Ever tried blinis? I love that word actually. It makes me want to pronounce it “buh-li-ni”. Kinda like if bologna had an “i” in the middle. But then you look at it, and it’s as simple as can be: blini. Like it’s an app or a digital assistant. (“Blini, tell me what the weather is going to be like tomorrow.”)

If you’re not sure what a blini is, it’s basically a tiny Eastern European pancake. Top it with a few garnishes (or just butter) and you’ve got yourself a traditional Russian dish. (If the name doesn’t make even MORE sense to you at this point, just imagine someone saying “blini” in a Russian accent. Beautiful, right?) Stick ’em on a board just like you would charcuterie, and you have a fancy, fun little crowd-pleaser.

We recently tried the Kaluga Fusion Sturgeon from Great Taste and did a whole review on it. You can check it out here. I didn’t break down in great detail how the blinis were made in that post, so we’re doing that today! Ready to make your own beautiful blini board?

Why You Need To Make This Blini Board

Couldn’t Be Easier: These are super easy peasy (though quite fancy!) little appetizers or finger foods. You can whip them up in about 5 minutes.
They Command a Crowd: They’re great for parties and gatherings.
There’s No Cooking Involved: You buy all the ingredients ready to go from the grocery store.
They’re Wildly Versatile: Don’t like salmon? Use another fish. Don’t like caviar? Use a different garnish. Customize to your (or your party guests’) liking!
They’re so much fun to eat!

Ingredients to Make Your Salmon Blini Board

Blinis (obviously)
Creme fraiche
Smoked salmon (or your favorite ready-to-eat packaged fish)
Caviar
Microgreens (or green garnish of your choosing)

How to Make this Salmon Blini Board – Step By Step

Open your package of blinis and spread them out onto a board. I’ve used a small one for this small serving, but if you’re feeding a crown, you’ll obviously need a bigger board or a few boards!

Smear a good amount of creme fraiche on each blini.

Top that creme fraiche with some ready-to-eat smoked salmon. I staggered my spread with smoked rainbow trout as well.

Spoon some caviar on top of each piece of fish. Don’t do what I did here and use a metal spoon (it’s all I had at the moment). Use a wooden, plastic, or mother of pearl spoon with your caviar so the metal doesn’t react with your caviar and ruin the taste.

Now, top that caviar with microgreens. Mine ended up being a little too stemmy, so I suggest finding some microgreens or a different garnish that’s more leafy. (Cilantro would work nicely!) Feel free to mix it up with a number of different fish (or tofu!) and garnishes for some variety!

Last step: Enjoy!

FAQs

Do my blinis have to be savory?

Not at all! If you want to make some savory blinis, top that creme fraiche with fruit instead of fish and add a drizzle of honey or even chocolate sauce. Don’t like creme fraiche? Try nutella! Mix and match til you find what you like!

What else can I put on a blini?

Other additions to blinis include butter, jam, sour cream, minced meat, prosciutto, cheeses (like brie!), boiled eggs, mushrooms, roast beef, eggplant, lemon juice, olive oil, seaweed, balsamic vinegar, yogurt, caramel, cream cheese, garlic butter, nuts, cranberry sauce, and so much more! The world is literally your oyster when it comes to making blinis!

Can I make my own blinis? Or do I have to buy them at a store?

You can easily make your own blinis just by making super small pancakes with pancake mix or any pancake recipe! If you do want to buy them, they’re available at Whole Foods or even Amazon.

Can I warm my blinis?

Yes, blinis are best served toasty or a little warmed (before you place the toppings on, obviously.)

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