If there's anything we love around here, it's a good, easy lox appetizer! These Puff Pastry Lox Squares are so simple to make and taste ridiculously good!
You can't go wrong with flaky buttery puff pastry and salty & smoky smoked salmon. 6 ingredients, 10 minutes of prep time, and you've got a lox appetizer that anyone will love!
Puff pastry appetizers
Puff pastry makes the most amazing appetizer no matter what you stuff or top it with, doesn't it?? And when you take one of my favorite ingredients—lox— and combine it with creamy cream cheese and a little bit of 'bite' from onions and capers, then stuff it into a flaky, puff pastry square... you get the most AMAZING appetizer!
This recipe uses frozen puff pastry that you will need to cut into squares. Then you will 'score' a border in each square. This means that you'll simply take a knife and cut a smaller square inside your puff pastry square, but not all the way the bottom. You will not be cutting out the square, leave it all together in one piece.
After the puff pastry bakes, you'll be able to gently push in the center and form a little cup. The cup will be filled with a super easy, delicious cream cheese mixture, and of course—thin delicious pieces of lox!
These lox puff pastry squares are best served warm, but they're just as delicious if you want to leave them out on an appetizer tray!!
Related recipe: Potato Lox Bites
Ingredients
- 3 oz smoked salmon (aka lox, nova salmon, or gravlax. Use store-bought or homemade lox)
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (½ box, typically)
- 8 oz whipped cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons capers (I recommend small capers so they're not overpowering!)¼ cup red onion, finely diced (see ingredient notes below)
- 1-2 green onions, finely diced (¼ cup - see ingredient notes below)
More puff pastry appetizers to try: Brie and Pear Puff Pastry
Equipment
You'll need a large baking sheet and parchment paper for this recipe.
Related recipe: Smoked Salmon Egg Sandwiches
Ingredient notes and tips
This recipe can be customized to your tastes and ingredients you have available so easily! Read the ingredient tips below:
If you don't like capers, add a little tang to the cream cheese by using diced pickles or diced olives
If you don't like raw onion (I'm not always in the mood for it), just skip it!
Don't have green onions? Use chives or some fresh minced dill! Dill pairs perfectly with smoked salmon.
Don't have whipped cream cheese? You can use regular cream cheese and let it soften completely to room temperature so that you can stir in the capers and so it doesn't break the delicate puff pastry.
This recipe makes 9 puff pastry lox squares. You can easily double the recipe. If you're not doubling the recipe, just put the other puff pastry sheet in the freezer immediately after taking the first one out so it doesn't thaw.
More easy appetizer ideas: Brie and Blackberry Pinwheels
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Roll out the puff pastry once it's thawed and cut one sheet into 9 squares. Use a knife to score a square border ½ inch from the edge, taking care not to cut all the way through.
Step 3: Transfer the squares to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy.
Step 4: While the puff pastry bakes, combine the whipped cream cheese and capers in a small bowl. If needed, cut the lox pieces in half so the pieces are not too large.
Step 5: Allow the puff pastry to cool for 10 minutes, or until safe to touch. Use a spoon or your clean hands to gently press the center down to form a small square cup.
Step 6: Add about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese caper filling in the center of each puff pastry square. Top with salmon slices and sprinkle with red and green onions. Enjoy immediately, or serve within an hour for best flavor and texture.
More easy appetizer ideas: Pizza Pinwheels
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Puff Pastry Lox Appetizer
Ingredients
- 3 oz smoked salmon aka lox, nova salmon, or gravlax. Use store-bought or homemade lox
- 1 puff pastry sheet thawed (½ box, keep the the other sheet frozen if not doubling the recipe)
- 8 oz whipped cream cheese or regular cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons capers or to taste, I recommend small capers
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- 1-2 scallions finely minced
Special equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent puff pastry sticking to the baking sheet.
- Roll out the puff pastry once it's thawed and cut one sheet into 9 squares. Use a knife to score a square border ½ inch from the edge, taking care not to cut all the way through.
- Transfer the squares to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- While the puff pastry bakes, combine the whipped cream cheese and capers in a small bowl. If needed, cut the lox pieces in half so the pieces are not too large.
- Once the puff pastry cools, use a spoon or your clean hands to gently press the center down to form a small square cup.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese caper filling in the center of each puff pastry square. Top with salmon slices and sprinkle with red and green onions. Enjoy immediately, or serve within an hour for best flavor and texture.