Delicious appetizers often get a bad rap for being too difficult to make, but these fancy but oh-so-simple Salmon & Leek Phyllo Tartlets are about as easy to make as they get. Imagine layers of buttery, flaky phyllo, melted creamy leeks, and flaky salmon all topped by a scrumptious sauce. That’s what these easy phyllo tartlets are all about, and I just know you’re going to love them.
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Melted leeks – leeks cooked low and slow in butter and then simmered in cream – are just about one of my favorite things on the planet. They’re so incredibly good – they’re creamy, have a mild leek flavor, and are just super scrumptious. They also pair amazingly well with salmon, and when you use cooked salmon for these tasty tartlets, the only cooking is the leeks, which you can do ahead of time.
When I was working as a full-time chef, a large part of my job was handling catering orders, and boy, did people like their finger food. These Salmon & Leek Phyllo Tartlets look and taste amazing, and everything can be prepared ahead of time so all you need to do is assemble them. We sold a bajillion of these and for good reason – they’re delicious!
What you’ll love about Salmon & Leek Phyllo Tartlets
- They’re easy to make and you can use leftover salmon to make them even easier.
- Prep everything ahead of time and then serve. They’re great at room temperature, so you don’t even need to heat them.
- These tartlets are crazy delicious and the flavors, the textures, the temperature contacts – it’s all just culinary magic.
Ingredients
- Cooked salmon – Flaked.
- Leeks – You’ll need about 4 cups of sliced leeks, that’s about 2 leeks.
- Butter – I cook with salted butter.
- Heavy whipping cream
- Mini phyllo shells – You can buy these already prepared in many large grocery stores. You’ll need 12-16 tartlet shells.
Seafood sauce
- Sour cream
- Chopped dill
- Chopped parsley
- Shallots – Minced.
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Capers
- Salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Salmon & Leek Phyllo Tartlets
- Trim the leeks and cut them lengthwise, then cut each length into half moons. Transfer the sliced leeks to a colander and rinse well under cold running water to clean them. Shake them dry.
- Transfer the leeks to a large skillet and add the butter. Cook the leeks over medium-low heat until they’re soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add the heavy whipping cream to the leeks and cook over low, barely simmering, until reduced and the leeks are jammy but not too saucy.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add a rounded teaspoon of leeks to the bottom of each phyllo tartlet. Top with a few flakes of salmon, a small teaspoon of seafood sauce, and a sprig of dill. Serve and enjoy!
To make the seafood sauce
- Combine the sour cream, chopped dill and parsley, minced shallots, lemon zest and juice, and capers in a bowl. Mix to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Step By Step Process
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- When cleaning leeks, ensure they are thoroughly washed to remove all the dirt trapped in the layers.
- Don’t rush the cooking of leeks; low and slow is the key to achieving the perfect texture.
- For the seafood sauce, taste as you go and adjust the seasoning according to your preference.
- This recipe is great for making in advance and assembling just before serving to ensure the tartlets remain crisp.
Recommended
Make It A Meal
These Salmon & Leek Phyllo Tartlets are the perfect bite. They’re a great starter to decadent meals of Stuffed Seafood or Smoked Beef Tenderloin. Or, serve them as finger food along with a refreshing cocktail featuring crisp Lillet Blanc. You can add them to charcuterie boards or serve them along with other finger foods like pork tenderloin canapes or Parmesan & Prosciutto Pinwheels with buttery puff pastry.
Storage
The components of Salmon & Leek Phyllo Tartlets can be stored separately to retain their best quality. The leek mixture and seafood sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. As for the phyllo tartlets, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze the cooked leek mixture and seafood sauce in separate airtight containers. When ready to serve, simply thaw, reheat the leeks gently, and assemble the tartlets for a quick and impressive appetizer.
Salmon and Leek Phyllo Tartlets
Ingredients
- 6-8 ounces cooked salmon filets
- 4 cups sliced leeks about 2 large leeks
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¾ cups heavy whipping cream
- dill optional garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 16 mini phyllo shells
Sauce:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 2 tabelspoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 tablespoons capers roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim the leeks and cut them lengthwise, then cut each length into thin half moons. Transfer the sliced leeks to a colander and rinse well under cold running water to clean them. Shake them dry.
- Transfer the leeks to a large skillet and add the butter. Cook the leeks over medium-low heat until they're soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add the heavy whipping cream to the leeks and cook over low, barely simmering, until reduced and the leeks are jammy but not too saucy.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add a rounded teaspoon of leeks to the bottom of each phyllo tartlet. Top with a few flakes of salmon, a small teaspoon of seafood sauce, and a sprig of dill. Serve and enjoy!
To make the seafood sauce
- Combine the sour cream, chopped dill and parsley, minced shallots, lemon zest and juice, and capers in a bowl. Mix to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- When cleaning leeks, ensure they are thoroughly washed to remove all the dirt trapped in the layers.
- Don’t rush the cooking of leeks; low and slow is the key to achieving the perfect texture.
- For the seafood sauce, taste as you go and adjust the seasoning according to your preference.
- This recipe is great for making in advance and assembling just before serving to ensure the tartlets remain crisp.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
