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With just 6 ingredients, one bowl, almost no prep time, and the ability to be made ahead, this Smoked Salmon Dip is ideal for hosting. Easy yet gourmet, my kind of appetizer!
The flavors of this dip are simple yet delicious. Smoky, savory salmon paired with lemon, crème fraîche, dill and chives.
Reader Review
“Made this for my family Christmas lunch – it was fast, easy, and delicious. Tasted like a great appetizer you’d get at a fancy restaurant. Couldn’t find creme fraiche anywhere on short notice – but sour cream substituted in perfectly. Will make this again!”
– Adam L.
This recipe article was originally published in December of 2021, it has since been updated with helpful tips and ingredient notes for clarity.
Why You Need to Use Hot Smoked Salmon
For this dip, it’s important to use hot-smoked salmon, not cold smoked salmon. The texture of hot smoked salmon is the texture of cooked salmon because it’s smoked at 120ºF or higher.
Cold smoked salmon is dry-cured then smoked at only 80ºF, which means it has a raw-like texture. Great for bagels, not great for a creamy dip like this.
Find hot-smoked salmon sold at the seafood counter or as vacuum-packed fillets near the refrigerated crab.
Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients is all you need. Jump to the recipe card for full measurements.
- Whole milk Greek yogurt: It’s important that you use whole milk. Low-fat Greek yogurt will result in a less-creamy, almost wet, dip.
- Crème fraîche: It’s a thick cultured cream, similar to sour cream, and is sold in small plastic containers in the specialty cheese or dairy section of the grocery store.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest: Both are used in this dip for brightness and a bit of acidity.
- Chives: Add a lively mild onion flavor and freshness. If you can’t find chives, you can use the green parts of green onions instead.
- Dill: An herb that always compliments salmon so well. Fresh dill is really essential here.
- Hot-smoked salmon is the star of the show in this dip.
How to Make this Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe
This is an overview of the recipe. Jump to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.
- Mix the base ingredients to combine. In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, crème fraîche, lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, dill, salt and pepper.
- Add the salmon. Tear the salmon into chunks then add it to the yogurt mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture together until the salmon is broken into small pieces. Season with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
Tip: the more you mix the dip, the smaller the chunks of salmon will get. Mix as little or as much as you want.
Test Kitchen Tips
- Use cream cheese for a more traditional dip/ bagel spread. You can swap out the crème fraîche for cream cheese, just be sure to soften the cream cheese to room temperature before stirring into the dip.
- If you can’t find creme fraiche, you can use sour cream.
- Want to use the can of salmon in your pantry? You can use it in this recipe, or you can make a high-protein salmon dip using cottage cheese.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Don’t freeze the dip—it will change the texture when it thaws.
You can make this dip in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to one day prior to serving. Remove it from the fridge 20 minutes prior to serving to take the chill off.
What to Serve with Smoked Salmon Dip
Serve this savory smoked salmon dip with crackers, crostini, buckwheat blini or thick planks of carrot or cucumber. It’s also delicious schmeared on a toasted bagel or crunchy Wasa crackers.
If this is apart of a larger appetizer spread, I like to pair it with Marinated Olives and Cheese and as the salmon component on a salmon platter with blini (mini pancakes).
Love this dip? Try my Smoked Trout Dip next!
Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe
Description
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- ½ cup crème fraîche
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives + more for serving
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill + more for serving
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- 12 ounces hot-smoked salmon, skin and bones removed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt, crème fraîche, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest, chives, dill and a ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper.
- Tear salmon into chunks then add to yogurt mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold mixture together until salmon is broken into small pieces. Season with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
- Transfer salmon dip to a serving dish and top with additional lemon zest, chives, dill and cracked black pepper.
Made this for my family Christmas lunch – it was fast, easy, and delicious. Tasted like a great appetizer you’d get at a fancy restaurant. Couldn’t find creme fraiche anywhere on short notice – but sour cream substituted in perfectly. Will make this again!
Hi Adam! I’m so happy to hear you gave this a try and that it was a hit with your family. Great substitution with the sour cream. I wish creme fraiche was easier to find!! Thanks for trying this and leaving a comment—your notes are so helpful for other readers.
Cheers!