Food Recipes Appetizers 24 Smoky Appetizers, From Salmon Dip to Smoked Cheese Cookies These flavorful toasts, cheese puffs, dips, and more craveable bites are guaranteed to please a crowd at your next get-together. By Audrey Morgan Audrey Morgan Audrey Morgan is an associate food editor at Food & Wine with over seven years of experience covering food and drinks. She has held staff positions at Liquor.com and Food Network Magazine, and her work has also been featured in Saveur, Men's Health, and The Bump. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 31, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen What makes a creamy dip, crispy latke, or cheesy puff even more irresistible? A smoky garnish, like a ribbon of cold-smoked salmon or a dusting of smoked paprika salt. Put out one of these flavorful appetizers, many of which use store-bought shortcuts like smoked fish, ahead of your next dinner party or holiday gathering, and give the event an instant upgrade. 01 of 24 Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar and Prosciutto Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Made with nutty Gruyère, these airy cheese puffs are the perfect vessel for silky smoked salmon and crème fraîche. Garnish them all with salmon and caviar, or mix it up with a few slices of prosciutto. Get the Recipe 02 of 24 Smoked Salmon Dip Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Smoked salmon is blitzed into a base of mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese for this velvety dip. Fresh dill, chives, and lemon juice keep things bright. Get the Recipe 03 of 24 Smoked Trout Toasts Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Crispy fried challah is topped with a creamy hot-smoked trout salad, then coated in crunchy sesame seeds for this tasty snack from chef Evan Bloom. Get the Recipe 04 of 24 Pizza with Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche, and Caviar © Greg DuPree Topped with tender smoked salmon and black or golden caviar, this chive-laced pizza from legendary chef Wolfgang Puck is the perfect high-low combination for any party. Get the Recipe 05 of 24 Smoked Bluefish Spread Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This easy and luscious dip from culinary historian Jessica B. Harris combines smoked bluefish with fluffy whipped cream cheese, tangy whole-milk yogurt, and dashes of tangy hot sauce and horseradish. Get the Recipe 06 of 24 Barbecued Oysters with Smoky Uni Butter Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Max Rappaport A smoked paprika uni butter takes these roasted oysters from chef Brandon Boulet over the top. They're perfect with a squeeze of lemon. Get the Recipe 07 of 24 Smoked Sausage Wreath Abby Hocking This holiday-ready appetizer comes together easily thanks to store-bought puff pastry, smoked sausage, and lingonberry jam. Get the Recipe 08 of 24 Smoky Pineapple Tequila Punch Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley A pureed cold-smoked pineapple is the secret to this crowd-pleasing tropical cocktail with reposado tequila, nutty orgeat, and lime juice. Get the Recipe 09 of 24 Smoked Fish Dip Greg DuPree You can use any kind of oily fish like amberjack, mackerel, or trout for this creamy dip, which gets seasoned with lemon juice, mustard, horseradish, and Old Bay. Get the Recipe 10 of 24 Smoked Cheese Cocktail Cookies Flavored with smoked Gouda and sharp cheddar cheese, these buttery and savory cookies from famous cookbook author Dorie Greenspan get a little kick from a pinch of cayenne. Get the Recipe 11 of 24 Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon, Caviar and Dill Cream © Maura McEvoy These crispy pancakes from Wolfgang Puck are a perfect match for smoked salmon and caviar, especially when served with dill-flecked crème fraîche. Get the Recipe 12 of 24 Smoked Salmon Smørrebrød © Marcus Nilsson Serve guests a hearty appetizer with these open-faced rye sandwiches from chef Claus Meyer, topped with buttery smoked salmon, a tangy horseradish cream sauce, and a fennel apple salad. Get the Recipe 13 of 24 Smoked Bluefish Pâté © Tina Rupp This creamy, smoky pâté from chefs Gabriel Frasca and Amanda Lydon is brightened up with fresh parsley and lemon juice. Get the Recipe 14 of 24 Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs © Michael Turek Chef Michael Mina upgrades a classic deviled egg filling with chopped smoked salmon, Dijon mustard, and cornichons. Smoked-Salmon Deviled Eggs 15 of 24 Cracklings with Smoked Paprika © John Kernick These jalapeño and coriander-seasoned pork cracklings from chef Michael Symon are fried to crispy perfection, then rolled in a smoked paprika salt for what might just be the perfect drinking snack. Get the Recipe 16 of 24 Smoked Salmon Crisps © Quentin Bacon For these iconic canapés from chef Thomas Keller, buttery tuiles are topped with melt-in-your-mouth smoked salmon and tangy crème fraîche. Get the Recipe 17 of 24 Smoked Salmon-Stuffed Puffs © Quentin Bacon The surprise inside these ethereal puffs from chef Gabriel Kreuther: a smoked salmon and cream cheese filling that gets a little tang from Dijon mustard. Get the Recipe 18 of 24 Smoked Trout and Caper Cream Cheese Toasts © Michael Turek These loaded English muffins would be equally appropriate served at a party or special brunch. They're easily adaptable to any smoked fish or bread you have on hand. Get the Recipe 19 of 24 Smoked Salmon Toasts with Mustard Butter © Fredrika Stjärne These crostini from chef David Tanis are smeared with a softened lemony mustard butter, then topped with luscious slices of smoked salmon and bright dill. Get the Recipe 20 of 24 Salmon Martini Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Channel bagel-and-lox vibes into a savory cocktail with this Martini riff from Bar Bruno in Los Angeles, which features a smoked salmon-infused gin and caperberry garnish. Get the Recipe 21 of 24 Herbed Salmon Tartare with Chips Ditte Isager This light and tangy tartare from chef Nadine Levy Redzepi gets its smoky flavor from hot-smoked salmon and is brightened up with cucumbers and cornichons. Get the Recipe 22 of 24 Crab Cakes with Smoky Onion Remoulade © John Kernick Replicate the flavor of smoked onions by charring them under your broiler, then transform them into a smoky-sweet mayonnaise-based sauce to serve with these crispy crab cakes from chef Marc Forgione. Get the Recipe 23 of 24 Texas Smoked Salmon Tartare © John Kernick This snack from chef Dean Fearing is inspired by the classic combination of smoked salmon, red onion, and capers. Here, all three are joined by roasted garlic, lime juice, and jalapeño for a Southwestern spin, then served on a tortilla chip. Get the Recipe 24 of 24 Zucchini Latkes with Red Pepper Jelly and Smoked Trout © Keller & Keller Inspired by zucchini fritters, these crispy zucchini-potato latkes from chef Rachel Klein are perfectly balanced by hot-smoked trout and spicy-sweet jelly. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit