions of stems into 1.5 inch pieces.
  • Add ice to a large bowl of cold water, and place it next to your stove. You will need this to blanch the asparagus.
  • Add the asparagus to the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bright green and tender. Then use a slotted spoon to move the asparagus out of the boiling water and into the ice water.
  • Allow asparagus to cool down, then drain thoroughly. Dry the asparagus pieces on a towel, then toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, capers, lemon juice, chopped dill, lemon zest and black pepper. Spread the cream cheese mixture on each toast. Top each toast with a piece of dill (optional).
  • Wrap a piece of smoked salmon around each piece of asparagus. Place a salmon/asparagus bundle on top of each toast, and garnish with extra lemon zest, black pepper and/or fresh dill fronds. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you want all of the canapés to have an asparagus tip (because they're pretty), you'll need to buy 2 bunches of asparagus (about 20 spears). Discard the hard ends, and keep the plain pieces from the middle to make soup or a salad.
Food Safety
Smoked salmon can spoil very quickly!
Only defrost what you need and leave it in the fridge so it stays fresh until you're ready to use it. Be sure to refrigerate unused portions promptly and use within 3 days (or whatever time frame is recommended on the package).
Cold-smoked salmon and other cured fish products may not be safe for pregnant women to consume. Please check with your medical team to get more information.
Substitutions
  • If you can't get whipped cream cheese, you can use regular cream cheese. Just make sure to let it come up to room temperature first, so it's easier to work with.
  • If you can't find cold-smoked salmon, you can also used Nova salmon, lox or gravlax. Do not use hot-smoked salmon (kippered salmon).
  • If you don't like Melba toast, you can cut out round shapes from any bread and toast them. Rye and pumpernickel are popular choices, or you could just cut a baguette into thin slices and toast those.

Please read the blog post for detailed tips and explanations.

Nutrition

Serving: 3g | Calories: 36kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: this nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of this information cannot be guaranteed.