Smoked Salmon Tartine – Le Chef’s Wife

This Smoked Salmon Tartine will be your new favorite brunch recipe. Smoked salmon with capers, lemon, red onion and fresh dill are absolutely exceptional on a slice of toasted sourdough bread slathered with my not-so-secret ingredient, creamy Boursin Cheese. A garlicky, herby cheese that is so popular in France that we can also find in grocery stores in the USA and all over the world.

The addition of Boursin cheese elevates this simple smoked salmon tartine recipe into something that will really impress. The richness of the fish, paired with the acidity of the lemon and capers and the creaminess of the cheese are so yummy – perfect for your next Brunch or light lunch.

WHAT IS A TARTINE?

The word ” tartine” is a French term that means spread. Tartiner means “to spread” – as you would spread the Boursin cheese or butter on your Tartine.

A Tartine is an open face sandwich, very popular in France. Go to any bistro at breakfast or lunch and you will see Tartines offered on the menu.

Tartines can be savory or sweet, dependent on the time of day and your preference. In France it is customary to eat sweet in the morning and for a mid-afternoon snack called le goûter and a savory tartine for lunch or l’apéro.

Ingredients for 2 Tartines

• 2 large Sourdough Bread slices, sliced about ½ inch thick. (you can also use a baguette for this recipe, sliced in half lengthwise, or slices of rye bread)
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 4 tablespoons of Boursin Cheese
• 4 ounces of smoked salmon
• 2 teaspoons of capers
• 1 lemon (for slicing and also to zest the lemon peel)
• 4 thin slices of raw onion
• Fresh dill (a few fronds)

Instructions

• Over medium heat in a non stick pan, heat the butter. Brown both sides of the bread slightly, for just a couple minutes each side until golden brown.
• Allow a few minutes for the bread to cool and then generously slather the Boursin Cheese onto the grilled bread. Top with smoked salmon, I recommend bunching up the salmon slices a bit (like the photo) so that you are not lying the slice of salmon flat on the bread. It makes for a prettier presentation
• Top with the capers, sliced red onion, lemon slices and dill fronds as well as a little lemon zest.
• If you wish, you can add a few grinds of black pepper and a good pinch of sea salt.
• If you don’t have dill fronds, feel free to use the fresh herbs that you have – chives or parsley work really well.

If you are able to find walnut bread with crunchy walnut pieces, I highly recommend! The bread makes a fantastic nutty base for the smoked salmon.

What to serve with a Smoked Salmon Tartine.

Soft Scrambled Eggs or hard-boiled eggs are delicious. Fresh steamed asparagus or zesty salad like this Salad Mentonnaise work beautifully too.

How to make homemade Boursin Cheese – Boursin Cheese Substitute

If you can’t find Boursin Cheese near you, this homemade version is a great substitute!

•  4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon chopped fresh basil
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon chopped fresh chives
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon fresh thyme
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh dill
• 1 clove of Garlic, grated

Mix together until fully incorporated and spreadable.

Can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Tartine Recipes

I wrote an entire blog post on French Tartines which you can find here.

Tartines are not as popular in the United States yet (we love our sandwiches between two slices of bread!), but I love this lighter and sometimes more creative option of our everyday sandwich.

A tartine served with a light salad would be perfect for a nice brunch or lunch. La Salade Mentonnaise would pair beautifully with a Fresh Fig, Proscuitto and Marscapone Tartine.

Finger food

Tartines can be a great finger food or appetizer for your next brunch party. Simply cut the tartines into 4 triangles for beautiful bite size pieces, just perfect for special occasions.

Variations

You can add a sliced avocado (like Tatte Bakery does) or a thin slice of beef tomato. 

SAVORY TARTINES

These are only a few suggestions for French Tartine Recipes, by using different toppings you can create a wide variety of tartines!

A Fig and Prosciutto Tartine makes for a perfect light lunch. Take a slice of bread, top with some fresh marscapone, salty prosciutto and some fresh figs and voila! you have a delicious lunch. Accompany with a green salad topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and you would swear you have just lunched in your favorite French bistro.

For a vegetarian option I love spreading a thick layer of goat cheese topped with steamed asparagus, a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh thyme.

My favorite for brunch is a Salmon Tartine is with cream cheese, smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion, capers and a little bit of lemon zest and black pepper.

Le Chef came up with a creative take on the Tomato Burrata and Basil Tartine by adding fresh strawberries. It really elevates the dish!

OTHER LE CHEF’S WIFE RECIPES YOU WILL ENJOY

Easy French Crêpes Recipe

French Toast

Let me know if you make this delicious smoked salmon tartine recipe. If you enjoyed it please leave a star rating on the recipe card below.

Au plaisir,

Le Chef’s Wife

ABOUT LE CHEF’S WIFE

Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (6 and 3) and I work full time in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.

Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:

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