Smoked Salmon Dip
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Make your holiday gatherings special with this easy smoked salmon dip—perfect with crackers and cocktails or as part of a brunch buffet with bagels. Bonus: it can be made ahead for stress-free entertaining!
If you’re ever in need of a festive and elegant dish for a party, this smoked salmon dip is sure to save the day. You can serve it with crackers and cocktails, or use it as a delicious spread on a brunch buffet with bagels and all the fixings. Even my husband, a true-blue New Yorker and self-proclaimed expert on all things smoked fish, gives it a big thumbs up. Plus, it’s super easy to make—you’ll love how quickly you can check it off your holiday to-do list! Another great thing about this dip is that it can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated.
What You’ll Need To Make Smoked Salmon Dip
- Cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise: This trio creates a rich and creamy base for the dip with a nice balance of tanginess.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens the flavors and adds acidity.
- Capers: Bring a briny, savory note that pairs well with seafood.
- Tabasco: Adds a hint of heat and depth to the dip.
- Smoked salmon: This product is made by curing salmon fillets and then smoking them, resulting in a rich, silky texture with a distinct flavor. You can typically find it in the seafood section of the supermarket, packaged and ready to use.
- Fresh chopped dill and chives: These herbs add freshness and a mild onion flavor, enhancing the dip’s overall taste.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors to bring the dip together.
- Bagel chips or crackers: Perfect for serving, providing a crunchy contrast to the creamy dip.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Tabasco and capers in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse to blend.
Add the smoked salmon, chives, and dill.
Pulse until the salmon is finely chopped.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve.
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Smoked Salmon Dip
Make your holiday gatherings special with this easy smoked salmon dip—perfect with crackers and cocktails or as part of a brunch buffet with bagels. Bonus: it can be made ahead for stress-free entertaining!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- ¼ teaspoon Tasbasco
- 4 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- Salt, to taste
- Bagel chips or crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, capers, and Tabasco in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; pulse until blended. Add the salmon, dill and chives and pulse, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the salmon is finely chopped. Taste and add salt, if necessary (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon, but it depends on the saltiness of the smoked salmon). Serve as a dip with crackers or bagel chips, or as a spread with bagels.
- Make ahead: This dip can be made a few days ahead of time. However, it gets quite firm in the fridge so let it sit out at room temperature before serving, otherwise it will be hard to scoop.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 3 tablespoons
- Calories: 144
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 237 mg
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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Is there any substitute you can recommend for the dill. My household doesn’t care for it, but this recipe looks fabulous otherwise!
Hi Kim, I’d recommend replacing the dill with tarragon. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi Jenn, I am trying your Salmon dip. Wondering why you add capers? I have never used capers in a recipe. Is it a necessary ingredient?
Thank you,
Stefani
Hi Stefani, They add wonderful salty, tangy flavor. I highly recommend using them.
Hi Jenn,
Made this recipe exactly as listed and sent it to work with my husband. He enjoyed it so much, he bought bagels and made a breakfast meal of it! Or three or four!!
I”ve made the Smoked Salmon Dip for multiple parties, and I usually leave with an empty plate!
It’s been years since I discovered a new appetizer to add to my repertoire. This one is a gem. Followed recipe to a ‘T’ and with rave reviews from my guests, there’s no need to ever change a thing.
Made this for a Girls night In and served on slices of cucumbers for light gluten free app
I used this recipe for our Christmas Party/ my 50th birthday party last night. Huge hit. Followed the recipe exactly. Well balanced.
Would you do any specific changes if I use it as a appetizer for a Hanukkah party? Carol
No changes necessary; I think it’s perfect as is for an appetizer. Hope everyone enjoys!
Love this recipe! A food processor makes quick & easy work of a very easy but elegant appetizer. I didn’t realize I was out of green onions so I substituted minced red onion & it was fabulous!! I also like a little extra lemon juice in mine and definitely sprinkle some extra fresh dill on top!
Only recently have I discovered this treasure trove of recipes and knowledge! What a treat for me and my family!
I decided to start slowly and make an appetizer first. This was the one I chose. My husband smokes salmon, so we had some in the freezer. I’m of the opinion that one should always make a recipe exactly as written the first time. Then think about any changes you might make, but try the original first. This one needs no alterations for my family – it was perfect and disappeared quickly. I made it for a Thanksgiving gathering, so hungry guests would have something to enjoy while waiting for the main event. It was a huge hit and we will be making it regularly! Thank you, Jenn! (you are going to make me very popular)