These Smoked Salmon Crostini with ricotta, dill and cherry tomatoes are the perfect appetizers. I serve them as quick bites on small parties or on a platter for brunch. They’re fresh, crunchy and you’ll definitely want more than one. Plus, they’re so easy to make!
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Ricotta vs Cream Cheese
I make these crostini with ricotta instead of cream cheese. First reason is that I grew up with homemade ricotta and it’s a flavor I love. But secondly, ricotta is healthier than cream cheese because it has more protein and less fat. At least to me that combination is healthier. And finally, I really do think that the ricotta mix with olive oil and dill is a burst of Mediterranean flavors that goes really well with smoked salmon and cherry tomatoes.
How to Make Crostini?
Don’t let the word crostini throw you off! It really tastes delicious and looks amazing but it’s a fancy toast:). Here are my simple steps for crostini:
- Use a long bread like baguette, French bread or artisanal bread from local bakeries. In this case I used a rye bread I like.
- Cut bread in diagonal slices (when using a thin bread like baguette) or regular slices for loaf like breads.
- Brush lightly with olive oil.
- Bake on a flat baking sheet for about 6-8 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (about 200 degrees Celsius). Usually I leave them in until bread gets golden brown.
Tips & Notes
Mix ricotta with olive oil, salt to taste and finely chopped dill. Spread the mix over crostini then layer with smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes and more dill to garnish. That’s how simple this recipe is…
If I’m making this crostini just for me. I also drizzle some more olive oil over it. Place on a plate because it get messy:), but that’s the best part. In the Mediterranean region most dishes are made so you can wipe your plate clean with the last few bites of bread.
Smoked Salmon: smoked salmon is the star ingredient of this recipe. You don’t need to smoke it or cook it. You just need to buy good quality smoked salmon. It makes all the difference.
Wine Pairing: my favorite is champagne for these smoked salmon crostini. Sparkling wine or prosecco will do too. Try to avoid sweet wines for this appetizer.
Smoked Salmon Crostini with Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 bread (baguette or artisanal loaf) i.e. rye bread, Italian wheat, French country bread etc
- 5 ozs smoked salmon buy it already sliced
- 10 ozs ricotta
- 3 tbsps olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tbsps freshly chopped dill
- 10 small twigs of dill for garnish see appetizer picture as reference for size
- salt add salt to taste as ricotta and smoked salmon could already have some salt content
- 1 lemon (optional) slice and serve as garnish on the table
- 20 grape tomatoes, sliced in halves
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (about 200 degrees C).
- Slice baguette or bread in quarter inch slices (about 1 cm thick). Brush with olive oil or drizzle olive oil. Place over parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake for about 6-8 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Mix ricotta with remaining olive oil and chopped dill. Add salt to taste.
- Spread ricotta mix over crostini breads once those are ready. Add slices of smoked salmon. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes and garnish with dill. Serve right away!
Notes
- It’s ok to eyeball the ingredients in this recipe and adjust to what you have on hand. Bread can have more slices or you’ll get leftover smoked salmon etc.
- Use lemon as garnish, cut it in slices. A lot of people like to drizzle lemon juice over smoked salmon. Fresh good quality smoked salmon won’t need it but keep lemon slices handy.
- If you don’t have enough cherry tomatoes it’s ok. You can add 2-3 cherry tomatoes slices and the appetizer will still look amazing.
- If you’re following Mediterranean Diet, try to use homemade ricotta and Whole Wheat bread for this smoked salmon appetizer:). Enjoy!!
Nutrition Label
Nutrition
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Other Recipes
Please feel free to check out several other recipes from my blog.
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