Cucumber Appetizers with Salmon Mousse

When it comes to serving appetizers for parties, I prefer finger food to dips; especially if it’s a recipe that’s easy to make in bulk! For instance, my ham and Swiss crostini or Asian-style tuna salad cups can be prepped to serve dozens of portions with minimal effort. And those individual portions are easier for guests to grab and eat.

My cucumber bites fit into this philosophy beautifully, plus they’re a great cold appetizer that can sit for a couple of hours.

Why You’ll Love It

• They’re lighter and less filling so they make a great appetizer for dinner parties, plus they balance out the menu and add freshness.
• The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled so you can feed a larger crowd.
• They’re a little bit fancy so you can include them at baby showers and bridal showers, mother’s day gatherings, and tea parties. They’re also fun to serve on a passed tray for cocktail parties.

Ingredients Notes

See the full list in the recipe card at bottom.

• Cucumbers. Get the long seedless cucumbers that are individually wrapped. That way you should get about 20 appetizers per cucumber.
• Flaked smoked salmon. For this recipe, make sure you get the flaky smoked salmon rather than the smooth cold-smoked salmon. The texture just works better for the filling. Use a good brand or quality for best flavor.
• Cream Cheese. Use a block of cream cheese and let it soften to room temperature so it blends easily. Lite versions are fine, but soft versions you get in the tub are not. There’s too much air whipped in and won’t let the filling set up properly.

Tools

• Use a food processor or even a blender to mix up the filling ingredients.
• I also suggest you have a piping bag with star tip to make assembly easy and more attractive. If not, you can fill a plastic bag and cut off the corner to pipe it through.
• For prepping the cucumbers, a strawberry huller or small melon-baller is excellent for scooping out the flesh.

How to Make It

1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from 4 sides of the cucumber. This gives a decorative look, as well as makes them easier to eat.
2. Cut the cucumber into slices about ½-inch thick. Scoop out a hollow well to create “cups.” Make sure you don’t go all the way through the bottom.
3. Meanwhile, process the salmon mousse until it’s completely smooth.

4. Fill a piping bag with star tip, or a plastic bag, with the salmon mousse. Use a tall glass to assist in this, as seen above.
5. When ready to serve, fill the cucumbers with the mousse and top with a sprig of fresh dill for garnish.

Helpful Tips

• You can prep the cucumbers and the filling up to 24 hours ahead and store separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, it takes just minutes to add the mousse to the cucumbers. I don’t recommend filling them before storing unless you have room for them to sit individually. You don’t want the filling to get smashed down.
• Use the salmon mouse for stuffed cherry tomatoes or as a dip for crackers.
• Make sure you let the filling chill for at least an hour before topping the cucumber slices. Otherwise it will be too soft and won’t hold it’s shape as well.
• These can sit at room temperature for a couple of hours. If your party is longer than that, I recommend keeping some in the fridge and replenishing the platter when necessary.

More Appetizers Like This

Adding seafood-based appetizers always elevates a party menu. If you like salmon you’re sure to love smoked salmon appetizer bites, and my cold marinated shrimp is always a hit with guests. For a smaller group or a sit-down dinner, these baked scallops appetizers are divine!

These cucumber appetizers are sure to please at your next celebration or gathering.