Tronco Salado: Easy Spanish Christmas Appetizer with Cream Cheese 67 2026

This tronco salado is the savory answer to the sweet Christmas log, and it is every bit as festive on the table. A soft roll of crustless sandwich bread is filled with a creamy tuna and pickle salad, then wrapped in smoked salmon and finished with grated egg yolk and cherry tomatoes. It is one of those Spanish Christmas appetizers that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, yet it comes together in about 20 minutes without turning on the stove.

The filling is built from pantry staples: canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, roasted red pepper, olives, pickles and capers, all bound with mayonnaise. That combination is salty, briny and slightly tangy, which balances beautifully against the silky smoked salmon on the outside. Because everything is assembled cold, you can make it ahead and simply decorate it right before serving.

Serve it as a starter or as part of a holiday spread of tapas, and let guests slice their own portion. The log holds its shape beautifully after chilling, so the slices come out neat and photo-ready every time.

Ingredients for Tronco Salado

This makes 6 servings as a starter or party appetizer.

• 3 long strips crustless sandwich bread (or 9 square slices, crusts removed)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 14 cherry tomatoes (10 for the filling and 4 for decoration)
• 1 tablespoon pitted olives
• 40 g pickled gherkins
• 1 teaspoon capers in vinegar
• 1 large can or jar of tuna (about 180 g drained weight)
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 jarred roasted red pepper
• 150 g sliced smoked salmon
• 1 small head of lettuce

How to Make Tronco Salado Step by Step

1. Make the Tuna Filling

Put 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs in a bowl, reserving 1 yolk for the decoration. Add 10 cherry tomatoes cut into small pieces, 1 tablespoon chopped pitted olives, 40 g chopped pickled gherkins, 1 teaspoon capers in vinegar, 1 large can of drained and flaked tuna, and 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Stir everything together until you have a chunky, well-combined filling.

2. Flatten the Bread

Lay 3 long strips of crustless sandwich bread on a sheet of plastic wrap, overlapping them slightly. If you cannot find the long strips, use 9 square slices of crustless sandwich bread instead. Press them with a rolling pin to form one flat rectangle.

3. Add the Filling and Pepper

Spread the filling from step 1 over the bread, leaving the top edge free. Lay 1 roasted red pepper from side to side over the filling in a single line, as shown in the photo.

4. Roll and Chill

Roll the filled bread into a log and seal it tightly with the help of the plastic wrap. Chill the log in the refrigerator for 1 hour so it becomes firm and compact.

5. Cover with Mayonnaise and Salmon

After chilling, remove the plastic wrap from the log and trim the ends so they are straight. Brush the surface with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, then cover the log with 150 g of sliced smoked salmon.

6. Decorate and Serve

Spread 1 head of lettuce, previously washed, dried and chopped, over the serving platter. Decorate the log with the reserved hard-boiled egg yolk, grated or pushed through a sieve for an elegant look. Cut the 4 reserved cherry tomatoes in half and arrange them over the log and the lettuce.

Tips for the Best Tronco Salado

Choose the Right Base

Look for the long strips of crustless sandwich bread sold near the regular sliced bread in many supermarkets; they are made for recipes like this. If you cannot find them, substitute 3 overlapping crustless square slices per strip, or even a sheet of sponge cake if you prefer to make it at home. Any of these options works well, so pick whichever is easiest for you.

Keep the Filling Simple and Balanced

The filling relies on everyday ingredients that come together into something delicious: tuna, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, capers, pickles, olives, roasted red pepper and mayonnaise. You can buy the eggs already cooked so you never have to turn on the stove, or boil them ahead of time. The smoked salmon slices on the outside are held in place with a thin layer of mayonnaise, and the sieved egg yolk on top gives a quick, elegant finish.

Make It Ahead

If you make the log the day before, keep it covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator and decorate it at the last moment so it stays looking its best. This way the bread has time to firm up and the flavors meld, and you can serve it straight from the fridge when your guests arrive.

30 Go-To Recipes I Keep Coming Back to in My Own Kitchen

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a rotation that covers cozy classics, dishes from around the world, and sweets that make everyone happy.

Some nights I want something luxuriously rich, and that's when I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a truly indulgent Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I'm after something fruity and soothing, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my reliable pick.

For mornings that call for something easy and for lighter plates, I'll whip up these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And whenever I need a gluten-free staple for the pantry, this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

When tapas and Mediterranean cooking are calling, I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, crispy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, silky Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This crisp Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is another one I love to serve when the occasion feels a bit more special.

Hearty midday meals and comforting suppers? These are the ones I'm always recommending: this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, traditional Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, deeply savory Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and velvety Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When I'm after something more substantial, I'll bake up this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, rustic Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually lead me to this juicy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crispy Salchipapas recipe, punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crackly Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another favorite of mine for a quick appetizer or snack.

And when I'm hosting and putting together drinks alongside a full menu, I'll often serve dinner with this refreshing Original Cuban Mojito recipe, this potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To bring the whole table together, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe on the side, or finishing things off with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for Your Family

After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes boil down to three things: straightforward methods, techniques you can trust, and serious flavor.

Every recipe gathered here is one I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something a little more celebratory for friends and family.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to when I want something that feels fancy yet comes together without fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps a lot, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll usually make the classic Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For cozier, more filling meals, I frequently point people to the satisfying Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the creamy Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also a big fan of sharing dishes with roots in other countries, such as the authentic Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crispy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another category I turn to often, since it cuts down on time without sacrificing texture. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

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