30-Minute Sourdough Discard Smoked Salmon and Dill Crisps

Name: 30-Minute Sourdough Discard Smoked Salmon and Dill Crisps
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 24 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard (active or unfed), room temperature or cold; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fleur de sel or sea salt; to taste freshly cracked black pepper; ½ cup (120 ml) crème fraîche or sour cream; ½ whole (1 half) lemon, zest only, finely grated; 6 ounces (170 g) smoked salmon (wild-caught if possible), thinly sliced or folded into loose pieces; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh dill, finely chopped; 3 tablespoons (35 g) nonpareil capers in brine, drained; 2 tablespoons (20 g) red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crispy, thin sourdough crackers made from discard, topped with silky smoked salmon, bright dill, tangy crème fraîche, and briny capers. Ready in just 30 minutes, these Scandinavian-inspired crisps are perfect for entertaining or a sophisticated snack. The sourdough base bakes until golden and shatteringly crisp, then gets dressed with elegant toppings at the last moment so nothing softens.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 6 min
Total: 30 min
Makes: 16 crisps (4 per person)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C)
Have your sourdough discard at room temperature (or use straight from the fridge—it works fine)
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper

1
Mix and spread dough
- In a small bowl, stir together the sourdough discard and 1 tablespoon of olive oil until combined.
- Divide the mixture between the two prepared baking sheets.
- Using the back of a spoon or a spatula, spread each portion as thin and as even as possible—you're aiming for about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.
- The thinner you spread, the crispier the crackers.
- Work gently so you don't tear the dough, but don't worry about perfect edges; rustic is fine.
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Tip: If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 2 minutes and try again. Sourdough discard is more relaxed than dough but still has some elasticity.
2
Season and bake crispsOven 425°F / 220°C
- Brush or drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each sheet of dough.
- Sprinkle evenly with the fleur de sel and a few generous cracks of black pepper.
- Slide both sheets into the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven on the middle and lower racks.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, stirring or rotating the sheets halfway through (around the 6-minute mark), until the dough is golden-brown and crispy throughout.
- The edges will brown first and get darker than the center—that's perfect.
- Watch closely in the last 2 minutes; crackers can go from golden to burnt quickly.
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Ready when: Crackers are golden-brown, crispy when bent, and smell toasted
Tip: Rotate sheets halfway through baking. If one sheet is browning faster, move it to the upper rack and the other down.
3
Cool and prepare topping
- Remove the baking sheets and let the crackers cool for about 5 minutes on the pan—they'll continue to crisp as they cool.
- While they cool, prepare the topping: fold the crème fraîche into a shallow bowl and mix in the lemon zest.
- Season with a pinch of salt and cracked pepper.
- Set aside the smoked salmon, dill, capers, and red onion (if using) in separate small piles on your work surface so you can assemble quickly.
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Ready when: Crackers are cool enough to handle but still warm
Tip: Don't skip the cooling step—warm crackers are fragile and will bend; cooled ones are structurally sound for topping.
4
Assemble crisps
- Once the crackers are completely cool (about 1 minute more), break or cut them into 16 roughly 3×2-inch (8×5 cm) pieces—you should get about 8 pieces per sheet.
- Lay them out on a serving board or platter.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of the lemon crème fraîche onto each crisp, leaving a small border.
- Top with a small fold of smoked salmon, a pinch of fresh dill, 3–4 capers, and a few slivers of red onion if using.
- Serve immediately.
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Tip: Assemble just before serving so the crème fraîche doesn't soften the crackers. If you're prepping ahead, keep toppings separate and assemble in the last 2–3 minutes.

Good to know

Tips

Make sure your sourdough discard is unfed or only recently fed—it should spread easily without too much resistance. If your discard is very stiff or very thin, adjust the olive oil slightly to get a spreadable consistency.
For the thinnest, crispiest crackers, use a small offset spatula or bench scraper instead of a spoon to press the dough into a very even layer before baking.
Smoked salmon is delicate and can become chewy if it warms up; use it straight from the package and assemble no more than a few minutes before serving.
This recipe scales beautifully: simply double the dough base (2 cups discard) and use four baking sheets, keeping baking time the same. You'll have plenty of crisps for a larger crowd.

Make ahead

Bake the crackers up to 4 hours ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They crisp up again if you warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2 minutes. Assemble with toppings no more than 15 minutes before serving, or the crackers will soften.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (crackers only): up to 2 days in an airtight container. Refrigerator (finished crisps): not recommended; the crackers will soften. Freezer (baked crackers): up to 2 weeks in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes, then warm in a 300°F oven for 2 minutes to re-crisp.

Substitutions

crème fraîche or sour cream → crème fraîche with 1 tablespoon of cream mixed in, or sour cream. Sour cream is tangier; use slightly less to avoid overpowering the salmon.
smoked salmon (wild-caught if possible) → gravlax or cured salmon trout. Gravlax is less smoky but equally elegant. Adjust salt in crème fraîche if using heavily cured alternatives.
fresh dill → fresh chives or tarragon, finely chopped. Chives are milder; tarragon brings a subtle anise note. Use the same amount.
nonpareil capers in brine → brined green peppercorns or a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Peppercorns add spice; lemon adds brightness without the brine. Either complements the salmon.