Salmon tartlets (or salmon en croute) are not mini-quiches! Now that I have that out of the way, let's talk about this dish. It's made in small tart pans. I bought these little gems on a shopping trip with my friend. It was one of those things, they were on sale, I bought them! Simple. Anyhow, it took me about two years to finally dig them out of the cupboard and use them.
Salmon is Versatile
Salmon is a favorite at our house. We like it smoked, poached, any which way. I wish I could take credit for this delicious salmon savory tartlets, but alas, I can't. This recipe comes straight from a book on Irish Pub Food, which in the majority of the cases is real food. I am speaking from experience. Anyhow, my husband was flipping through the book the other night and all of a sudden said "Hey, let's make these. And we can finally use those tart pans you've had in the pantry for the last two years." So here we are!
These salmon tartlets are almost like a quiche, but not really. They actually have sour cream, dill and capers and you only use the egg yolks instead of the whole egg. There is no cheese, just delicious smoked salmon in puff pastry. It's the perfect dish to serve for a light lunch or dinner accompanied by a nice salad. Try my arugula salad, it will go great with this dish.
Salmon is a big part of the Irish diet. The Irish are also very concerned where their salmon comes from. Two summers ago while we traveled in Ireland we watched people fishing for salmon in Galway. In the area where they fished a sign hung across the stream speaking out against salmon farms. Needless to say, the salmon we had in Ireland was incredible.
Steps to make salmon tartlets:
- Gather all your ingredients and have them chopped and ready to go. For the crust: flour, butter, salt and water. The filling: sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, capers, egg yolks, smoked salmon or poached salmon chunks, fresh dill, salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Place the flour, salt and butter pieces in a food processor and pulse to combine. It will begin to look like a fine meal.
- Add just enough cold water 1 Tbsp at a time until it starts to pull away from the sides.
- When the dough starts to form a ball it is ready.
- Roll out the dough onto a floured surface and separate into 6 equal balls.
- Roll each ball out and press the dough into tartlet pans that have been greased with some butter to prevent sticking.
- Cut out 6 pieces of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pans and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Chill the dough filled pans for 30 minutes in the freezer. Blind bake for 10 minutes. While the tartlets are chilling and baking, make the filing by combining the sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, capers, salmon, egg yolks and dill in a large bowl.
- Remove the tartlets from the oven and take out the pie weights and parchment paper. Spoon in the filling in equal amounts into each tartlet.
- Bake the filled tartlets for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve with some fresh dill.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I make these in advance? The fillings can be make up in advance and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2 days before you want to bake the tartlets. You can also make the dough and press into the tartlet pans then freeze for a couple days before you blind bake.
- How long can I store the baked tartlets? After they have completely cooled you can store the tartlets in an airtight container for 2 days in the refrigerator. It is best to reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Be sure to bring them to room temperature before reheating.
- Can I freeze the baked tartlets? Yes, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To reheat: wrap them in foil, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake 10-15 minutes. The foil will help keep them from drying out. Keep in mind these are best when fresh baked from the oven.
Want to try more Irish cuisine?
If you want to explore more Irish recipe that I love to make at home, here are a few more to try or bookmark for later.
Dublin Coddle: is a hearty Irish stew made with bangers (Irish sausages), and vegetables. Irish butter cookies are favorite melt in your mouth shortbread cookie recipe that does call for Irish butter, no substitutes. If you want to make a hearty meal for your family then you have to try Guinness beef stew. Serve this heart dish with Irish soda bread or a sweeter version, Irish brown bread.
Adapted from the book The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook
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Salmon Tartlets Recipe Card
Ingredients
To Make the Crust:
- 1 cup flour
- 5 ½ Tbsp butter cut into pieces
- 2-3 Tbsp water cold
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
To Make the Filling:
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp horseradish
- ½ tsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp capers
- 3 egg yolks
- 8 oz smoked salmon (Option: poached salmon cooked and cut into ½ inch pieces.)
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill chopped
- ⅛ tsp Kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp ground pepper fresh
Instructions
To make the dough:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Grease the tartlet pans with butter.
- Place flour, salt, and butter in a food processor. Add just enough cold water 1 Tbsp at a time to bring the mixture together to form a ball.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a cylinder and divide into 6 equal pieces.
- Roll out each circle and fit over the tart pan.
- Cut out 6 pieces of parchment paper to fit over the dough and fill with pie weights.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Blind bake the shells in the oven for about 10 minutes.
- Remove pie weights.
To make the filling:
- In a bowl combine the sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, capers, salmon. Add in the egg yolks and the dill.
- Divide the mixture into the baked tart shells.
- Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
- Can I make these in advance? The fillings can be make up in advance and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2 days before you want to bake the tartlets. You can also make the dough and press into the tartlet pans then freeze for a couple days before you blind bake.
- How long can I store the baked tartlets? After they have completely cooled you can store the tartlets in an airtight container for 2 days in the refrigerator. It is best to reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Be sure to bring them to room temperature before reheating.
- Can I freeze the baked tartlets? Yes, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To reheat: wrap them in foil, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake 10-15 minutes. The foil will help keep them from drying out. Keep in mind these are best when fresh baked from the oven.
Nutrition
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake
These tartlets are so cute, and look delicious!!
Analida
Thanks Michelle! Yes, they are cute. I am all about pretty food! 🙂
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
I am not a salmon fan, but the dough looks fabulous!
Analida
Thanks Kristen. You can do any filling you want.
Christie
I'd have to swap out the salmon, but these look AMAZING!
Analida
You can do any filling you want. Chicken, shrimp, or even a veggie tart would be great.
Denise Wright
That' so nice your husband would flip through a cook book or even know you have tart pans. My hubby would not have a clue about any of the cooking things I have in my house. 😉 We went to Ireland a few years ago and it was wonderful. This looks simply scrumptious. We both love smoked salmon.
Analida
Yeah, he does know his way around the kitchen, I must say 🙂 Isn't Ireland lovely? I am dying to go back! Yes, smoked salmon rocks!!! It's funny, because it didn't start out that way, but over the years he has learned a lot.
Caroline | carolinescooking
I love little individual tartlets like this, the flavors here sound delicious.
Analida
Me too Caroline. I need to come up with other recipes for these little tart pans.
Cathy
This is the perfect lunch! Love the flavors and my salmon loving family will too!
Cathy
Analida
Thanks Cathy! Glad to hear your family loves salmon. Mine does too!!! Maybe next time I will make a double batch. 🙂
Nicola
These look delicious, really mouthwatering!
Analida
Thanks Nicola! 🙂 They are super tasty.
Analida
KC, you are right! Yummy brunch it is! :)They are small so you can eat two!
Kim - Liv Life
We don't eat meat in our house... but salmon is an exception! Especially for my salmon loving college boy whom I can see eating a batch of these all by himself!
Analida
LOL!!! Salmon is so delicious, and so good for you. Yes, college boys do eat a LOT. I have one of those at home 🙂
Carlee
Ooooh! I would love these! We love salmon and don't have it nearly often enough, this looks like a really fun way to make it!
Analida
Yes, it is fun and delicious too!
Lou Lou Girls
This looks so good! Pinned and tweeted. Thanks for coming to our party and sharing such an amazing masterpiece! I hope to see you next Monday @7 because we love to party with you! Happy Thursday! Lou Lou Girls
Analida
Hi Lou Lou Girls! I would love to party with you guys next week,. Thanks for the pin and tweet!
Miz Helen
Your Salmon Tartlets look fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Analida
Thanks Miz Helen! Loved sharing the recipe with you guys! I'll be back!
Daphne
Good Morning Analida, Snap.... I have the same tartlet tins and I also bought them when they were on sale. They are little gems aren't they and I use mine for all sorts of tarts.
I love how you have added the strong flavour of horseradish combined with the capers.... a lovely partnership.
I love your salmon so these delicious little tartlets will be perfect for me.
I popped over to visit you from Miz Helens Full Plate Thursday.
Best Wishes
Daphne
Analida
Hi Daphne, thanks for visiting. YAY, I am so glad someone else has the same tarlet tins. Aren't they great?
Try these out, they are so good. What other tartlets have you made?
Olimpia
Great post, thank you for sharing 🙂
Analida
you are welcome!
Christie
These look so good even though they're salmon. I'd make salmon for the hubs and maybe crab for me. Yum!!
Analida
I think they would be great with crabmeat.
laura@motherwouldknow
These tarts look simply delicious. When we visited Ireland I really enjoyed the food. Whether it was fresh fish or lamb stew, the preparation was excellent. And I loved "soup of the day", in pubs that meant soup made from leftovers from the day or days before, was always yummy - and homemade.
Analida
Thanks Laura, they are really tasty. Yes, the food in Ireland is very good. I especially loved the lamb.
LOL, yes, soup of the day is leftovers soup, just like at home. 🙂
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life
These sound so wonderful, Analida! We love salmon too. My husband doesn't like eggs (sadly) but I could definitely make this for a brunch or the rest of my family when he isn't home. I know I myself would love it!
Analida
Thanks Michelle. Oh no, he doesn't like eggs? 🙂
You can probably find an egg substitute if you want him to try them, if not, sure make them when he isn't home! 🙂
Ben
That looks delicious. I've never heard of salmon tartlets before. I need these.
UMA
I like the way you explained step by step. These tart lets looks delicious. Perfect for parties as a appetizers.
kita
I am totally in love with salmon too and these tartlets look perfect! Sharing them with a friend who hosts brunch - I know shes going to love them.
Paula Montenegro
These are gorgeous little tarts, so beautiful to serve at a dinner party! I can imagine how rich and flavorful they are. A recipe to try soon!
Femi. O
I can't believe I haven't tried this before...I love quiche and salmon so seeing them both on the same plate is like drool city for me so I know I'm saving this!
Debbie
I love your individual tarlet pans..so cute. These salmon tartlet look amazing. I love that they can be made in advance or even frozen. These would be a show stopper at my next brunch , and I can make them ahead of time.
Sara
What an elegant idea for dinner. I have a great piece of salmon sitting in my freezer, just waiting for a recipe like this! I will let ya know how it turns out for me!
Candice
In love with these tartlets! Made them with some leftover salmon instead of smoked, and it was delicious. Cannot wait to make it again, perhaps as a large tart for a brunch!
Analida
Any salmon you have on hand works for these tartlets. I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Natalie
This looks so delicious. Presentation is lovely too. I have a party soon and this will be a perfect addition to my dinning table. Thanks for the recipe. Can't wait to give it a try.
Colin
Made these for the first time but used trout fillet rather than salmon. Easy to make, they turned out really when with pastry that melts. Def making these again. Thanks for the recipe
Colin in Spain
Analida
Hi Colin! Thanks for the tips on using trout! I think I will try with trout next time or some cooked chopped shrimp! Enjoy!