This smoked salmon tart features a flakey puff pastry that’s slathered with cream cheese, sprinkled with everything but the bagel seasoning, and topped with smoked salmon. It’s easy to make and perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner!
Smoked Salmon Tart
Do you enjoy bagels with lox but want something more shareable for entertaining? This smoked salmon tart is just the recipe to impress your family or guests. It’s also perfect for special occasions like Mother’s Day, which happens to be right around the corner. Spoil your mom or those that are mother-figures in your life with this delicious savory puff pastry treat!
What Ingredients Will You Need?
This smoked salmon tart is easy to make and you only need a handful of ingredients to assemble it. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Puff Pastry- I usually buy the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets in the freezer aisle at the grocery store.
- Smoked Salmon- cold smoked salmon or lox. I like to buy the nova lox because it tends to have a milder flavor.
- Cream Cheese- use full-fat cream cheese for optimal flavor (low-fat is fine too)
- Red onion- I marinate red onions to mellow the flavor and add a kick of acid.
- Lemon- squeeze fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor
- Dill- garnish with fresh dill, which pairs well with any seafood
- Everything but the bagel seasoning- sesame seeds, dried minced garlic and onion, poppy seeds, and sea salt. You can buy this at Trader Joes, or many other stores started selling a similar seasoning blend. Or opt to make you own homemade version. But definitely don’t skip!
What Is Puff Pastry?
Puff pastry is a light and flaky pastry made from a dough that alternates layers of butter and dough. The only ingredients used to make puff pastry are water, flour, salt, and butter- no leavening agents are required. Puff pastry has a light and airy texture, slight crunchy crust, and tastes buttery. The neutral flavor lends itself to both sweet and savory dishes.
Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets
While you can make puff pastry from scratch, the elaborate rolling technique required is time consuming and physically demanding. To save time, buy frozen puffed pastry sheets in the frozen section of your local grocery store (usually near the frozen doughs or pie crusts). I like to keep a package of frozen puff pastry in my freezer at all times because it’s easy to throw something together last minute when entertaining.
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Customize This Tart To Your Liking
What would you put on a smoked salmon bagel? Make it your own and leave off or add anything you would like. Here are some suggested substitutions or additions:
- Can’t find puff pastry? Use your favorite flat bread instead
- I prefer plain cream cheese, but you can use any flavor variety. Other substitutions include Boursin herb flavored cheese or goat cheese.
- Add thinly sliced cucumber, tomatoes, or capers for some salty brine
- Skip the red onion and use scallions or chives
- Use any fresh herbs you like, or dried if you don’t have fresh
- If you don’t like everything seasoning, use any dried spices you like to flavor the crust
What To Pair With This Smoked Salmon Tart
This smoked salmon tart is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or served as an appetizer. You can serve it with fresh fruit, muffins (like my apple streusel muffins) or homemade breads, a side salad, or a frittata.
Looking For More Recipes To Make On Mother’s Day? Here are some of my favorite brunch recipes
- Spanish Style Toast With Avocado
- Frittata With Broccoli, Potato, Bacon, & Cheddar Cheese
- Banana Oat Pancakes
- Strawberry Salad Dressing
- Kale Caesar Salad
- Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
- Citrus Beet Salad
Smoked Salmon Tart
Ingredients
- ¼ small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 sheets puff pastry thawed if frozen
- Flour sprinkle
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons plus more as needed, everything but the bagel seasoning
- 6-8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 4-5 oz smoked salmon
- fresh dill to garnish
- ½ lemon de-seeded
Instructions
- To make pickled red onion: place the sliced red onion in a small, wide bottom bowl. Pour red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar) into the bowl until ¾ of the onion is submerged. Pour water into the bowl until the onions are completely submerged. Set aside and occasionally stir to make sure all the onions get pickled.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lightly flour.
- Once the puff pastry is thawed, gently open and lay them on the prepared baking sheet, overlapping by 1 inch. Take a rolling pin and apply a bit of pressure to stick the pieces together and roll out the seams so they are smooth. If the edges are uneven you can trim it as needed with a knife.
- Next score a line 1 inch from the edge all the way around, being careful not to cut through the dough (use a butter knife). Using a fork, prick the center (inside the score lines) to prevent it from rising.
- Whisk the egg and tablespoon water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash all over the puff pastry. Sprinkle the everything seasoning all along the border.
- Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven. If the center puffed up, gently press the center with a back of a spoon to flatten. Let cool.
- Meanwhile as the puff pastry is cooking, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the cream cheese for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
- Once the puff pastry has cooled, gently spread the cream cheese evenly over the entire center.
- Layer the smoked salmon, then scatter the red onion all over. Garnish with fresh dill and squeeze the lemon. Feel free to sprinkle more everything seasoning over the middle. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
• Can’t find puff pastry? Use your favorite flat bread instead. For more fiber choose whole grain flatbreads. • I prefer plain cream cheese, but you can use any flavor variety. Other substitutions include Boursin herb flavored cheese or goat cheese. • Add thinly sliced cucumber, tomatoes, or capers for some salty brine • Skip the red onion and use scallions or chives • Use any fresh herbs you like, or dried if you don’t have fresh • If you don’t like everything seasoning, use any dried spices you like to flavor the crust • Best served at room temperature • Refer to pictures in blog post for guidelines on how to prepare the puff pastry • Garnish to your liking, add as much or as little toppings • Use one puff pastry to halve the recipe
What’s your favorite recipe to make for breakfast/brunch? Share in the comments below. I love to try out your recommendations, and maybe other readers will love your ideas, too! Also, be sure to stay in touch and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
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