Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

Why These Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches Are My Favorite Springtime Appetizer

These bite-sized sammies are light, refreshing, and packed with flavor, making them perfect for any gathering!

• Fancy finger food. These tea sandwiches feel fancy and upscale, perfect for a baby shower, wedding shower, Mother’s Day or Easter—and most definitely an afternoon tea time.
• Simple to make. They’re super easy, taking less than 15 minutes to assemble. 
• Perfectly portable. Whether you’re hosting at home or bringing them to a gathering, smoked salmon tea sandwiches are easy to transport and serve. They’re also easy to eat!

What You’ll Need

Here’s a quick list of ingredients you’ll need to make these tasty little tea sandwiches. Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Bread – I used whole wheat bread, but pumpernickel, rye, or baguettes will also work. 
• Smoked salmon – For rich, savory flavor. You can be ambitious and smoke your own salmon if you have a smoker, but I just buy a package at the grocery store to keep it easy.
• Cream cheese – Plant-based cream cheese is surprisingly good, so if you need to make a dairy-free appetizer, give it a try! 
• Garlic powder – To jazz up the flavor of the cream cheese. 
• Fresh dill – Not a fan? Parsley would work well too.
• English cucumber – Crisp, refreshing, and without all the seeds of a “regular” cucumber.

How to Make Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

These elegant and flavorful smoked salmon tea sandwiches are simple to assemble, making them perfect for any gathering or afternoon tea.

• Cut the bread. Use a small round cookie cutter to cut the bread into circles about the same size as the cucumbers.
• Make the cream cheese. Whip the cream cheese, garlic powder, and dill together with a hand mixer.
• Assemble. Spread the cream cheese onto the bread, then add the cucumbers, smoked salmon, and dill.

Tips and Variations

Here are some helpful tips to make your smoked salmon tea sandwiches a success!

• Make enough for everyone. When making tea sandwiches for a crowd, plan on 2-3 sandwiches per person.
• Don’t throw out the scraps. I save the hole-y bread for making egg in a hole. If you don’t want to make it right now or within the next day or two, you can freeze the bread for it. Another option: let it go stale and pulse it in your food processor to make breadcrumbs.
• Serve fresh. You can make tea sandwiches ahead of time and store in the refrigerator covered with a loose plastic wrap. But I don’t recommend it. The bread can either go soggy or dry out, so I highly recommend making them the day of to keep them fresh and at their best!
• Switch up (or add more) veggies. I recommend sticking with crisp options like thinly sliced radishes or red onion.

What to Serve With Tea Sandwiches

When serving tea sandwiches, consider pairing them with complementary small bites. Think: trays of Lemon Bars cut into bite-sized pieces, Prosciutto Fig Goat Cheese Crostini, and Honey Garlic Grilled Shrimp on small skewers.

How to Store

If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a day. This is not a recipe for freezing!

More Appetizer and Finger Food Recipes

• Cajun Shrimp Sweet Potato Bites
• Easy Ham & Cheese Mini Quiches
• Quick Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
• Herb Cream Cheese Cucumber Bites