Loaded Smoked Salmon Puff Pastry

This Pastry has “Everything”

This loaded smoked salmon puff pastry is all the flavors of an everything bagel with lox, arranged onto a baked sheet of puff pastry. It’s a perfect dish to make and serve to a group for brunch. Not only is it a show-stopping piece for a brunch buffet, it’s jam-packed with fresh flavors. 

A bagel with lox is one of my favorite dishes of all time. I love the mix of salty, creamy, herby, crunchy ingredients all jammed into one sandwich. This pastry is the fancified version of a bagel with lox. If this was served at a brunch party, you know I’d be coming back for seconds.

The Supplies

Ingredients

To make this everything smoked salmon puff pastry, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Thawed puff pastry 
• Egg
• Everything seasoning
• Smoked salmon
• Thinly sliced red onion
• Apple cider vinegar
• Thinly sliced cucumber
• Small wedges of tomato
• Capers
• Fresh dill
• Fresh chives

• Cream cheese
• Heavy cream
• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

For the exact ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Equipment

In order to make this loaded smoked salmon puff pastry, you’ll need the following pieces of equipment:

• Two large sheet pans
• Pastry brush
• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer
• Cutting board and knives
• Silicone spatula

Frequent Questions

Q: Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

• A: Components of this recipe can definitely be prepared ahead of time! Pickle the red onions, make the herby cream cheese, and bake the puff pastry up to 3 hours in advance. Then, assemble all of the components right before serving.

Q: Will this recipe freeze well?

• A: Unfortunately, no. I do not recommend freezing this recipe to save for later.

Recipe Tips

When making this smoked salmon puff pastry recipe, here are a few tips to make sure it turns out great:

• Take your time when slicing up the vegetables. Nobody is timing you! Taking your time, and using a high quality sharp knife, will help get even, thin slices.
• If you’re wondering on an ingredient to splurge on for this recipe, look for a high quality smoked salmon. It’s the ingredient where you’ll taste the biggest difference. Look for a deli that prepares smoked salmon, if possible!
• Before egg washing the puff pastry, dust off any excess flour from the top. Otherwise, the egg wash may get a bit clumpy.
• When baking the puff pastry, sometimes a large bubble will appear in the center. If you catch this happening in the middle of baking, quickly use a fork to poke a hole in the center of the bubble. This will help the pastry bake more evenly. Just be sure to not leave the oven door open for too long. 

Smoked Salmon Tart Recipe Details

Make the Pickled Red Onion

Before starting the pastry, do a speedy pickle on the red onions. To prepare the onions, thinly slice them and place the slices in a bowl. Pour apple cider vinegar and a big pinch of salt over the top. Let the onions soak in the vinegar mixture, stirring a couple times to ensure the pieces stay submerged. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Bake the Pastry

To start the puff pastry, preheat the oven to 425° F and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl until the yolk is evenly mixed with the egg whites and the water has emulsified into the eggs. Arrange one thawed puff pastry onto each baking tray and use the tines of a fork to poke holes across the entire sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash across each sheet of puff pastry. Sprinkle the “everything” seasoning along the edges of the puff pastry dough. Bake the pastry until golden brown, according to the package directions (mine took about 15 minutes to brown). 

Mix the Herbed Cream Cheese

To make the herby cream cheese, add the room temperature cream cheese and heavy cream to a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip the cream cheese and heavy cream together, until it becomes nice and fluffy. Gently stir the fresh dill, fresh chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper into the cream cheese until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking and set aside at room temperature until you’re ready to assemble.

Bring it All Together

Once the puff pastry is out of the oven, set it aside for about 5 minutes to cool slightly. Use a silicone spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the herbed cream cheese across the center of each puff pastry. 

Arrange the slices of smoked salmon, sliced cucumber, and tomato wedges across the pastry. Add strips of the pickled red onion to the top and sprinkle the capers across the entire thing.

Garnish the pastry with additional fresh herbs, if desired, and slice each one into 9 equal pieces. 

Serve this loaded smoked salmon puff pastry alongside a Lillet Spritz for a perfect brunch combo! Store any leftovers in the refrigerator right away and eat within one day.

If you make this loaded smoked salmon puff pastry, be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating – I can’t wait to hear how it goes. As always, tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook in your photos. It makes me feel like we’re getting to cook together!

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