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A bowl filled with smoked salmon dip.

Smoked Salmon Spread

A smoked salmon spread made with flaky hot-smoked salmon is a wonderful appetizer. Capers, roasted red peppers, and fresh dill bring extra flavor to the party.
You can use this as a sandwich spread or a dip. It is great on sourdough bread, pita chips, or crackers.
For the best results, use hot smoked salmon which has a smokier flavor and flakier texture than cold-smoked salmon.
4.95 from 20 votes
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 40kcal
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 ounces hot-smoked salmon finely chopped
  • ¼ cup finely chopped roasted red pepper
  • 2 scallions finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers drained, rinsed, and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized bowl, mix the cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil. Stir until smooth.
  • Add the salmon, roasted red pepper, scallions, garlic, capers, and dill. Stir until well combined.
  • Serve with toasted sourdough rounds and pita chips or use as a sandwich spread.

Notes

  • This recipe works well with whipped cream cheese that comes in a tub or with block cream cheese.
  • If you use block cream cheese, make sure you let it sit at room temperature to get soft so it is easy to blend with the other ingredients.
  • Keep the salmon spread stored in the fridge until ready to serve. Remove it from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving to let it get soft and spreadable.
  • Capers and the hot smoked salmon add plenty of saltiness to this spread. You shouldn't need additional salt, however, taste the spread and add extra salt if you feel it isn't seasoned well enough.
  • You can usually find capers in the condiment aisle near the pickles and olives.
  • You can find roasted red peppers in the deli section of most grocery stores or substitute them with sundried tomatoes (finely chopped). Alternatively, you can roast your own bell peppers, see below.
  • To roast red peppers: Slice a bell pepper in half and remove the seeds. Place it on a baking sheet cut-side down. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes at 450°F. Place the roasted pepper in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap so it sweats in the bowl. When it cools, slide the skin off and chop it up for the salmon spread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 221mg