If you have followed me here for a while (or ever been to a party at my house) you have seen my favorite simple appetizer – the bite. Born out of my sheer disgust for congealed cheese on top of buffalo chicken dip, the bite has taken many forms over the years and since we are sharing some of my favorite spring brunch recipes; I thought it was fitting to brunchify the bite. Thus how we arrived at the smoked salmon bites!
Does anything scream brunch more than smoked salmon and cream cheese? I don’t think so! Smoked salmon is one of those things that shows up on many a bagel sandwich, brunch platter or buffet but often people just kind of pass over. The slices can stick together, it’s easy to grab too much, it may look (or smell!) intimidating. So, for this brunch recipe, we take the smoked salmon and delicately place it over a homemade scallion cream cheese all nestled into a crispy, easy to grab phyllo shell.
To make these smoked salmon bites, there really is no “cooking” involved which is why they make such a great brunch option. There are only a couple of components and ingredients and you can really prep it all in advance!
First step: Make the scallion cream cheese. Mix together softened cream cheese, thinly sliced scallions and a little salt and pepper to taste. Got it? Easy peasy.
Second step: Crisp the phyllo shells. These shells are a staple of my Party Perfect Pantry guide (get your copy here!) and this recipe is the perfect example of why I always keep these on hand. First, they can be stored in the pantry or the freezer – we love things with options! – and you can really fill them with almost anything. Savory, sweet, hot, cold – they are so versatile. Plus, they look so cute and dare I say it, fancy! I like to pop these in the oven just to crisp them up a bit and add some nice golden color and then you are ready to assemble!
Final step: Assembly! Simply pipe the cream cheese into the shells and top with pieces of smoked salmon. Voila! Smoked Salmon Bites. It really is that simple. I am telling you, these things will be a hit and it will take no time at all!
Confident you can knock out the perfect spring brunch yet? I think you got it down, but I have more recipes coming soon that will take you from brunch novice to party goddess!
Smoked Salmon Bites
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 box frozen mini phyllo shells
- 2 ounces smoked salmon
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the scallion cream cheese
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Mix together softened cream cheese and sliced scallions until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
Crisp phyllo shells
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Bake shells at 375* for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on these so they don't burn. Remove and let cool before filling.
Assmeble smoked salmon bites
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Using a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off, pipe cream cheese mixture into each shell until almost full (about 1 teaspoon per shell.) Cut or tear smoked salmon into bite size pieces and place over top of cream cheese mixture. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Cream cheese mixture can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an air tight container in the fridge.
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd! I like to plan for at least 2 bites per person when planning how many to make!