A light and delicious appetizer, this smoked salmon bruschetta is a simple twist on a classic. It's great for any occasion and quick to prepare.

pieces of smoked salmon bruschetta on plate

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This recipe is inspired by something we had years ago as a little pre-meal amuse bouche at a place called the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh (along with a nice dram of whisky).

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is something I came across a little by accident. I was looking for somewhere interesting to take my then boyfriend (now husband) when we were visiting Edinburgh and came across their restaurant.

We ended up being allowed in to the members' room a bit later and discovered a bit more about the Society itself.

black plate with four pieces of smoked salmon bruschetta

Later, membership became I think the best present I have ever given my husband. In fact so good he recommended it to other friends' other halves and we agreed to make his next year's present a membership renewal. I know, you can say what you like about the lack of surprise but hey, if you're on to a good thing, stick with it sometimes!

Rather than summarize too much what it's all about, take a look at their site if you like whisky. It truly is something special.

Anyway, the salmon bruschetta was a great start to a lovely meal and I knew I needed to try my own take.

smoked salmon bruschetta on plate from overhead

What we originally had was made with salmon with a whisky cure. I did wonder about soaking the salmon in some whisky, but I think I'd be told off at using any of our far-too-good whisky collection.

Plus I didn't want to waste the salmon with an experiment so I have left it. But do give it a try if you like and let me know what you think!

mixing topping ingredients for smoked salmon bruschetta in bowl

Steps to make smoked salmon bruschetta

This is easy to make as all you do is:

Slice and toast the bread.
Dice the tomato, smoked salmon and onion. Finely chop the basil.
Mix the tomato, smoked salmon, onion and basil with a little olive oil, lime, salt and pepper.
Rub the bread with garlic then top with the tomato mixture. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, if you like.

See how it comes together in the short video!

You can easily make the topping and toast the bread ahead of time and just put it together right before you need them. This allows you to keep the bread crisp.

If you make the topping ahead, don't put the basil in too far ahead as it will brown and lose a bit of its punch.

close up of smoked salmon bruschetta on plate with basil garnish

Smoked salmon bruschetta is really easy to make, but with a delicious results. It's one of those things that looks and tastes more impressive than the effort, which is always a good thing if you have guests, in my mind. The flavors are fresh and tasty, without anything too dominant. I hope you'll enjoy it too.

Why not try this as part of a Scottish-themed meal? Here are other ideas to add to the menu:

Chicken with oatmeal stuffing and whisky sauce
Oatcakes topped with smoked salmon or smoked haddock pate
Cullen skink (smoked haddock chowder) or cock-a-leekie soup
A simplified haggis with mashed potato and swede
Cranachan (cream, oat, raspberry and whisky dessert)

You'll also find more Scottish/British recipes in the archives.

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5 from 6 votes