This smoked salmon dip – that’s actually more of a spread – makes a great snack or a treat to take to a party. Mixed with creme fraiche, cream cheese and fresh herbs, it’s an easy and affordable luxury.

Now that eggs are becoming rare commodities and prices are soaring, maybe it’s a good opportunity to start implementing new sources of protein to your diet. How about some good old salmon? Good-quality smoked salmon is not exactly cheap, but there’s an easy way to stretch it: turn it into a smoked salmon dip.

There’s a lot to love about smoked salmon: it’s an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, so it qualifies as a superfood. It has a unique and distinct flavor profile that is often described as umami. Smoked salmon is meaty and rich, has a buttery texture and a slightly chewy consistency. Basically a very complex and layered ingredient!

Needless to say, smoked salmon adds a nice smokiness to a dish. In this dip/spread, it’s mixed with creamy ingredients like creme fraiche and cream cheese and acidic ingredients like lemon and mustard that cut through all that fat, giving it a nice, well balanced result.

This is such an easy recipe to put together. It takes no more than 20 minutes from start to finish. It’s great to have as a snack or to serve at a get-together or to take to a party. No matter the event, this dip is always a crowd pleaser.

I’d encourage you to use this recipe as a starting point then customize it to your own liking. Recipes like this, where it’s all about mixing ingredients together, the ratio is not as important as the ingredients themselves. Make sure to get good-quality ingredients and as with any recipe, taste and adjust as you go. That way you’ll be able to find your the ratio that works best for you.

Smoked Salmon Dip

Every once in a while I like splurging on a few fancy things and fill the breakfast table with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and some fancy pastries. It’s nice to treat yourself and the good thing about smoked salmon and the other ingredients I just mentioned is that you don’t even have to do anything. It’s only a matter of setting the table and people get to serve themselves and all they have to do is assemble a toast here or a biscuit sandwich there.

Smoked salmon is not often cheap, but a good way to stretch it is pairing it with affordable ingredients like cucumbers or even better: chopping it all up and mixing it into a spread.

I’m a big fan of spreads. They’re such an easy way to add protein to your diet and they’re so good! Effortless and quick and incredibly forgiving. You’d have to work really hard in order to mess up a spread/ dip recipe.

For this smoked salmon dip, you can make it all in one bowl. You can use a food processor or if you don’t have one, you can use a hand mixer. If you don’t have a hand mixer, well, you’re going to have to use a cutting board to chop up the smoked salmon. Oh, but you were going to need one to chop the chives anyway, so never mind.

Ingredients for Smoked Salmon Dip

The ingredients for this salmon dip are very simple. Feel free to make any substitutions necessary. I like using a mixture of cream cheese and creme fraiche.

I’m a big fan of creme fraiche’s light and delicate texture. I find cream cheese to be too dense and rich, so a mix of both is a nice balance. Creme fraiche also has a sharper acidity while cream cheese has a milder tang. If you don’t have creme fraiche, you can use sour cream or just omit it altogether.

For the acidic element, this recipe calls for whole grain mustard, but you can use any kind of mustard. You can also do capers, a classic smoked salmon pairing.

Make sure to add a generous amount of fresh herbs. Although I favor dill and chives when it comes to smoked salmon, don’t be afraid to try parsley, green onions, or anything you have on hand.

For a nice spicy kick, I like adding a little bit of hot but it’s of course, optional.

If you make this smoked salmon dip, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you and about your favorite snack!

Smoked Salmon Dip

Servings

ramekins

Prep time

minutes

Ingredients

125g cream cheese, softened (1/2 cup)
125g creme fraiche (1/2 cup)
140g smoked salmon (5 oz), roughly chopped
1 tbsp whole grain mustard, or to taste
about 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley or dill, chopped
2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
freshly ground black peppper

Directions

Add cream cheese and creme fraiche to a food processor and process until soften. Alternatively, you can add them to a bowl and using a hand mixer or a whisk, beat until smooth.
Add smoked salmon, mustard, chives, dill, hot sauce, lemon zest and a little squeeze of lemon juice. Process the mixture again until creamy and smooth.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Add black pepper and serve garnished with fresh herbs.

Smoked Salmon Dip