Smoked Salmon Toast Recipe

Preheat and toast

Preheat a skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Brush both sides of each slice of whole grain bread with olive oil (or spread a little butter if desired). Place bread in the hot pan and toast until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a rack so it stays crisp.

Make the lemon ricotta by placing whole-milk ricotta in a bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, sea salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until smooth and slightly airy. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lemon or salt if desired.

If a smoother spread is preferred, transfer the mixture to a small blender or food processor and pulse once or twice until creamy, then return to the bowl.

Prepare cucumber and onion: thinly slice the half cucumber into rounds (about 1–2 mm thick). If using red onion, slice very thinly and separate into rings. Pat cucumber and onion dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Assemble toasts: spread about 3 tablespoons of the lemon ricotta evenly over each toasted bread slice, leaving a small border. Arrange 2 oz (about a quarter of the package) of smoked salmon per slice in gentle folds on top of the ricotta.

Layer cucumber slices over or alongside the salmon (2–3 slices per toast). Scatter a few red onion rings if using, and sprinkle capers over the salmon if desired.

Finish and garnish: sprinkle chopped fresh dill evenly across all toasts, then grind a little fresh black pepper over each. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for an extra squeeze of lemon juice just before eating.