This homemade Smoked Salmon Dip is an absolute ‘hit’ and definitely worth making. While creamy, it is light and has a wonderful salmon flavour with hints of lemon and herbs. This dip is made in a food processor with extra herbs and salmon flakes stirred through at the end. It is often hard to find a good store-bought dip and once you realise just how simple and quick this is to make at home, you won’t be buying one again!
As recent festivities in our household have affirmed, this dip is great for entertaining or when guests drop by unexpectedly as it can be made in minutes. It is delicious served on a platter with crackers, breads (toasted or fresh), or crudities (sliced carrots, celery etc), or you can serve a dollop of this on top of fritters or blinis.
We have been known to spread any leftovers on toast the next morning for breakfast!
Let’s take a look at the ingredients required to make this super easy and delicious Smoked Salmon Dip.
Ingredients to make this recipe
- Cream Cheese – I use full-fat cream cheese but you can make this with low-fat. It is however important to use softened cream cheese, so be sure to remove it from the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so. This makes it easier to process into a creamy consistency. If you use it straight from the fridge, it doesn’t process as well and will be lumpy.
- Sour Cream – full-fat or low-fat. You can also use greek yoghurt or creme fraiche instead of sour cream.
- Lemon Juice – this gives a lovely tang and lift to the dip and helps balance out the creaminess.
- Horseradish – I used the jarred variety however if you are lucky enough to have fresh horseradish, then grate it and use that. I love using horseradish in this dip however, a good substitute is wasabi or mustard. I have found that when using wasabi, it can vary in heat. So start with say 1/2 the stated amount and then you can always stir in more at the end to suit your taste.
- Spring Onion – better than normal onions as it is more mellow and sweet.
- Smoked Salmon – I have always used hot smoked salmon for this dip, however you can also use cold smoked salmon.
- Dill – a great herb to use with fish
- Chives – I always use chives, but you could also use flat-leaf parsley or chervil
- Seasoning – add salt and pepper to season at the end as required, depending on the saltiness of the salmon. Also factor in the accompaniments (eg. crackers etc) which have varying levels of saltiness.
- Garnishes – I save 50g of the smoked fish for folding through the dip at the end and garnishing. I also garnish with extra herbs on top.
Method
This is a very simple recipe to make so I have shown the steps in photos, followed by some suggestions on how to serve the dip.
Firstly make sure the cream cheese is soft before starting this recipe. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish and chopped spring onion to the food processor and blend in 3-4 quick bursts. 
Scrape down the sides, then add 150g of the smoked salmon and pulse once or twice until distributed but it still has texture. If you prefer a creamier consistency, then process longer. 
Remove to a bowl and stir through the finely chopped dill and chives. 
Flake the remaining salmon and fold through the mixture (leave some for garnishing). Season with pepper and salt (to taste, if required). Garnish with extra chopped dill, chives and salmon (optional).
Serving Suggestions
- Serve in a bowl on a platter. Surround with crackers, breads, crostini and crudities (sliced vegetables like carrot sticks, celery etc).
- Serve with homemade mini toast – toast slices of bread (multigrain, rye or white) and using a cookie cutter or knife, cut into smaller serving size pieces (remove crusts).
- For entertaining, I often add a dollop of the dip mixture on top of a mini fritter or blini and garnish with a little extra salmon and/or salmon caviar and herbs. This is delicious as a welcome nibble with champagne. Or serve this more casually, by placing the dip in a bowl with extra flaked hot smoked salmon next to it on a platter, alongside fritters, latkes or blinis, herbs and caviar as a share platter so people can help themselves and make their own.
- This dip also makes great picnic food with a fresh baguette!
I love that this dip can be used in different settings as a pass around nibble/finger food, but works equally well in a casual setting when you are sitting around a table with family and friends, indoors or outdoors, on a share platter.
How long does the dip last for?
The dip should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If using hot smoked salmon it will last slightly longer than if using cold smoked salmon. I recommend consuming this dip within 2-3 days of making, however it will also depend whether you are using an already opened packet of smoked salmon or an unopened one, so be sure to check the salmon packet for a guide on how long it will last once opened.
When removing from the fridge, give the dip a good mix with a spoon if it has firmed up slightly.
Enjoy x
Equipment
- mini food processor
Ingredients
- 125 g cream cheese, softened remove from fridge to soften
- 125 g sour cream
- 35 ml lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp horseradish
- 1 spring onion trimmed and finely sliced (use white and green parts)
- 200 g hot smoked salmon, boneless and skinless (save 50g for garnishing at end)
- 2 tbsp dill leaves chopped finely
- 2 tbsp chives chopped finely
- extra herbs for garnishing
- pepper and salt (to taste) *season at the end as the salmon itself is salty
Instructions
- Before starting this recipe, make sure the cream cheese is softened. I take mine out of the fridge and leave it out on the bench for approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Place the first 5 ingredients into the bowl of a mini food processor (soft cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish and chopped spring onion) and process for about 10 seconds or until fairly smooth.Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then 150g of the smoked salmon (reserve the remaining 50g for garnishing at the end) to the food processor and blitz 3-4 times until the salmon is distributed well but still has some texture. If you prefer a smoother consistency, then process for longer. Remove the mixture to a bowl, and stir through the finely chopped dill and chives. Season with pepper, and add salt to taste (if required). Garnish with extra chopped herbs and flake over the remaining salmon. Optional: garnish with a dollop of salmon caviar.Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container. Best eaten within 1-2 days of making (see notes).
Notes
Nutrition
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