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This smoked salmon sandwich is a fast and easy meal! Layer salmon on bread with veggies and herb cream cheese for a total treat.

Smoked Salmon Sandwich

For fast and easy meals, it’s smoked salmon to the rescue! This flavor-packed protein requires no cooking at all, which makes it ideal for quick lunches and dinners. When you just don’t have time to think, try this Smoked Salmon Sandwich! The bold flavors don’t give away it’s secrets: it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up. It’s more of an idea than a formal recipe, so you can customize it to your tastes. It’s perfect for quick weeknight dinners!

Ingredients in this smoked salmon sandwich

Smoked salmon tastes so good on its own, you barely need anything to make it taste great in a sandwich! Slather a homemade herbed cream cheese spread on the bread, then layer it with crunchy veggies and salty, smoky salmon. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Smoked salmon: Both cold-smoked salmon (aka lox, with a soft texture), and hot-smoked salmon work here (flaky and more like cooked salmon).
  • Herb cream cheese: This homemade Herb Cream Cheese is fantastic, or it’s easy to find purchased brands as well.
  • Capers: Capers are often paired with salmon, and add a briny pop to this sandwich!
  • English cucumber: An English cucumber is longer and thinner than a standard cucumber, and you don’t need to peel it!
  • Red onion and tomato: These veggies round out the savory flavors.
  • Bread: Use an artisan-style bread, sourdough, or even focaccia bread for a great sandwich.

Mix the cream cheese with herbs and spices, then spread it on the sandwich. Layer all the other ingredients, and it’s a burst of beautiful flavors.

Smoked salmon

More spread ideas

Not a cream cheese fan, or don’t want to make your own? Don’t worry: there are lots of options for a smoked salmon sandwich. Here are a few other ideas:

  • Purchased flavored cream cheese is easy to find (like Boursin), with flavors like herb, garlic, and more.
  • Whipped cottage cheese is easy to find at most grocery stores or to make at home! Simply whip cottage cheese in a food processor until fluffy and season with salt.
  • Whipped ricotta requires olive oil and milk to get an ultra fluffy texture, plus a whiz in the food processor. Or, use plain ricotta and stir in a bit of salt and pepper to season.
Smoked salmon sandwich

Best bread for a smoked salmon sandwich

The bread is what can take a smoked salmon sandwich to rock star status. We like it with an artisan style bread, lightly toasted. Here are some other ideas:

Try homemade smoked salmon

Purchased smoked salmon can be incredibly delicious, but homemade smoked salmon takes it 10 steps up! If you’ve got an outdoor smoker, it’s a must try. The flavor is beautifully intense, and you can vary the flavors depending on the wood and spices you use.

You’ll prepare the salmon the day before smoking using a process called dry brining. Dry brining is salting and resting food before cooking it, which makes for deeply seasoned, juicy salmon without diluting the flavor. The main steps for homemade smoked salmon are:

  1. The day before (dry brine): Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder (see this recipe for quantities). Place it on a platter uncovered in the refrigerator 4 to 6 hours. Then rinse and refrigerate it uncovered overnight.
  2. The day of smoking: Heat an outdoor smoker to 200°F. Place the salmon in the smoker and cook for 45 minutes to 75 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 135°F.
Smoked Salmon

More smoked salmon recipes

Smoked salmon makes the best easy meals, appetizers, and more! We hope you love this smoked salmon sandwich as much as we do. Here are a few more tasty smoked salmon recipes to try:

This smoked salmon sandwich recipe is…

Pescatarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread.

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Smoked salmon sandwich

Smoked Salmon Sandwich


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x

Description

This smoked salmon sandwich is a fast and easy meal! Layer salmon on bread with veggies and herb cream cheese for a total treat.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tablespoons Herb Cream Cheese (homemade is best, or substitute purchased)
  • 1/4 English cucumber
  • 1 handful red onion slices
  • 2 thin tomato slices (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 4 ounces smoked salmon
  • 4 slices bread

Instructions

  1. Make the Herb Cream Cheese
  2. Thinly slice the cucumber and red onion. Thinly slice the tomato. Top the cucumber and tomato with a pinch of salt. 
  3. Toast the bread (optional). 
  4. Spread herb cream cheese spread on both sides of the bread. Top with 1 tablespoon capers per sandwich, 2 ounces smoked salmon, and the cucumber, red onion, and tomato (if using). Top with the final slice of bread and enjoy. 

Notes

*If you prefer, substitute Whipped Ricotta or Whipped Cottage Cheese as the spread. 

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Sandwich
  • Cuisine: Sandwich

Keywords: Smoked salmon sandwich

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

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