Holiday Party Appetizer Ideas

Try these two amazing holiday appetizer recipes for salmon nachos for your next party!

Salmon is delicious, beautiful, and can be incorporated into a variety of recipes for easy holiday appetizers. In addition, salmon is high in protein and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, so it is a great choice for holiday appetizer plates.

For some recipe inspiration, I looked in my cookbook Farm Fresh Nutrition, which is about supporting local farmers and eating seasonally, and flipped through to see what ideas I could glean. And the Festive Trout Tostada on page 109 caught my eye. This recipe is so easy, colorful, and tasty, but I wanted to make it a little more seasonal for the holiday. And make it a little easier to eat at a holiday party, so I made a few changes and turned the main dish into an easy holiday appetizer: Cranberry Feta Salmon Nachos!

I have also linked to an article at the end that I published on Substack about surviving those holiday parties!

Adaptation to Make Cranberry Feta Salmon Nachos:

1. I am using smoked salmon instead of smoked trout, but these can be interchangeable.

2.Instead of the summer corn and red bell pepper, I use a few new trimmings of roasted sweet potato and sliced greens such as spinach or arugula.

3. I decided to make the tostada meal into small bites for a holiday appetizer, so I used flat, round tortilla chips. This adaptation has made a colorful and festive option for this time of year! They also make a nice little lunch, too, so now it is more of a salmon nacho, or you could call it a mini salmon tostada.

4. Last but not least, I switched the fresh, summer tortilla salsa to a seasonal winter cranberry salsa that I created. It looks lovely on top of these little treats and gives it a seasonal, festive touch!                          

5. I am also sharing jars of the cranberry salsa recipe that I put together for holiday gifts, along with the appetizer recipe. The salsa goes perfectly on top of these little appetizers! Making the salsa is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, but you could purchase a berry jam and add some pepper or even mix it with a pepper jelly.

5. Top the nachos with some feta cheese.

Here is the Holiday Appetizer Recipe for Salmon Nachos

Cranberry and Feta Salmon Nachos

My seasonal summer recipe has become a new winter holiday appetizer! I converted one of my favorite summer recipes into a lovely, cold seafood appetizer! The corn and peppers in the original recipe have been replaced with sweet potatoes and greens, with dazzling and delicious results! I like to get the hot smoked fish for my recipe, so it is cooked, but you may also love the cold smoked fish.

Makes 24 mini tostadas appetizers ( or could be 4-6 servings for a light lunch and another side)

Small package of round corn tortilla chips, find 24 as flat as you can find

8-ounce package of smoked salmon (I also love to use my local brand, Sunburst Trout )

1 sweet potato

1 cup arugula, or other green combination, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cranberry salsa (recipe follows)

Olive oil to toss sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and chop the sweet potato into bite-sized pieces. Toss potatoes in olive oil and roast for about 10-15 minutes. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make sure that the greens are chopped, the smoked trout/salmon is skinned and torn into small chunks, and the feta is crumbled.

When the potatoes are soft and start to brown, take them out of the oven and allow them to cool. Lay the tortilla chips on a platter or even a cookie sheet. Divide the greens between the chips and then add the sweet potatoes on top of the greens. After that, top each piece with a chunk of trout or salmon and add a dollop of salsa and a sprinkle of feta

Cranberry Salsa

This salsa is a seasonal holiday item to make, and it makes a lovely addition to your holiday meals and parties. I also love making gifts. Because of the acidity of salsa, you can use the hot water bath method to can your salsa. You can find out how to preserve using the hot waterbath method here

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Makes about 8 jelly jars.

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups vinegar

4 jalapeno peppers

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 packages of frozen cranberries

8 jelly jars with rings and lids

Hot water bath kettle

Be sure to wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. You can also seed the peppers if you need a little less heat. For salsa’s you can use a hot water bath to can

Wash and rinse 8 jelly jars and heat them with hot water just before use. Wash and rinse lids and allow them to dry. In a large Dutch oven, add onions, water, vinegar, jalapeno peppers, salt, sugar, and berries. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce the heat, and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Fill the hot mixture into clean, hot jelly jars, leaving ¼-inch head space. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel before adding the two-piece metal canning lids. Process jars in a boiling hot water canner according to directions. I process for 15 minutes and allow the canner to cool before carefully taking them out. Keep undisturbed for about 12-24 hours, making sure that each one is sealed.

Second Smoked Salmon Nacho Idea

In addition to this recipe and the original in my cookbook, check out additional ingredient inspiration for your salmon tacos on one of my taco blog posts using salmon.

What to Serve with This Salmon Nacho/Mini Salmon Tostada Recipe?

These festive mini tostados look and taste perfect for holiday appetizer plates. If you are looking to plan an entire meal that will pair well with them, try these menu ideas:

Holiday Menu Idea using these Salmon Nachos

Cranberry Feta Salmon Nachos (see above)

Rainbow Brussels Sprouts Salad

Farfalle with Parsley, Roasted Peppers and Tofu

Almond Date Chocolate Cake

If you are looking to plan an appetizer party with small bites, here is a menu:

Small Bite Menu Using Seafood Appetizer

Cranberry Feta Salmon Nachos (see above)

Tomato Spinach and Parmesan Crostini

Warm Black Bean and Cheese Dip with Vegetable Crudites,

Blueberry Praline Cheese Bites

Try the Best Holiday Appetizer Idea for Salmon Nachos

I am so glad that you stopped by to check out my best holiday recipe for salmon. I love the cranberry salsa and think that it helps make this mini salmon tostada, but if you are pressed for time, try a premade cranberry salsa or another kind if that is not available. The more I cook, the more I have learned that flexibility and creativity are key!

As an Asheville nutritionist, I love to help middle-aged women find their best way to make healthy eating work for them! Learn more about how I can help here.

Check out my most recent article on Substack here on how to survive the holiday party! You can also find a copy of my free e-book on fighting inflammation in the Midlife Maven’t Toolbox on Substack.

You may also enjoy these holiday breakfast ideas 10 Vegetarian Brunch Recipes for the Holidays – Vine Ripe Nutrition.

http://www.vineripenutrition.com/shop/farm-fresh-nutrition/