10-Minute Smoked Salmon Dip with Cream Cheese
This smoked salmon dip recipe is made with a mix of cream cheese, capers, lemon juice and lots of fresh herbs. It’s inspired by a simple smoked salmon spread (or pate) that I often buy in seafood shops along the East Coast. I prefer the texture of smoked salmon dip when using a whole block of cold smoked salmon (an intact fillet) versus sliced smoked salmon (or lox) that you’d buy in flat packages at the grocery store. You can of course use the latter, just roughly chop it or puree in a small food processor instead of flaking it into the dip. This dip can easily be made with any type of smoked fish you have on hand. Trout works wonderfully, as does bluefish, which is common throughout seafood shops in the Northeast during summer months. To make a more traditional bluefish pate, simply swap in a smoked blue fish fillet, skin removed, and omit the capers. All the other mix-in’s will be just right! https://youtu.be/RBdro0wewtsThe dip is already naturally gluten-free but to make it dairy-free too, simply use plant-based cream cheese. To skip the cream cheese, double up on mayo or substitute crème fraiche or sour cream.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 large lemon
- 1 small shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or parsley or a mix
- 1 tablespoon drained capers roughly chopped
- 8 ounces cold-smoked salmon preferably the whole fillet, see headnote
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and lemon juice until smooth. Fold in the shallot, chives and/or parsley, and capers.
- If using a cold smoked block of salmon, flake the meat with a fork into smaller chunks and discard the skin. Mix the flaked salmon into the cream cheese mixture until the meat is fully incorporated but still a coarse texture. If using sliced smoked salmon, finely chop or pulse the lox in a small food processor and fold it into the dip.
- Transfer the smoked salmon dip into a bowl and garnish with some extra chives or parsley. Serve at room temperature alongside crackers, crudites, potato chips or toasted bread.