Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball

This Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball is the perfect schmear for your favorite bagel with lemon zest, onions and capers. Send out the invites to brunch! 

Cheese balls were one of my paternal grandmother’s favorite things so my mom bought her one just about every Christmas when they were available, I guess for Christmas parties. We didn’t see them for sale the rest of the year. They contained a variety of cheeses and were rolled in nuts. Very festive! 

When I became a grownup, I’d occasionally make her one as well. She wasn’t picky at all. All cheese balls are good cheese balls, a sentiment I now echo. As a kid, I wasn’t such a fan. 

Yep, now I am a big fan of cheese balls for any party occasion. One of the favorite ones I’ve ever made was for Halloween so it was shaped like a pumpkin. My second favorite is spicy and covered in nuts but it’s rivaled by this everything bagel seasoning smoked salmon edition! 

Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball

This cheese ball was inspired by this savory cheesecake recipe. You can use orange colored cheddar but I think using a natural cheddar makes a prettier cheese ball. 

Ingredients - makes a 1 lb or 454g cheese ball

4 oz or 113g extra sharp natural cheddar

1 tablespoon onion, sliced as thinly as possible then minced

4 oz or 113g smoked salmon

1 tablespoon capers

8 oz or 225g cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning, plus extra for sprinkling

zest 1 lemon

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

Method

Grate the cheddar. Using a sharp knife, chop the smoked salmon into small bits. 

Add all of the cheese ball ingredients into a large mixing bowl. 

Mash and stir until well combined and homogeneous. 

Scoop the mixture out on to a piece of cling film and use your hands and the cling film to mold it into a ball. 

Place the cheese ball in a round bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavor to meld, but it can be made a day ahead of serving. 

When chilling time is over, sprinkle everything bagel seasoning on the outside of the cheese ball, pressing it in so it sticks. 

Once it’s sufficiently covered, you can even roll the ball around to make it perfectly round. 

Serve with bagels or crackers or slices of baguette. I cut a large wedge to share with my mother-in-law and she ate hers on toast. It's all good. 

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing cheese ball recipes. Many thanks to our host, Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures. Check out the links below.

• Bald Eagle Cheeseball by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball by Food Lust People Love
• Jalapeno Pecan Cream Cheese by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pineapple Cheese Ball by Our Good Life
• Shaam Savera/Palak Paneer Cheese Ball by Sneha's Recipe

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Baked Salmon Potato Croquettes

Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, these tasty baked salmon potato croquettes are served with tangy lemon garlic mayo. Great as a main or appetizer.

Whenever I have leftover mashed potatoes, I like to make some form of croquette. Sometimes I add a protein like chopped ham or fish and sometimes, I just add a little cheese and egg to make potatoes patties. 

Leftover mashed potatoes are so versatile and go with just about anything. I’ve even been known to add them to quiche filling! These salmon potato croquettes are probably my favorite.

Baked Salmon Potato Croquettes

These can be made with any cooked fish, even canned tuna, preferably albacore tuna in water. Just drain it well! 

Ingredients for about 30 croquettes

For the salmon potato croquettes:

1 fresh salmon fillet, 10 oz or 284g

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

2 red chili peppers

6 green onion tops

1 1/2 lbs or 700g leftover mashed potatoes

2 eggs

Zest 1 lemon

1 - 1 1/2 cups or 70-105g panko 

For the lemon garlic mayo:

3/4 cup or 160g mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional

Method

Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the salmon fillet. Season the fillet well with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Add a drizzle of olive oil to your skillet and pan-fry the salmon for about two minutes each side over a high heat. 

Cover the pan, turn the stove off and leave the salmon to finish cooking for another 4-5 minutes. Ideally, your fish should reach 140°F or 60°C internally, on an instant read thermometer. 

Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. 

Meanwhile, mince the red chili peppers and green onion tops.

Use two forks to flake the salmon. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the leftover mashed potatoes, eggs, flaked salmon, minced chili peppers and green onion tops, along with the zest of 1 lemon.

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and prepare your baking pan by greasing it with a little olive oil and/or lining it with a silicone liner. 

To make the lemon garlic mayo, mix together the mayonnaise, garlic and lemon. Stir well to combine. 

Add the cayenne and stir again. 

Set aside while you make the croquettes. 

Put 1 cup or 70g of the panko in a large mixing bowl. Use a small scoop or a soup spoon to scoop out small golf ball sized portions of the potato croquette mixture into the panko. 

Coat the pieces with panko and use your hands to form round balls. 

Remove the croquettes to your prepared baking pan. 

Continue the process with the rest of the mixture, until all of the croquettes are ready to bake, adding more panko to your bowl, if necessary. 

Since it was only two of us at home that day, I baked just nine to eat for dinner, with a garden salad. I baked the rest the next day to take them up to my mother-in-law’s. Cover any you aren’t baking right away with cling film and refrigerate until ready to bake. Ditto with the lemon garlic mayo.

Bake the croquettes for 15-17 minutes in your preheated oven, or until golden on the outside and hot in the middle. You can turn on broil the last couple of minutes for more color, if desired. 

Serve with the lemon garlic mayo.

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today my blogger friends are sharing recipes made with seafood. Many thanks to our host, Sneha of Sneha’s Recipe. Check out the links below. 

• Baked Salmon Potato Croquettes from Food Lust People Love
• Fried Prawn Masala from Sneha’s Recipe
• Pissaladière from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Shrimp Dip from A Day in the Life on the Farm 

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Smoked Herring Spread

This smoked herring spread is lovely on crackers but I’ve also been known to pile it on a piece of soft bread, fold it in half and call it a sandwich. Its strong flavors stand up well to whatever you want to spread it on or dip into it. (Like carrots, celery or cucumber!)

In the UK, they call smoked herring kippers. They are a beloved breakfast item, either on their own with eggs or in kedgeree, a rice dish of Indian origin. 

Just last summer we were in London staying at a friend’s club and kippers were on the breakfast menu. I did not partake but another table ordered some. How did I know what another table well across the dining room ordered? Because the fishy smell traveled!

As we finished our breakfast and left the room, we passed by those very diners who were tucking in to their kippers, eggs and hot buttered toast. Big smiles all round! These were clearly quality smoked kippers and not from a tin. You are either a fan of fish or you are not. I am one!

Here in the States, we consider ourselves lucky to get the tinned ones at a nearby gourmet store.  Why they are called "snacks" is beyond me. 

Smoked Herring Spread

For the hot sauce, we like Louisiana Hot Sauce, the habanero version, but truly your favorite will work. I put just a few drops because I wanted to share this with my mother-in-law and she can’t handle pepper heat. Just for us, I’d have used more so you do you. The smoked herring flavor can absolutely stand up to more spicy heat. 

Ingredients

3.54 oz or 100g can smoked herring aka kippers

1-2 green onions

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons (42g) cream cheese, softened

Zest of half a lemon

freshly ground black pepper

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Lemon juice to taste

Optional but recommended: Several drops hot sauce or to taste

Method

Chop the green onions finely. Set aside a little of the green part for garnish. 

Drain the smoked herring and flake with a fork in a mixing bowl. 

Add in the chopped green onion, mayonnaise and cream cheese, mixing well. 

Add a couple of grinds of black, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Stir well to combine.

Add hot sauce, if desired.  

Spoon the spread into a ramekin or small bowl. Top with reserved green onions. 

Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least four hours or if you have the time, overnight. 

Serve with crackers or crudités. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 8th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter H. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the H recipes below:

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Asian Beef Bowls 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Baked Homemade Buttery Herb Croutons
• Blogghetti: Copycat Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning 
• A Messy Kitchen: Dutch Hagelslag 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Grilled Halloumi Salad 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Homemade Mango Frooti 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Honey Mustard Breaded Chicken 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Hurricane Popcorn 
• Food Lust People Love: Smoked Herring Spread 

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake 

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

E. Whipped Espresso Cream 

F. Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken 

G. Extra Herby Gremolata 

H. Smoked Herring Spread – this post!

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Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Dip

These fresh tuna meatballs are easy to make, delicious and healthy! Serve them with the creamy avocado dip for an extra special appetizer. 

While I love canned tuna fish, it is a completely different ingredient from fresh tuna steaks. Fresh tuna shouldn’t smell fishy at all. Like all fresh fish, it should have a nice clean smell and a nice clean taste. If you aren’t a fan of the canned stuff, consider giving fresh tuna a chance. 

If you are willing, look for bright pink flesh and choose the tuna steak with the least amount of white filaments running through it. Sushi grade tuna has none or almost none but who can find/afford that? 

We have a couple of ways we like eating fresh tuna. Most often, we like it sliced relatively thinly as sashimi. (Pop it in the freezer till it's almost firm and easier to slice.) A little wasabi and soy sauce for dipping purposes is all you need to make that fresh tuna a meal. But it’s also great packed with spices and seared on the outside, still a lovely pink on the inside. I serve it on a bed of greens. Delightful. 

The third way is in meatballs! 

Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Dip

These are really meaty so you can simmer them in a rich tomato sauce after baking to serve over pasta but they also make a great appetizer as below. This makes about 20 meatballs. 

Ingredients

For the fresh tuna meatballs:

1 1/4 lb or 560 fresh tuna fillets

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Zest 1 lemon

Olive oil for brushing on the meatballs before baking

For the creamy avocado sauce:

1 ripe avocado

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Water (to thin, if needed)

Method

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. 

Cut the tuna into small chunks.

In a food processor, pulse about 2/3 of the tuna along with the egg, minced garlic, parsley, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon zest until the tuna is finely chopped but not pureed.

Add in the reserved tuna and pulse again briefly.

You want to have some nice pink bits still showing. 

Take about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form it into a patty.

 Pan fry until just cooked through and taste it for salt and pepper. 

Add more and mix through thoroughly, if needed. 

With damp hands, form the mixture into small meatballs (about 1 inch in diameter) and place them on the prepared baking sheet. I use a small scoop to measure them out, then use my damp hands to roll them in to smoother balls. Brush with a little olive oil. 

Bake in your preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly golden on the outside. You can use the broiler to add a little extra color if you’d like but you don’t want to overcook them or the tuna meatballs can become dry. 

While the meatballs are baking, combine the avocado, garlic, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor. 

Blend until smooth. Add water a little at a time to reach your desired dipping consistency.

Serve the baked fresh tuna meatballs with the creamy avocado dip and some toothpicks to facilitate dipping. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are all sharing meatball recipes. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Check out our WELL-ROUNDED (get it? I do crack myself up) list below.

• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Coconut-Ginger Turkey Meatballs 
• Food Lust People Love: Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Dip 
• Sneha's Recipe: Keto Pan Fried Pork Meatballs 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Swedish Meatballs 
• Culinary Cam: Zuppa Maritata, a Misinterpreted Italian Wedding Soup 

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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 with Creamy Avocado Dip!

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