Smoked Salmon Wreath with Cream Cheese & Pickled Onions

I made this smoked salmon wreath for the first time last Christmas, and it was such a success that I’ve made it several times since. It looks impressive but is actually very simple to put together. The mix of cream cheese, dill, pickled onions, cucumber, and smoked salmon works really well, and it always gets compliments. It’s a great starter for any special occasion and always goes down well.

I like that it looks fancy without any fuss. You can also switch up the ingredients depending on what you have, so it’s easy to adapt. If you’re after a simple but tasty dish to kick off a festive meal, this one is worth trying.

My homemade quick pickled onions can be made a few days in advance to develop more flavour so they add a nice tangy crunch. Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature so it’s easier to mix, and the lemon juice and dill will give it a fresh taste. Use a vegetable peeler for the cucumber ribbons and roll them into spirals for a decorative touch. Fold the smoked salmon into loose rolls or ruffles to add texture. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky salt, and a few extra sprigs of dill to bring everything together.

Serve with crackers, bread or crostini on the side.

If you have any leftovers from the smoked salmon wreath, they make a great topping for crostini the next day. I used the remaining cream cheese, capers, dill, cucumber, and pickled red onions, along with a few pomegranate seeds and a touch of fresh mint. It’s an easy and delicious way to turn leftovers into a fresh, festive bite.

Making crostini is quick and simple! Start by slicing a baguette into thin pieces and brushing each slice with olive oil. Toast the slices in the oven at 190°C for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Let them cool, and they’re ready to be topped with the leftovers!

Recipe

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🎄🧑‍🍳🍣🥂🌱🍋🐟🥒🍴🥯🍷🎉🍊🍽️

Smoked Salmon Wreath with Cream Cheese & Pickled Onions

• Servings: 8-10
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Rating: ★★★★★
• Print

A vibrant and festive smoked salmon wreath with creamy dill cheese, pickled onions, and fresh cucumber, perfect for any special occasion.

Recipe Credit: @the_macpherson_diaries
𝗧𝗶𝗽 : The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature, if it isn’t warm enough to mix well, you can place it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften.

Ingredients

• ½ red onion, finely sliced into rings
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cucumber
• ½ packet of dill, stems removed
• 250 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 lemon
• 40 grams of salad greens
• 300 grams smoked salmon
• ½ pomegranate, seeds removed
• Good quality olive oil
• Flaky salt

Directions

1. Make red onion pickle: Take a medium-sized jar, add the onions, sugar, and vinegar. Place the lid on and shake a couple of times to combine. Set aside to pickle. Check out my pickle recipe: Get the Recipe
2. Peel cucumber: Take a vegetable peeler and peel ribbons of the cucumber. Set aside.
3. Chop dill: Finely chop ¾ of the dill and place in a medium-sized bowl with the cream cheese.
4. Prepare lemon: Take the lemon, cut around 5 nice thin slices, and set aside. Squeeze the rest of the lemon into the bowl with the dill and cream cheese and mix well.
5. Assemble wreath: Take your large platter and spread ¾ of the cream cheese mixture onto it, leaving a small circle in the middle. This is the shape your wreath will take.
6. Add salad greens: Place some salad greens sparingly around the cream cheese.
7. Shape cucumber: Take your cucumber and roll it to give a rough flower/spiral shape. Place these randomly over your cream cheese. The cream cheese helps them stay in place.
8. Add salmon: Do the same with the pieces of smoked salmon, arranging them around the wreath.
9. Top with pickled onions: Now add the red onions, followed by little clusters of pomegranate seeds. Then add the slices of lemon.
10. Pipe cream cheese: Put the remaining cream cheese mixture in a piping bag and pipe around the wreath.
11. Finish: Drizzle a delicate amount of olive oil over the wreath, and sprinkle with flaky salt. Add the remaining dill sprigs, making sure they are nice and small so you just get a little piece when eating.
12. Serve: Serve with crackers and the remaining pickled onions on the side for people to drizzle on more if they desire.
13. 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹: For extra flavour, drizzle a little lemon juice and top with fresh dill just before serving.

Check out my other Christmas recipes: Go to Janet’s Christmas Recipes

Nutrition

Per Serving: Calories: 300–350, Protein: 15–20g, Fat: 22–28g, Saturated Fat: 6–8g, Carbohydrates: 6–8g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 3–5g, Cholesterol: 40–60mg, Sodium: 400–500mg, Vitamin C: 20%, Calcium: 8–10%, Iron: 4–6%.

Don’t lose it — Pin it! Save this recipe to Pinterest or share it with a friend so you can find it again. ♡ Janet