These cucumber bites are a quick and easy appetizer that are ready in 10 minutes. They’re a cinch to make and so fun to eat.
Today, I was reminiscing with my daughter about the amazing bagels we used to get at a local deli when we lived in New York. We both agreed that our all-time favorite was sesame seed bagels with smoked salmon spread.
I don’t eat bagels anymore because I’m on a low carb diet, but I wondered if there was a way to make a keto-friendly snack that would capture our favorite bagel flavor.
And that’s how these cucumber bites were born. I topped crisp, cool cucumber slices with three delicious whipped cream cheese spreads (one onion, one smoked salmon, and one sesame seeds) to make a refreshing finger food. You can play around with your favorite toppings for an easy yet indulgent treat.
Bam! What a beautiful appetizer.
You should have seen the happy smiles on the faces of my family when I served these.
Sometimes it’s the little things that are a recipe for happiness. And no guilt here because these cucumber bites are low carb, keto, and delicious.
Ready to make them? Let’s go.
Ingredients
Start with these six ingredients:
- cucumbers
- cream cheese
- avocado mayo
- lemon juice
- dill weed or fresh chopped dill
- and a dash of pepper
Then choose your mix-ins. For example:
- sesame seeds
- onion powder
- smoked salmon
- Or a topping of your choice!
Instructions with step by step images
*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.
For a pretty design, peel your cukes and then score with a fork lengthwise as I do in my cucumber salad. Next, slice them into rounds.
You’ll need softened cream cheese to make your spread. Take it out of the fridge a little while before you’re ready to make your cucumber bites.
Once your cream cheese is softened, blend it with mayo, lemon juice, dill, and a dash of pepper. This is a delicious cheese topping on it’s own.
The fun begins when you add your favorite mix-ins. Here are three examples of mine:
1. Cream cheese and onion
For an onion flavor, just mix in some onion powder. Start with half of a teaspoon and taste to see if you would like more.
2. Cream cheese and sesame
Sprinkle on some sesame seeds. Toasting your sesame seeds really takes them to the next level. Here’s how.
Simply heat them in a dry skillet for about three minutes stirring with a wooden spoon until they’re fragrant and golden. Be careful not to burn them.
3. Cream cheese and cold-smoked salmon
For the most delicious spread of all, chop up some cold-smoked salmon and mix that in.
Sometimes this is referred to as lox spread, but, technically, it’s not lox. Lox would be cured in salt, but not smoked or the quintessential Nova Scotia lox which is lightly smoked. You can tell the difference as the taste of lox is incredibly salty.
I used this quality smoked salmon for mine. I always prefer to buy wild fish because of the many problems associated with farmed fish. This salmon is brined in a flavorful salt recipe and then cold-smoked. Its full flavor is yummy mixed with cream cheese.
These are the three mix-ins that remind me of my favorite bagel flavor. You can go with one of these or choose your favorite flavor.
Pipe your topping onto each slice. I’m using this decorating kit.
You could also spread it on (or schmear it on as they say in New York). Then step aside and watch your friends and family devour them. 😉
Pro tips and recipe notes
- To soften your cream cheese, take it out of the fridge an hour before you’re ready to begin.
- The salmon spread can be difficult to pipe if the chunks are too big to fit through your piping tip so beat the mixture until it’s smooth. Alternatively, spread it on with a knife.
- If you don’t have avocado mayo, you can use regular mayonnaise. I like this avocado mayo as it’s sugar free and tastes delicious.
- Your cream cheese mixture will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Just take it out of the fridge to soften an hour before you’re ready to pipe or spread onto your rounds.
- Once your cucumber bites are assembled, they can be kept in the fridge for several hours until you’re ready to serve.
Be sure to let me know in the comments how you end up topping yours! Or shoot me an email. I’m always looking for more tasty ideas.
I hope you’re having a happy day filled with wonderful surprises. 💕
More fun appetizers
Zucchini Roll Ups: Rolling up zucchini with bolognese sauce and fresh parmesan really takes zucchini to the next level. Wow!
Baked Zucchini Sticks: A beautiful mixture of spices give these baked zucchini sticks a wonderful flavor. Enjoy!
Irish Nachos: These are a fun twist on traditional nachos and one of the most popular recipes on my blog. Crispy, seasoned potato slices are drowned in cheese, bacon, green onions and cilantro.
Mediterranean Salsa: This salsa would make a delicious topping for cucumber rounds too!
Bacon and sausage stuffed mushrooms: These are a classic hors d’
Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers: Homemade sloppy joe stuffed peppers are loaded with seasoned ground beef and chunks of onions and peppers in a bright tomato sauce. Then they’re roasted until browned and bubbly.
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Watch how to make it
10-Minute Cucumber Bites (With Three Amazing Toppings)
Ingredients
- 2-3 cucumbers peeled and sliced into rounds
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons avocado mayo
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dill
- dash of pepper
For cream cheese and sesame spread mix in:
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
For cream cheese and onion spread mix-in:
- 1/2 or 1 teaspoon onion powder
For smoked salmon spread mix-in:
- 2 ounces smoked salmon chopped
Instructions
- Place your softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add mayo, lemon juice, dill and pepper.
- Beat on low until smooth and fluffy.
- Topping 1. For sesame flavored spread, toast your seeds by heating them in a dry skillet on medium heat for about three minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon until they're fragrant and golden. Be careful not to burn them.
- Topping 2. For onion flavored spread, Add onion powder into your cream cheese mixture and beat on low until combined. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and taste to see if you would like a stronger onion flavor.
- Topping 3. For smoked salmon spread, mix your chopped smoked salmon into the cream cheese mixture and beat on low until well combined.
- Set your topping aside and prepare you cucumber slices on a serving dish.
- Then pipe your topping of choice or spread with a knife onto individual cucumber slices. Toasted sesame seeds can be sprinkled on the cream cheese mixture-topped cucumber.
Notes
- To soften your cream cheese, take it out of the fridge an hour before you're ready to begin.
- If you don't have avocado mayo, you can use regular mayonnaise.
- For a pretty design, score your cucumbers with a fork lengthwise before slicing into rounds. You can watch how I do this in the video right above the recipe card.
- The salmon spread can be difficult to pipe if the chunks are too big to fit through your piping tip so beat the mixture until it's smooth. Alternatively, spread it on your cucumber rounds with a knife.
- Your cream cheese mixture will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Just take it out of the fridge to soften an hour before you're ready to pipe or spread onto your cucumber rounds.
- Once your cucumber bites are assembled, they can be kept in the fridge for several hours until you're ready to serve.
- Please note, nutrition information is based on the cream cheese mixture. This will vary with mix-ins.
Nutrition
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[…] Cucumber Bites With 3 Amazing Toppings – These cucumber bites are a quick and easy appetizer that are ready in 10 minutes. They’re a cinch to make and so fun to eat. […]