This smoked salmon pizza is a deliciously simple combination of a thin and crispy crust, delicate smoked salmon, creaminess and little bursts of briny capers and onion. It's easy to make and great as an appetizer and more.
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Growing up in Scotland, smoked salmon is definitely one of those things you find appearing in many dishes in restaurants and in homes. It was always a go-to in our house as part of an appetizer for festive meals and would appear in different ways.
On this site, I've shared a few dishes inspired by things I have enjoyed over the years using it, like my favorite smoked salmon pate and smoked salmon bruschetta. And it felt about time for another one, that's equally good as an appetizer, but also more versatile.
A simple, tasty combination
The topping combination in this pizza is mainly inspired by the classic American bagel filling of lox with cream cheese, capers and red onion. However in this case, it also takes a slightly French twist.
Instead of a true pizza base, I've used the base for flammekueche (also called Flammkuchen or tarte flambée) which is a kind of flatbread/pizza from the Alsace region on the border or France and Germany. Instead of a yeasted dough, the base is unleavened but rolled very thin so it becomes crisp as it bakes.
As a result, the dough for the base is really quick to make and you don't need to wait for it to rise at all, just rest slightly as you prepare the toppings.
I've also drawn on flammekueche by using seasoned crème fraîche over the dough base. While it does melt into the dough, it leaves a gentle creaminess which is so tasty. I then added a little more after it comes out the oven so you can get more of the creamy taste.
The onions go on top before baking so they can soften and become gently sweet, but the smoked salmon goes on after. Personally, I'm not as big a fan of cooked smoked salmon's texture or flavor which is stronger rather than as delicate.
The whole thing only has a few ingredients, but they all come together deliciously.
Alternative for the base
While I think the thin, crisp base works well, you can also use a more traditional pizza base here - feel free to use your favorite dough recipe or use ready-made. You could also use things like pita bread or a flatbread like piadina instead. Whatever you use, I recommend a thin base since the toppings are relatively light and delicate.
If you prefer, particularly with more pizza-like bases, you could bake the base just with some olive oil drizzled over it then add the creamy layer after so it's more distinct. That said, it does work nicely melting into the base, too. For ready-cooked bases, I'd warm them gently under the broiler/overhead grill.
I really like using crème fraîche as it has a great balance of rich creaminess with a slight sour tang - it's similar but not quite the same as sour cream as it has a higher fat content and doesn't use any thickeners. However if you can't find it, you can use a couple of alternatives.
Mexican crema or Slavic smetana are both very similar and would be great substitutes. Alternatively, some sour cream with a little Greek yogurt mixed in would also be good. You could use cream cheese, but personally I prefer the slightly lighter texture and more delicate tang crème fraîche gives.
Topping variations
In terms of toppings, while the smoked salmon is of course pretty key to this, you can change up what else you add. I added the red onion as it pairs really well and adds color, but white onion would also work. You could skip the onion but it adds a good flavor too.
I only used a few capers so they don't overpower the salmon, but if you're not a fan you could skip these. You could add some olives instead, or some sprigs of dill for an alternative splash of color and flavor.
Other ideas if you want to add to the toppings are to add some arugula (rocket) to add a bit more punchy flavor and some sliced hard boiled egg to give it more of a brunch-like feel. You could also add some sliced pepper or tomatoes, for example. It's certainly adaptable, so feel free to play around!
In terms of serving, it's pretty flexible what meal it would fit in to and when. It's relatively snack-y so makes a great appetizer, but could also be a light meal with for example a salad on the side. You could also serve it as part of a lunch/brunch too.
This smoked salmon pizza (or flatbread, you could say) is easy to make, with just a few ingredients, but with lots of tasty flavors. Well worth enjoying whenever you can.
Try these other pizza/flatbread style favorites:
- Lahmacun (Turkish pizza/flatbread with a meat and tomato topping)
- Catalan coca (Spanish pizza with a pepper, onion topping)
- Bacon corn pizza (a fun summery pizza, packed with flavor)
- Plus get more appetizer recipes in the archive.
Smoked salmon pizza
Ingredients
For the base
- 1 cup all purpose flour plain flour
- 1 tbsp oil (olive oil/vegetable oil as you prefer)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water or a little more as needed
For the topping
- ¼ red onion medium
- 4 tablespoon creme fraiche divided
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 2 oz smoked salmon
- 1 teaspoon capers drained
Instructions
For the base
- Mix together the flour, oil, salt and water in a bowl. If it's too dry and won't come together, add a little more water (as you may need to), but it will be a relatively dry dough. Knead for a minute then set aside while you prepare the toppings.
For rest of pizza
- Preheat the oven to 450F/230C. Line a large baking sheet/tray (half sheet) with parchment.
- Slice the onion into thin slices - these can be lengthwise, halved if very long, or quarter rings, as you prefer. Add the salt and pepper to the creme fraiche and mix well. Tear the smoked salmon into small pieces and chill until needed.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a circle/oval as thin as you can (around ⅛in/3mm).
- Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet then spread ¾ of the creme fraiche mixture over the top, leaving a space around the edge without any topping.
- Scatter the onions evenly over the creamy mixture then bake for around 10 minutes until the edges are lightly brown and crisp and the toppings are just starting to color.
- Let it cool a minute, then add the smoked salmon on top. Dot the remaining creme fraiche over the top then add the capers evenly (you can also add additional toppings, if you like, as mentioned above) before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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