Easy and Elegant Smoked Salmon Appetizer
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This easy smoked salmon appetizer recipe is so elegant and delicious, no one will ever guess how simple it was to make.
Years ago, my husband and I had dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s “Spago” restaurant in Las Vegas.
For our first course, we had the best smoked salmon appetizer I’ve ever tasted in my life — crispy potato cakes topped with a mixture of smoked salmon, capers, and green onion, and then drizzled with sour cream.
The crispy/tender potato & salmon combination, combined with the tart/salty/lemony flavors were just heaven in my mouth. I couldn’t stop thinking about or talking about that appetizer.
Finally, I decided to try and recreate the appetizer at home. It came out great, but it took a loooong time. So I sought out a way to make my favorite appetizer in a simple way.
Secret Ingredient: Tater Tots!
Tater tots make the perfect swap in this recipe because they produce the same salty/crunchy/potato-y texture, but there’s much less effort involved.
All you need to do is press some thawed tater tots into a mini muffin tin, create an impression using a rounded spoon (see photos), and bake until crisp.
You’ll end up with salty and crunchy potato cakes that are just as delectable as Wolfgang’s without the work.
Just top the tater tot cups with a mixture of smoked salmon, lemon juice, green onion, and capers, and then drizzle with a bit of sour cream or plain greek yogurt.
This drizzle is optional, but I love how the tart & creamy sour cream rounds out the flavor and texture of this smoked salmon appetizer. It’s the perfect little bite.
Pairs Well with Champagne
This is the ideal thing to serve with champagne. The combination of salty and briny flavors with the cold, sweet pop of champagne is divine. You’ll thank me later!
Easy Smoked Salmon Appetizer: Potato Bites
Ingredients
- 48 tater tots, thawed
- 4 oz smoked salmon
- 1/2 lemon, squeezed
- 2 tbsp sliced green onion
- 2 tbsp capers
- sour cream or plain greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees*
- Shred the smoked salmon with a fork.
- Combine the salmon in a bowl with lemon juice, green onion, and capers. Set aside.
- Lightly grease the cups of a mini muffin tin.
- Press two tater tots into each cup. This works best if you use a round spoon or another object to smush the tater tots into the tin.
- Bake according to package instructions, or until the tater tots are golden brown and crispy around the edges.
- Remove the tater tots from the oven, and use the spoon to push into the center of the cooked tater tots once again, creating a “cup” shape.
- Top each cup with the salmon mixture and a small dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
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11 Comments on “Easy and Elegant Smoked Salmon Appetizer”
I love the idea of potato crisps. I am going to try this idea soon. Thank you for the inspiration.
These would be great for party food. I love anything with smoked salmon.
I love what you did with the tater tots! This recipe sounds very yummy, I am going to have to try it.
Oooh what a fabulously fun idea!! Especially with a nice glass of bubbly :) I love when you have a dish at a restaurant that you can’t stop thinking about!!
These little bites look amazing! Definitely saving them for Super Bowl Sunday!
What kind of champagne is that? Where is it sold and is something sprinkled in it?
No, it does look that way, but it’s just a design on the glass that has gold dots on it. :)
Question: Can they be made early in the day and served cold that night ?
They are best served warm because then the potatoes are nice and crisp. But they might taste ok cold. I’ve never tried!
Love this recipe except the lemon juice “cooked” the salmon. Next time, I’ll try using lemon zest instead.
So easy, can’t wait to make. Looks delicious.