Smoked Salmon Dip

Smoked Salmon Dip is a perfect easy appetizer for parties and special occasions. This creamy dip has a prominent smoked salmon flavor with compliments of lemon, fresh dill weed, capers, and chives. It’s a great easy dip for all the seafood lovers.

If you like smoked salmon, salmon, or any kind of seafood, this cool and creamy dip is just for you! The mouthwatering smoked salmon flavor is quite pronounced but not overpowering because it works perfectly with smooth cream cheese.

It’s a great appetizer for holiday parties, bridal showers, or special brunches. So elegant and yet, very easy to put together. You can serve it with freshly sliced baguette, spread it on bagels, or serve with an array of your favorite crackers.

Regardless of where you serve it, this recipe for cream cheese dip will always be a huge hit! Once you have a bite, you’ll see why it’s one of my all time favorite appetizer recipes.

Ingredients in Smoked Salmon Dip

These tasty ingredients are simple and inexpensive. In fact, you may already have most of them already in your kitchen!

• Cream Cheese – Full fat cream cheese will give you the creamiest and the richest flavor. If you wish to use reduced fat cream cheese, you can. Just note that texture may be slightly different. 
• Sour Cream – Just like the cream cheese, light sour cream would also work. 
• Mayonnaise – Whether you go with light or regular mayo, make sure there are no added oils in it! Avocado or olive oil in the mayo might create an undesirable slimey texture in the dip. 
• Lemon Zest – Use the lemon you will squeeze for the juice and zest it first. (It’s harder to zest the lemon that was already squeezed.)
• Lemon Juice – For best results, use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Dill Weed – For the best flavor, this ingredient should be fresh, not dried! 
• Worcestershire Sauce – This tangy condiment combined with the lemon juice makes this appetizer SO tasty! 
• Horseradish – Make sure not to use too much horseradish! It’s pretty strong and spicy, so just a little goes a long way. 
• Capers – Capers are salty and briny, which pairs perfectly with smoked fish.  
• Chives – Just like the dill weed, the chives should be fresh, not dried. 
• Cayenne Pepper – A little sprinkle of cayenne is the best way to bring out all of the flavors in this dish! 
• Smoked Salmon – Use your favorite brand for the flavor you will like the most! Just make sure there is no discoloration or foul odor. 

NOTE: Between the salmon and capers, this appetizer has a hefty amount of salt. So, I recommend tasting the dip for flavor before adding any more salt.

How to Make Salmon Cream Cheese Dip

Fortunately, this dip recipe is a real time-saver it can be made in just 15 minutes! Although chilling isn’t necessary, it does make for a better flavor and consistency.

Combine the ingredients. Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend it up! Note that you will only add half of the smoked salmon at this step. 

Add salmon. Once everything in the processor is smooth and fully combined, shred or mince the remaining salmon and incorporate it into the dip. 

Chill. Transfer it to an airtight container, then pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours.

When ready to serve, garnish with fresh dill, chives, and lemon and dig in!

Serving Suggestions

There are plenty of ways to serve smoked salmon dip, but my favorite is with toasted baguette slices. It’s also incredible on any type of cracker or pumpernickel bread. 

Serve it with bagels or mini bagels at an elegant brunch.

If you’re looking for a healthier option, freshly sliced cucumbers make the dipper that’s healthy and crunchy.

If you’re serving it to a crowd, try to offer several different dipper options. Everyone has different tastes and dietary needs, so it’s always great to offer a spread of different dippers to choose from! 

Q&A

Can I use a different kind of smoked salmon? 

Absolutely! You can use hot smoked salmon or cold smoked salmon, just note the texture and flavor difference. Hot salmon is much smokier and flaky, while cold salmon is smoother, silkier, and has a less noticeable smoke flavor. 

Can I use a mixer instead of a blender or food processor?

You sure can! However, the textures will be a bit different. Using a food processor or blender will make the texture smooth and creamy. 

If you prefer a chunkier texture, combine the ingredients using an electric mixer on medium-high speed.

How long will it stay fresh?

In a covered airtight container, in the refrigerator, smoked salmon dip will stay fresh up to 5 days.

MORE SEAFOOD APPETIZERS TO TRY

Hot dips are just as good with seafood, just like Crab Stuffed Mushrooms and Cajun Shrimp Dip.

Other popular easy party dips that go well with this one are Hot Crab Dip and Creamy Crab and Artichoke Dip.

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