The winter holiday season means parties with friends, family gatherings, and lots and lots of yummy food! Here’s a simple appetizer that you can throw together in no time flat, the perfect “introduction” to your holiday celebration. These dainty Smoked Salmon Crostini are inspired by my love of bagels, lox, and cream cheese. They capture that awesome lox and cream cheese flavor, lightened up with a bit of Greek yogurt, served on crunchy little crostinis… a delectable bite-sized treat. I use smoked salmon here because I love the flavor, but feel free to use brined lox if you prefer.
Crostini, which translates to “little toasts” in Italian, are small, thin slices of toasted bread, brushed with olive oil. They originated in Italy during the Middle Ages as a peasant food. Those who could not afford expensive ceramic plates would use bread as a substitute (also known as a trencher). Now they are a popular tapas choice all over the world, likely because they can be topped with anything from cheese and roasted veggies, to honey and seasonal fruit… or, in this case, smoked salmon!
I’ve added Greek yogurt to the spread to cut down on fat and calories, while maintaining a creamy flavor. You can top the crostini with fresh dill or capers, or just stick with the smoked salmon to keep things simple. These little treats are packed with flavor, and they’re so easy to make… I can throw together a batch in 20 minutes (even less if I have somebody helping me assemble). These would be a fun opener for a holiday meal or a New Year’s celebration, or anytime you need a quick bite before the “main event.” Love them!
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Smoked Salmon Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 thin baguette
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 6 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 4 ounces smoked salmon
- Capers or fresh dill for garnish
NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the baguette along a diagonal into 1/4 inch slices using a serrated knife. Do not slice them thicker than 1/4 inch, or they will be difficult to bite through when toasted.
- Place the slices on a cookie sheet. Stir together the melted butter and olive oil. If using unsalted butter, add a small pinch of salt to the mixture and stir to combine. If using salted butter, no need to add any additional salt. Brush the tops of the bread pieces with the oil and butter mixture.
- Place the bread into the oven and let it toast for 8-10 minutes till the bottoms of the bread slices are golden brown and toasted. Flip the slices to check for doneness-- they will brown more on the bottom than they will on the top.
- While baguette slices are toasting, place 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, cream cheese, dill, and lemon juice into a food processor. Process for about 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the processor periodically, till ingredients are well combined. Continue to add Greek yogurt till the mixture is soft and spreadable, but not overly liquid. I usually add about 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt, but the consistencies vary from yogurt brand to yogurt brand, so best to add slowly till the texture is right. Add salt to taste and process again to combine.
- Cut the smoked salmon into pieces large enough to top the baguette slices.
- When the baguette slices have cooled, top each slice with 1 tsp of the Greek yogurt mixture. Top the Greek yogurt mixture with a slice of smoked salmon. Place another small dollop of Greek yogurt mixture in the center of the smoked salmon slice. Top the small dollop with a couple of capers...
- or a small sprig of dill.
- Serve Smoked Salmon Crostini as a bite-sized appetizer.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
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I love this recipe and have made it multiple times for gatherings with friends and family. It is always a hit! I add some Sunny Paris seasoning from Penzey’s Spices for a little extra touch of flavor.
Liked recipe. used much more, in weight, of the Salmon and much less of the spread. Very well received and very easy to prepare and assemble. I will keep this recipe for another day.
Can I use sour cream
Instead of Greek yogurt? Thanks!
Yes!
I made this today and my family loved them. I substituted sour cream for the Greek yogurt and it was fantastic. It was so delicious. It was the first thing that was all gone.
I made these yesterday for Easter. I made the cream mixture the day before, toasted the crostini about an hour or two before, and then assembled them right before I served them. They are really delicious, and they look really elegant and pretty on a plate! We had 7 adults and I only had two leftover because everyone kept eating htem. The flavor in the cream cheese is subtle but it tastes really good with the salmon. I would just note that I bought 8 oz of salmon (instead of 4 oz) and I used almost all of it. I think that maybe mine was sliced a little thicker or something, but I would have run out if I only got the 4 oz. Great app!
I used Neufchâtel instead of cream cheese and I added 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. These were fantastic and a big hit at my party.
Hello. This sounds amazing! I was wondering if there are any items in this recipe that can be made ahead of time. For example, could I make the cream cheese spread a few days in advance? What about toasting the bread beforehand? I am hosting a brunch for 30 people and would like to prep as many things as I can the day or two before, as I won’t have much time in the morning before guests arrive. Thanks!
Hi Becky! You can certainly make the spread ahead of time and keep refrigerated until ready to use. I recommend toasting the baguette slices just before serving, if possible, for a delicate and crisp result/texture.
Sounds good. Thank you!!!
Hi Tori,
Your recipe sounds delicious, and I am using it today for my Office Meeting. I must admit I am not well versed on yogurt. Will any flavor of Greek yogurt work? Is unflavored Greek yogurt available? Thanks, Samuel
Hi Samuel, definitely make sure you get plain, unflavored Greek yogurt. Any amount of fat content is fine, as long as it’s plain. Plain is the most common variety and should be easy to find.
I love this recipe. Have made it before without the Greek yogurt, great addition. Was reading through the comments, though…as far as I know lox and smoked salmon are not the same. Smoked salmon is cold smoked, lox is cured and not smoked. I prefer the smoked salmon for this appy. Not familiar with Nova Scotia lox.
You are correct Deb, they are not the same thing. And I agree that smoked salmon tastes better with this recipe (as I said in the above blog post), though either will work. Glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
and the capers on top, too!
I could probably eat my weight in smoked lox! I love it!!!
Lox is one of my top favorite foods!
(y) This looks so tasty! I am going shopping for the ingredients today to make this for brunch tomorrow.
Mmmmmm that sounds good.