Cucumber Canapés with Smoked Salmon Mousse

Elegant bite-sized cucumber cups filled with a silky smoked salmon mousse. The refreshing crunch of cucumber perfectly balances the creamy, rich mousse made with smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, and lemon. A beautiful, healthy appetiser ideal for parties, finger food platters, or festive gatherings. These canapés are visually striking, easy to prepare in large batches, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Instructions

1. 1

   Place smoked salmon, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.

2. 2

   Fit a piping bag with a wide star tip nozzle (1.5–2 cm). Transfer mousse into the bag and refrigerate for 5 hours to firm.

3. 3

   Slice cucumbers into 1.5 cm thick rounds. Use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out a shallow well in the center of each slice.

4. 4

   Pipe chilled mousse into cucumber cups, filling generously with decorative swirls.

5. 5

   Garnish with dill sprigs and serve with lemon slices on the side. Best enjoyed immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Smoked salmon can be swapped with smoked trout or another smoked fish, even if it is not thinly sliced.

• Cream cheese in some regions is only sold as spreadable in tubs. If using that softer version, skip the sour cream.

• Salt – use sparingly since smoked salmon already contributes significant saltiness to the mixture.

• Cucumbers – Long English cucumbers are ideal because they are less watery, which keeps the mousse flavour concentrated. Standard cucumbers also work well. Scooping creates a better mousse-to-cucumber ratio while reducing wateriness.

• Assembly shortcut – If you do not scoop cucumber centres, slice them thinner for a similar balance between cucumber and mousse.

• Make-ahead – Prepare mousse and store in a piping bag up to 3 days in the fridge. Cut cucumbers in advance, then assemble close to serving. Once filled, cucumbers start releasing water within 30–45 minutes.

• Variations – Base mousse can be adapted: (a) Sun-dried tomato version: replace salmon with 225g sun-dried tomatoes in oil plus chives; (b) Olive version: replace salmon with 200g green or black olives, plus parsley or chives. For olives, keep a slightly chunky texture rather than blending completely smooth.

• Serving – Best served as a finger food for parties. Pairs well with crisp sparkling wine or dry white wine.

• Nutrition – Per piece: approximately 26 calories, 1g carb, 1g protein, 2g fat.