Smoked Salmon Platter

Impress party guests with this easy and elegant smoked salmon platter. Assemble everything you see here in just 15 minutes, for a brunch buffet or cocktail party.

Nothing makes my eyes light up at a party like seeing a big spread of appetizers. There’s a reason New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite days, and it’s definitely the savory baked brie, jarcuterie and other New Year’s Eve food!

My absolute favorite kind of appetizer spread? The kind that you get to assemble yourself, like my DIY elote cup bar. And if your group of friends and family is anything like mine, everybody has different tastes.

Some people don’t like onions, others can’t get enough. Somebody hates tomatoes, whereas I make my Detroit style pizza recipe with pickled tomato sauce.

I think we can all agree that lots of options never hurt anybody, and that’s what I’m giving you today with this smoked salmon platter!

How to serve smoked salmon:

First of all, just like with all of my salmon recipes, it’s all about quality of the fish.

You want to buy a good quality smoked salmon for this smoked salmon platter. If you have a local bagel shop that makes their own smoked salmon or lox, you’re probably in for a treat.

FYI – Smoked salmon is cured or brined, then smoked. Lox is cured, but not smoked. They’re slightly different, but either one will work on this salmon platter.

You can also ask the seafood person at your grocery store for the best quality smoked salmon or lox that they have (and also pick up some fresh salmon for grilled sockeye salmon for a salmon sandwich for dinner another day).

You can even order it online these days, if you want. If you end up with any extra after serving your smoked salmon appetizer platter, I recommend a smoked salmon BLT or using smoked salmon in place of shrimp to make seafood deviled eggs

For the best flavor, let the smoked salmon come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Serve this smoked salmon appetizer with forks or a small pair of tongs so that people can pick up the delicate slices.

What to eat with smoked salmon:

There are so many good flavor pairings with smoked salmon! My favorites, that I’ve included on this smoked salmon platter, are:

• Cream cheese – I like the whipped kind, it’s easier to spread!
• Sour cream – another “creamy” option besides cream cheese.
• Red onion – chopped or thinly sliced red onion adds such a pretty purple color to the platter.
• Chives – these grow like crazy in my garden, so I always have them around!
• Capers – I love the salty, briny bite of these.
• Hard boiled eggs – I served them chopped on this board, but you can also serve them simply cut in half.
• Tomatoes – I chopped up some grape tomatoes. You can also serve thin slices of Roma tomato with this smoked salmon appetizer.
• Dill sprigs – smoked salmon and fresh dill is a classic flavor pairing!
• Everything Bagel Seasoning – I sprinkle this on smoked salmon in my cottage cheese breakfast bowls, too.
• Water crackers – Or whatever kinds of crackers you like. Water crackers are a blank slate for other flavors.
• Toasted pumpernickel bread – or rye or baguette slices.
• Lemon wedges – I can’t ever serve fish without lemon (see also: salmon alfredo)
• Sliced cucumbers – I also use cukes to make smoked salmon crostini.
• Sliced radishes – they’re not everybody’s cup of tea, but I love their sharp, peppery bite.

Other items that are delicious to include on a smoked salmon appetizer platter:

• Crème fraîche (which is just a really fancy sour cream)
• Caviar – also fancy!
• Bagels or mini bagels – because I can never resist a bagel and lox.
• Pickled red onions – even tastier than fresh, in my opinion!
• Avocado – I love avocado paired with smoked salmon in sushi rolls, or just on a cracker!
• Fresh fruit, like berries or grapes – just for snacking on alongside the salmon.
• Egg salad with pickles – an upgrade option to hard boiled eggs.

Serve this lox platter as a make-ahead breakfast board or an appetizer!

This smoked salmon platter is just as easily at home as part of a brunch buffet (see also: how to cook bacon), as it is in the evening as an appetizer at a cocktail party.

And just like my Thanksgiving charcuterie board and any of the best unique charcuterie board ideas, this smoked salmon appetizer platter is that most of the elements that require any sort of preparation can be made in advance.

Eggs can be hard boiled the night before and kept in the fridge until you’re ready to serve this smoked salmon appetizer. Onions, cucumbers and radishes can all be sliced and chopped and refrigerated as well.

All that’s left to do right before serving this smoked salmon breakfast is arrange it all on a big platter. That should only take about 15 minutes, but nobody will ever guess you pulled this lox platter together that fast. That’s my kind of entertaining.

What to serve with a smoked salmon platter:

If you’re serving a smoked salmon breakfast, I’d recommend rounding out the spread with something sweet like lemon poppyseed mini cornbread muffins or fruit and cheese kabobs with croissant croutons.

And of course you’ll want a brunch cocktail like a bloody mary (use some of the everything bagel seasoning as bloody mary rim salt) to go with this lox platter.

If you’re serving a smoked salmon appetizer platter as part of a spread at an evening cocktail party, you can round out the buffet table with prosciutto and cheese pinwheels and phyllo cup appetizers.

Add a round of cherry and prosecco spritzes, and you’re ready for a toast!