Salmon, Pea & Parmesan Tartlets

These salmon, pea and parmesan tartlets are an easy, elegant savoury perfect for afternoon tea, brunch, or entertaining. Inspired by classic mini quiches served in five-star hotels, they combine hot smoked salmon, sweet green peas, parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon zest in a rich, creamy egg filling. Finished with extra zest and delicate pea shoots, these bite-sized tartlets are full of flavour and beautifully presented – with no soggy bottom.

Best of all you can prepare the filling ahead of time, then simply assemble, bake, and garnish when you’re ready to serve—making them ideal for stress-free hosting.

Pre-made Tartlet Shells for the Win

When it comes to easy entertaining, I’m all for a smart shortcut—especially one that delivers consistently great results. Pre-made tartlet shells (sweet or savoury) are a fantastic time-saving option, eliminating the need for pastry making and blind baking (and avoiding the dreaded soggy bottom!).

While I genuinely love making pastry from scratch, using quality store-bought shells is a practical choice when time is limited. Plus, creating perfectly shaped mini tartlets can be surprisingly fiddly—the smaller they are, the trickier they become!

…But Puff Pastry Works Just as Well

If you can’t find tartlet shells, then a puff pastry version of my salmon, pea & parmesan tartlets are an excellent alternative. Simply prepare your filling, then line a muffin tin with good-quality puff pastry. Fill with the salmon, peas, and parmesan mixture, pour over the egg and cream filling, and bake for 20–22 minutes until golden brown and flaky. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before serving. See my recipe for Pumpkin & Sage Mini Quiche for instructions on sizes on lining the tins.

Good to Know

Hot smoked vs cold smoked salmon: Hot smoked salmon is firmer and flakier, making it ideal for baking in tartlets without becoming overly soft. I’ve used this one from Tassal.

Make ahead friendly: The filling can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge, just leave out the salt and pepper in the egg and cream mixture until just before assembly. You can also bake the tartlets ahead and gently reheat before serving.

Perfect for entertaining: These mini tartlets are ideal for afternoon tea, canapes, brunch, or party platters.

Serving tip: Serve warm for the best flavour and texture.

Other Afternoon Tea recipes to make

Orange & Date Scones with Whipped Honey Butter

Coronation Chicken Finger Sandwiches

Easy Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes for Afternoon Tea

Raspberry, lemon and almond cake for Afternoon Tea

Raspberry Cheesecake Choux Puffs

How to make Salmon, Pea & Parmesan Tartlets

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position then preheat to 160 C fan/ 320 F fan.

Place the tartlet shells on a baking tray and set aside.

Zest the lemon, finely chop about 1 teaspoon then keep the rest for the garnish.

Break up the salmon into small flakes.

In a jug, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolk and cream. Add the lemon zest plus a pinch of salt and pepper, stir well.

Divide the salmon, peas and parmesan equally between the 16 tartlet shells then follow with the egg and cream mixture. TIP: Add a little to each shell to start with then go back and top up once the mixture has found its way to the bottom.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the filling is just set. Leave on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Top with lemon zest, microgreens or pea shoots.

Serve warm.

To make ahead

The egg and cream filling can be prepared up to one day in advance and stored in the fridge, but leave out the salt and pepper until just before assembly. You can also flake the salmon and defrost the peas then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate together with the lemon zest garnish.

IMPORTANT: If you need to make these two days ahead then use puff pastry instead. The tartlet shells tend to crack a little on the sides if refrigerated with the filling for more than one day. Store puff pastry tartlets in an airtight container lined with baking paper.

To reheat (puff pastry version)

Preheat the oven to 160 C fan / 320 F fan. Place the tartlets on a tray and reheat in the oven for 12 minutes. Garnish as per the recipe and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions about my Salmon, Pea & Asparagus Tartlets

Can I freeze these? I don’t recommend freezing these as I don’t feel that they ‘come back’ as well as when you make them on the day. As they are a semi-cheat I think preparing all the ingredients ahead of time (see above) then baking them just before serving is the way to go.

I can’t find the tartlet cases. What can I use instead? If you can’t find tartlet shells, puff pastry tartlets are an excellent alternative. Simply prepare your filling, then line a standard muffin tin with 12 rounds of good-quality puff pastry – see my recipe for Pumpkin & Sage Mini Quiche on how to do this. Fill with the salmon, peas, and parmesan mixture, pour over the egg and cream filling, and bake for 20–22 minutes until golden brown and flaky. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before serving.