Smoked Salmon Dip
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Creamy, tangy, and packed with rich salmon flavor, this smoked salmon dip is a total crowd-pleaser. It’s quick to make and just fancy enough for your next party or brunch.
If you’re ever in need of a festive and elegant dish for a party, this smoked salmon dip recipe is sure to save the day. You can serve it with crackers and cocktails, or use it as a delicious spread on a brunch buffet with bagels and all the fixings. (If you go the bagel route, be sure to make this easy schmear as well.) It also makes a great addition to an appetizer spread—pair it with bagel chips, crostini, cucumber slices, or alongside fresh veggies for your guests to scoop and snack on.
Even my husband, a true-blue New Yorker and self-proclaimed expert on all things smoked fish, gives this smoked salmon dip recipe a big thumbs up. Plus, it’s super easy and make-ahead friendly—you’ll love how quickly you can check it off your to-do list!
“This is literally the perfect appeitzer–no more store-bought dips–this is so easy! I usually serve it with baguette slices and carrot sticks. It disappears every time!”
What You’ll Need To Make Smoked Salmon Dip
- Cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise: This trio makes up the creamy base—a nice balance of rich, smooth, and slightly tangy.
- Fresh lemon juice and Tabasco: Adds brightness and a little heat to balance out the richness.
- Capers: Bring a salty, briny bite that works perfectly with the smoked salmon.
- Smoked salmon: Cured and smoked salmon fillets that give the dip its distinct smoky flavor. Look for it pre-packaged in the seafood section.
- Fresh dill and chives: These fresh herbs add a pop of freshness and a mild onion flavor that complement the dip. I also like to sprinkle some on top as a garnish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Blend the base. In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, Tabasco, and capers. Pulse until mostly smooth. Using a food processor ensures a creamy base, and pulsing (rather than letting the machine run nonstop) provides better control and helps to avoid over-blending.
Step 2: Add the salmon and herbs. Toss in the smoked salmon, fresh chives, and dill. Adding the salmon and herbs after blending the base keeps them from turning into mush—you’ll get a better texture with some visible bits.
Step 3: Pulse to combine. Pulse again until the salmon is finely chopped and everything’s well blended.
Step 4: Transfer and serve. Taste the dip and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve. It can be made up to 2 days ahead—just let it come to room temperature before serving.
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Smoked Salmon Dip
This easy smoked salmon dip works just as well on a brunch table as it does with cocktails and snacks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- ¼ teaspoon Tasbasco
- 4 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- Salt, to taste
- Bagel chips or crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, capers, and Tabasco in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; pulse until blended. Add the salmon, dill and chives and pulse, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the salmon is finely chopped. Taste and add salt, if necessary (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon, but it depends on the saltiness of the smoked salmon). Serve as a dip with crackers or bagel chips, or as a spread with bagels.
- Make ahead: This dip can be made a few days ahead of time. However, it gets quite firm in the fridge so let it sit out at room temperature before serving, otherwise it will be hard to scoop.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 3 tablespoons
- Calories: 144
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 237 mg
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I don’t have a food processor, and am wondering – do you think this could work in a blender? Or would the salmon and herbs get all stuck down in the bottom around the blade?
Hi Audrey, Unfortunately, I don’t think a blender would work but you can try finely chopping everything by hand and then mix together. Just be sure the cream cheese is room temp/warm, otherwise it will be hard to blend. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this a while back and I forgot to write the review! So my mom and I are very picky about our salmon dips, we had some really bad tasting ones, we even tried recipes before and they just never hit the spot. While I was googling for a really good salmon dip for a small get together this was the one the top search. I looked at the ingredients and got really excited that my mom and I went to the store. We bought everything and I made it at my brother’s house, and it was a huge hit! We ate it all within just ten minutes of me making it. I did not change anything nor did I alter the recipe. I just followed the instructions and kept everything the same. The capers really gave the dip some flavor, and the dill gave it a fresh taste!
I just don’t have capers, is that going to be a game changer?
Hi Sue Anne, The capers do add a lot of flavor, but I think it will still be good without them. 🙂
I love finding new appetizer recipes and this one is a winner! I’ve made this twice and it’s one of my favourites now. So delicious and has drawn yums and requests for your recipe both times. Your Cheddar and Herb Cheese Sticks and Sweet, Spicy, Salty Candied Pecans are also delish and I’m looking forward to trying more of your appetizers. Thanks for these, Jenn!
Normally the recipes on this site are a big hit for me. Not sure what happened with this one. The caper flavor overpowers the dip. I followed the recipe exactly and now I’m trying to decide if I’ll dump it and make something else for what I need to take to a party tonight. Sadly it is a waste of good smoked salmon. I think 1 TBS of capers is plenty.
Wonderful dip – my husband who is not a smoked salmon fan loved it as did everyone else!
This dip is delicious and great to make ahead of time . Since I now eat dairy free I have made this recipe with dairy free cream cheese and dairy free sour cream (both tofu based). It is my go to dip for entertaining.
Do you have any suggestions for making this without a food processor? I only have a stick blender and don’t have access to a food processor.
Hi Amy, If you chop the salmon finely, you can mix this by hand – just be sure that the cream cheese is room temperature or it will be hard to mix with the other ingredients. Enjoy!
Jenn: easy recipe, but found it to be a bit salty ( I did not add salt). I let it sit in the fridge for about 45 minutes, still a bit salty. Light bulb went off, I added more lemon juice, let it sit another 45 minutes, PERFECT! A total hit with all the party guests. Thanks.
Tom
Love this recipe! Whenever I serve it or bring it somewhere, everyone wants the recipe.