Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board

This Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board is a unique take on a classic grazing board that works especially well for a festive brunch. It’s piled high with smoked salmon garnished with capers and fresh dill, soft and hard cheese, fresh veggies, berries, baby pickles and red onions.

round wooden charcuterie board piled with smoked salmon, fruit, veggies, pickles, pretzel crisps and veggies.

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Why you will love this recipe
Ingredient notes
How to make Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie board tips and tricks
Recipe FAQs
More ideas to try
Recipe
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Meet the Author

Why you will love this recipe

There are so many reasons to be excited about this charcuterie board!

Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board looks very impressive but it’s actually super easy to make!
It’s a fun way to serve smoked salmon to a crowd.
Perfect for any lox and cream cheese bagels’ fans out there!
Super customizable – as long as you have smoked salmon, cream cheese and bagels, crackers or bagel chips, you can use whatever other ingredients you like.
Serve it for Mother’s Day brunch, family Easter breakfast or a festive brunch or lunch with friends.
Since it’s all served on one board, there is minimal clean up involved.
Make sure to also check out my Fall Charcuterie Board using Trader Joe’s ingredients and Easter Grazing Platter for more fun grazing board ideas.

This charcuterie board is featured in this post compiling 20 Best Appetizer Charcuterie Boards. Find some more board ideas there!

Ingredient notes

Smoked Salmon: any sliced smoked salmon will work. I used smoked and flame roasted Norwegian salmon from Sam’s Club.
Cream Cheese: to make mini lox & cream cheese bagel sandwiches. Or use blended cottage cheese for a healthier swap!
Sliced Cheese: use whatever you have on hand: cheddar, gouda, Havarti or fontina will all work great.
Boursin Cheese: one of my favorite creamy but crumbly cheeses to use in cheese boards. Shallot & chive is the flavor I picked for this board but any Boursin cheese will be great.
Pretzel Chips: the flat, salty pretzel is perfect for scooping soft cheese. Our family is obsessed with these pretzel crisps by Snack Factory.
Radishes: you can use a different crunchy veggie, such as carrot or cucumber, too. I like radishes for their vibrant color.
Baby Dills or Cornishon Pickles: tiny pickles are a great addition to any charcuterie board!
Berries: I think the combo of halved strawberries, blueberries and blackberries or raspberries looks really pretty.
Sliced Red Onions & Capers: for some serious lox bagel vibes.
Fresh Dill: it adds a great fresh taste to the board. Plus, dill and salmon is always a winning combo.

How to make Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board

STEP 1: Line the board with parchment paper. This will make clean up easier!

STEP 2: Start with smoked salmon slices. Then add the soft cheeses: cream cheese in a small bowl and Bourisn cheese directly on the board.

two stages of assembling smoked salmon charcuterie board, side by side photos.

STEP 3: Fill the outer edges of the board with sliced cheese, halved strawberries and pretzel chips.

STEP 4: Add cornishon pickles (or baby dills) and sliced red onions in a small dish.

STEP 5: Fill the empty areas with halved radishes, blackberries and blueberries.

STEP 6: Add finishing touches. Sprinkle the salmon slices with chopped capers and fresh dill. If desired, sprinkle the cream cheese with some Everything Bagel seasoning.

final two two stages of assembling smoked salmon charcuterie board, side by side photos.

Charcuterie board tips and tricks

Line your board with paper. It will prevent your board from absorbing salmon smell and make clean up easy!
Use a mix of soft and hard cheese. Cream cheese works beautifully with bagels and but I like to throw in some sliced hard cheese, too, such as cheddar or gouda.
Add fresh fruit. Not only will this make your board colorful and interesting, but it will also provide a nice boost of vitamins and fiber. Berries, sliced apples and grapes are my go-to grazing board fruit.
Use raw crunchy veggies. Radishes, cucumbers and carrots will work best.
Fill in the gaps. You want your board to look very full so if there are any empty looking spots, just fill them with extra crackers or more fruit.
Provide a gluten free option, especially if any of your guests is sensitive to gluten. gluten free Pretzel Crisps are a great choice!
Don’t forget the utensils. Little forks, spoons and spreaders will make serving your board easy and accessible.
Looking for more charcuterie boards? Try this Small Charcuterie Board that's great for 2-3 people.

round wooden charcuterie board piled with smoked salmon, fruit, veggies, pickles, pretzel crisps and veggies with hands holding half a bagel and a small spreader.

Recipe FAQs

What's the best board to use?

Use whatever board you have on hand! The board I used is a 12-inch round paddle board I bought at Home Goods a while ago. You can get a similar paddle board on Amazon. If the board you have is smaller or bigger in diameter, just adjust the amount of ingredients. You want it to look full!

How do you say "charcuterie" and what does it mean?

It's pronounced u0022shaar-koo-ta-reeu0022. This French word usually means an assortment of fancy cured meats and cheeses served on a wooden board.

What cheese goes well with salmon?

Bagels and cream cheese are a brunch classic, of course, but creamy and fatty smoked salmon also pairs exceptionally well with fresh, crunchy veggies such as cucumbers, radishes and carrots. Brined capers, fresh dill, lemon and sliced red onions are some other classic condiments often served with smoked salmon.

Can I store the leftovers?

It depends on how long your board has been out at room temperature. If it's more than an hour, I probably wouldn't save the smoked salmon. Other ingredients, such as cheese, fruit and veggies can be salvaged and stored in the fridge in an airtight containers for a couple days, if they still look good.

Is smoked salmon good for you?

Yes! Smoked salmon is rich in protein, vitamins and healthy omega-3 fats. At the same time, it is rather high in sodium so it's best to enjoy smoked salmon as an occasional treat, such as in this Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board!

Is smoked salmon the same thing as lox?

No. Lox describes cured salmon that is NOT smoked. Smoked salmon, on the other hand, goes through the process of smoking. Both are usually enjoyed on crackers or bagels and sometimes the word "lox" is used interchangeably with smoked salmon but technically they are different.

If you make this Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board, be sure to leave me a comment and give this recipe a rating. Or better yet, send me a photo! I would love to hear from you and see how it turned out for you! You can also share and tag me on Instagram!

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Meet the Author

Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.

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