Quick Smoked Salmon Tart 

Updated April 24, 2024

Quick Smoked Salmon Tart 
Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(492)
Comments
Read comments

Reminiscent of a classic bagel with lox, this quick and convenient tart is made with buttery, flaky store-bought puff pastry for a no-rolling-necessary appetizer or light yet satisfying meal. A schmear of sour cream is added after the pastry is baked, followed by smoked salmon and toppings boasting of nothing but freshness: crisp cucumbers, pickled onion, briny capers and fragrant dill. Altogether, this smoky, creamy tart is a surefire hit for any gathering.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ½cup thinly sliced red onion (about ½ small onion)
  • Salt  
  • 3tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1frozen puff pastry sheet (9 to 14 ounces; brands vary), thawed
  • 1cup sour cream or crème fraîche
  • 4 to 6ounces sliced smoked salmon 
  • 1 to 2Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced 
  • 1tablespoon capers, drained 
  • Fresh dill or parsley or both, for serving 
  • Lemon wedges for serving
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

204 calories; 15 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 374 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowI, toss onion with a pinch of salt, then add vinegar and toss again. Set aside, tossing occasionally, until ready to serve.

  2. Step 2

    Line a sheet pan with parchment and lay the pastry on top. With a fork, vigorously poke the pastry, deeply, from edge to edge. This will help it to remain flaky but not puffy (eliminating the potential for air pockets), so the toppings may be easily layered on later.

  3. Step 3

    Place the sheet pan on the middle rack and bake the pastry until golden and flaky, 17 to 20 minutes. (It will rise slightly, but should deflate. If it doesn’t, gently poke a hole and press down lightly on any air pockets). Let cool completely.

  4. Step 4

    When pastry is cool, spread sour cream over the surface like sauce on a pizza. Top with the salmon, cucumber, capers, dill and drained pickled onion. Spritz with lemon and season with pepper. Cut into squares to serve.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
492 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Though I respect the author's choice of sour cream, I might use goat chevre blended with capers in a processor [to make it more spreadable]. Chevre is healthier than sour cream and is quite fantastic with smoked salmon. Yes, I will also make this for a gathering!

Third NYT recipe I made over the weekend and this was the banger. I hadn't made a tart where everything is a topping and not baked on the puff pastry before going in oven. Kind of game changing (?) and made it very fresh tasting. Bravo Christian.

I precut the puff pastry into serving portions before baking. This is excellent as an appetizer or a main.

Delicious! We all loved it, even the person who doesn't like salmon. She took the salmon off her piece and said the flavor was wonderful. I had a bit of creme fraiche and sour cream, so combined them. This will definitely be on our rotation of summer dishes. I might try with goat cheese and/or plain yogurt/Greek yogurt next time.

This is best with one sheet of pastry from a 17 oz box of two sheets. Roll it out a bit, and follow the recipe with full quantities of the toppings. A mixture of half sour cream and half onion and chive cream cheese makes a great first layer, too.

I don't get the 5 stars. Just OK. Nothing sensational.

Private comments are only visible to you.

or to save this recipe.