Smoked salmon bruschetta is a fresh and elegant appetizer that layers toasted bread with smoked salmon, basil pesto and whipped goat cheese. Each bite delivers a rich mix of savory and tangy flavors. It's simple to make and perfect for appetizers, parties or brunch.
My daughter's favorite restaurant is currently Postino, and she gets a bruschetta board every time. Like every single time. For their bruschetta boards, you get to pick up to four different flavors. For her, at least two of her choices are always the smoked salmon bruschetta. Always. So that served as my inspiration for this. There are a few differences though. I put the capers in the whipped cheese layer and microgreens on top instead. I also used goat cheese for the whipped cheese layer. I think Postino's uses feta cheese, but most soft cheeses taste great with smoked salmon. I love that they took bruschetta to a new level by using regular bread and then slicing it into smaller pieces. How genius! Using regular sized bread makes prepping bruschetta so much easier.
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Ingredients
- Smoked salmon
- Basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
- Goat cheese
- Capers
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Red onion
- Microgreens
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for assembling the bruschetta
Step 1: Toast the bread and allow it to cool. Spread a layer of basil pesto on top of the cooled toast.
Step 2: Spread a layer of whipped goat cheese on top of the basil pesto.
Step 3: Next, top with smoked salmon, sliced red onion and microgreens.
Step 4: Slice into four smaller pieces and enjoy!
Substitutions
- Gluten free - use your favorite gluten free bread.
- Goat cheese - instead of goat cheese, you could use another soft cheese that can be whipped like feta, ricotta, mascarpone or cream cheese.
Variations
- Bread - I first recommend using a high quality bread, sliced on the thicker side. After that, you can really use any sturdy bread. The bread I use is an artisan country style bread. But you could use a baguette, ciabatta, sourdough or any bread with a thick crust and dense interior.
Equipment
A mini food processor is helpful, but not required, to make the whipped goat cheese layer.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. For smoked salmon, it's best to eat it the day you open the package or save any leftovers only until the following day.
Next Level Tips
- All good bruschetta starts with a good bread. Whether it's homemade, from a bakery or farmer's market, or even gluten free, start your bruschetta with a good bread. If you're in the greater Phoenix area, Noble Bread and Proof Bread are my current local favorites. You can't go wrong with either. If you make your own bread, slice it a little thicker for bruschetta.
- Try making your own simple basil pesto. Or if you want to skip that step this time, Costco has a great Kirkland Signature brand of Basil Pesto.
- Grill your bread! Grilling takes toasting bread to a whole new level. It adds that smoky grill flavor and umami boost. Grill over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- For traditional bruschetta, you would rub each piece of toasted bread with a clove of garlic. This adds another level of flavor to smoked salmon bruschetta too! If you've never done this before, just brush the garlic clove across the top and edges of the bruschetta. You're essentially micro grating the garlic straight on to the toasted bread, so you don't have to brush too long or hard to get a great garlic flavor. Brushing too hard or for too long will give you an intense garlic flavor.
- If you like capers, add more to the top as garnish. So yum!
FAQ
Your favorite kind! I currently love arugula, broccoli and cilantro microgreens. You can also garnish the bruschetta with fresh herbs like dill or chives. If you can't find microgreens near you, I would add more capers as a garnish on top.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with smoked salmon bruschetta:
Smoked Salmon Bruschetta
Equipment
- 1 Mini food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 6-8 slices high quality bread thickly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for toasting the bread
- ½ cup basil pesto homemade or store bought
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for the whipped goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 8 ounces smoked salmon
- ½ of small red onion thinly sliced
- microgreens (ex. arugula or broccoli) as garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- If using homemade pesto, make it and set it aside.
- Make the whipped goat cheese. Place the goat cheese, capers, lemon juice and one tablespoon of olive oil in a small food processor and blend until creamy. Set aside.
- Lightly brush each side of bread with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway. If you're using smaller pieces of bread like a baguette, bake for 6 minutes and flip halfway. Allow to cool.
- Add a layer of basil pesto to the top of each piece of toasted bread.
- Next, add a layer of whipped goat cheese on top of the pesto. Spread it lightly so that is doesn't mix too much with the pesto.
- Add the smoked salmon in a single or double layer depending on preference.
- Top with desired garnish such as sliced red onions, micro greens and capers.
- Use a sharp knife to cut into smaller slices.
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