Dilly Cucumber Bites with Salmon

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This elegant appetizer is fresh, light, and simple to make. Zesty, dilly whipped cream cheese, crisp cucumber, and savory salmon come together to make the ideal bite. It’s the perfect healthy snack for parties, game day, or nights in. Let’s whip up a batch!

closeup shot of sliced cucumbers on a tray topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon

Reasons to love cucumber salmon bites

A substantial appetizer spread can often feel like a meal in and of itself. Creamy dips, hearty sliders, and cheesy, breaded, poppable bites… all delicious, but also filling. Sometimes it’s nice to have a light appetizer to balance all of the richness.

I love veggie trays, but we can do better.

Enter… dilly cucumber bites with smoked salmon! These cool, crisp, and zesty hors d’oeuvres can round out any snack table. Whether you’re enjoying game day apps, bringing a dish to pass at a party, or snacking on your own, these bite-sized wonders are sure to liven things up.

They may look elegant, but this no-cook recipe is extremely easy to make.

ingredients on a black slate tray - sliced cucumber and smoked salmon, softened cream cheese, greek yogurt, and a half lemon

Ingredients you’ll need

This is a fantastic last-minute appetizer because it comes together quickly with a short ingredient list. Here are the deets on what you should have on hand.

Cream cheese – Light or regular, it’s all good!
Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt – This adds tangy notes to your whipped cream cheese mixture and thins it a bit. It’s important to use a thick yogurt to avoid making it too runny (hence why I use nonfat yogurt). If you use a thinner yogurt, you may need to add more cream cheese. You can also use sour cream here!
Lemon juice – This also thins and adds tang to the whipped cream cheese mixture. You can add more lemon juice to the mixture if it comes out too thick.
Seasonings – I use dried dill and salt to taste, since they both go so well with cucumber and salmon. See the ‘recipe modifications’ section for more seasoning ideas.
Cucumber – This acts as the base for your whipped cream cheese and salmon!
Smoked salmon – This flavorful topping adds a pop of color and briny, smoky notes to each bite. See the ‘recipe modifications’ section for more topping ideas.

hand holding a cucumber slice topped with salmon and cream cheese and a tray of appetizers in the background

Tips for the best salmon and cucumber bites

Since this is a no-cook recipe, it’s very easy to make. Simply whip up a luscious cream cheese mixture, pipe it onto cucumber slices, and top with smoked salmon pieces. Here’s how I ensure my dilly cucumber bites come out picture-perfect every time.

Whip with a hand mixer – While you certainly can mix the softened cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, and spices by hand, a hand mixer makes the process way easier. I prefer a hand mixer to a food processor because it requires less cleanup.
Prep your piping bag like a pro – Piping your cream cheese mixture onto the cucumbers adds a touch of refinement that makes it look like you tried way harder than you did. To prep your piping bag, follow these steps:
1. If you have a piping tip, attach it to your piping bag or poke it through the corner of a sandwich bag. I like using a piping tip with a coupler to seal the bag.
2. Don’t have a piping tip? Cut off a ¼ inch wide corner of a sandwich bag and use that as your piping tip.
3. Place the bag in a small cup to hold it upright, rolling the opening over the edge of the glass to hold it open.
4. Use a spatula to spoon the mixture into the bag, then pick up the bag and gently twist it to squeeze out any air bubbles.
Pipe with care – To pipe an even rosette shape, place the piping tip on the center of the cucumber slice and apply steady pressure until you achieve the desired size of cream cheese dollop. Go slowly and practice on a plate if needed! (You can always scoop your practice dollops back into the piping bag.)

tray of sliced cucumbers topped with a dollop of cream cheese and a small piece of smoked salmon

FAQs

How do you make a piping bag for the cream cheese mixture?

If you don’t have a piping bag, you can make one from a plastic sandwich bag. If you have a piping tip, poke it through the corner of a sandwich bag. If you don’t have a piping tip, cut off a ¼ inch wide corner of a sandwich bag.

Can you make this recipe ahead?

You can make this recipe about an hour in advance and refrigerate it until serving. Refrigerating it for longer can dry out your cucumber and create unpleasant textures.

The cream cheese mixture can be made further in advance and chilled. Just take it out of the fridge to soften for at least 10 minutes before piping it. The cucumber should be sliced right before serving.

What tools do you need to make this recipe?

You’ll need a hand mixer (or food processor), a small bowl, a large star piping tip (preferably with a coupler), a plastic sandwich bag (or piping bag), a small cup (to rest the piping bag in), and a spatula.

collage of whipped cream cheese preparation steps; top image shows a bowl with a smooth cream cheese and yogurt mixture with flecks of dill in it; bottom image shows the cream cheese mixture being piped onto cucumber slices

Recipe modifications

Different flavors – Use different seasonings to change up the flavor profile of this recipe. Try lemon pepper, paprika, garlic, or onion powder. You can also try a flavored cream cheese like chive, jalapeño, or veggie.
Switch up the toppings – Instead of smoked salmon, you can also try pickled onions, capers, jalapeño, or roasted red pepper.
Vegetarian – Use one of the toppings mentioned in the bullet point above,
Vegan/dairy-free – Top with a veggie instead of smoked salmon, and swap in a dairy-free cream cheese alternative and plain, dairy-free yogurt.
Large-batch – This recipe feeds about 2-10 people (depending on how “snacky” you’re feeling and if there are other apps being served) but you can make a larger batch very easily. Double all of the ingredients (8 oz cream cheese, 1 cup yogurt, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tsp dill, 2 cucumbers, 4 oz smoked salmon) and serve on a large platter.

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