Jump to Recipe· 4.3 from 89 reviews

If you love the smoky tang of salmon paired with creamy, zesty accents, this Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe will absolutely steal your heart. It’s an effortlessly elegant dip that brings together lush cream cheese, fresh dill, and a burst of brightness from quick-pickled red onions, creating a party-perfect appetizer or a sophisticated snack. Whether you’re hosting friends or just treating yourself, this dip covers all the bases with flavor, texture, and a touch of class.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The image shows various ingredients arranged neatly on a white marbled texture. There is a white plate with layers of bright orange smoked salmon on the left, and another white plate with a block of white cream cheese on the right. Small clear bowls hold green capers, light brown honey, white sour cream, shredded mayonnaise, dark brown Worcestershire sauce, white salt, black pepper, and everything bagel seasoning with mixed black, white, and beige specks. Fresh produce includes a whole red onion, a garlic clove, bright yellow lemon zest and juice, a green onion with a long green stem and white bulb, and a small bunch of fresh dill with green feathery leaves. A small white bowl contains amber-colored apple cider vinegar. The ingredients are spread out and labeled, all set on the white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Every ingredient in this recipe plays a starring role in crafting the perfect balance of creaminess, smokiness, and tang. Simple yet impactful, these ingredients ensure your dip bursts with fresh, bold flavor while maintaining a luscious texture that’s utterly addicting.

  • Water (½ cup): The base for the quick-pickling liquid that adds a tangy snap to the topping.
  • Apple cider vinegar (½ cup): Gives the quick-pickled onions their vibrant acidity and subtle sweetness.
  • Honey (1½ tbsps): Balances the vinegar with natural sweetness for a perfectly mellow pickle.
  • Fine sea salt (1½ tsps + to taste): Essential for seasoning both the dip and the pickles, enhancing every flavor note.
  • Red onion (½ medium): Finely diced and pickled to add brightness and crunch.
  • Full-fat cream cheese (8 oz): The creamy foundation that makes this dip irresistibly smooth.
  • Full-fat sour cream (¼ cup): Adds a tangy creaminess that lightens the texture just perfectly.
  • Mayonnaise (¼ cup): Brings richness and helps bind everything together beautifully.
  • Garlic (1 clove): Minced for a subtle, savory backbone that lifts the flavors.
  • Lemon zest (1 tsp) and lemon juice (1 tbsp): Bursts of citrus brightness that brighten every bite.
  • Worcestershire sauce (1 tsp): Adds a subtle umami depth that rounds out the flavor profile.
  • Ground black pepper (to taste): Adds gentle heat and complexity.
  • Smoked salmon (7 oz): The star ingredient delivering that rich, smoky, oceanic flavor.
  • Capers (2 tbsps): Provide briny pops that complement the salmon beautifully.
  • Fresh dill (2 tbsps): Offers bright, herbaceous notes that feel like sunshine in every bite.
  • Green onion (1): Adds a mild oniony crunch and fresh color.
  • Everything bagel seasoning: Optional, but a fantastic finishing touch for extra flavor and crunch.

How to Make Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Quick-Pickled Red Onion

Start by combining water, apple cider vinegar, honey, and fine sea salt in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the salt dissolves completely, then pour this bright pickling liquid over the diced red onions in a heat-safe jar. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature; these onions will add a zesty crunch that perfectly contrasts the creamy dip.

Step 2: Blend the Creamy Base

In your food processor, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Process until smooth and fully blended, scraping down the sides if needed to ensure a silky texture that acts as the perfect creamy canvas for the smoked salmon.

Step 3: Incorporate Smoked Salmon and Herbs

Next, add the smoked salmon, capers, fresh dill, and green onion to the food processor. Pulse gently just to combine without over-blending — you want to keep a slightly chunky texture so each bite bursts with complex flavors rather than a uniform paste. This step is where your smoked salmon dip recipe truly comes to life.

Step 4: Season and Assemble

Taste your dip and adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary. Then transfer it to a serving bowl and top generously with drained pickled red onions. For an extra-special touch, sprinkle a little everything bagel seasoning on top. Chill or serve at cool room temperature, and get ready to enjoy every luscious spoonful.

How to Serve Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe

A woman's hand holds a toasted sesame and poppy seed bagel half spread with a creamy beige tuna or salmon salad mixed with herbs. The spread is topped with small dark green capers, bright pink diced pickled onions, and fresh green dill sprigs scattered across the top. The background shows a white marbled surface with blurred bagels, creating a soft focus effect. The lighting is bright and natural, highlighting the texture and colors of the spread and toppings. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

The quick-pickled red onions are indispensable, adding vibrant color and a lively tang. A sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning is like the cherry on top, contributing an irresistible crunch and subtle richness. Fresh dill sprigs add a final flourish of green and herbaceous fragrance that makes presentation as delightful as the taste.

Side Dishes

This dip pairs beautifully with toasted baguette slices, crispy pita chips, or classic bagel chips. For a lighter option, crunchy vegetable sticks like cucumber, celery, or bell peppers are excellent companions. It also makes a fantastic spread inside sandwiches or atop crackers for a sophisticated snack experience.

Creative Ways to Present

For entertaining, serve your smoked salmon dip recipe in a hollowed-out bread bowl surrounded by an assortment of dippables. You might also layer it in a parfait glass with pickled onions and fresh herbs for an elegant appetizer. Another fun idea is dolloping it onto blinis topped with a bit more smoked salmon and dill for bite-sized party treats.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to three days, though the flavors continue to meld and deepen if you wait a bit before serving again. Add pickled onions just before serving to maintain their crisp texture.

Freezing

Freezing this dip is not recommended due to its dairy base. The cream cheese and sour cream tend to separate when thawed, causing an undesirable texture. It’s best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated for short-term storage.

Reheating

This dip is meant to be served cold or at room temperature, so reheating isn’t necessary. If it’s chilled for storage, simply let it sit out for 15–20 minutes to soften slightly before serving for the best creamy consistency.

FAQs

Can I use light cream cheese or sour cream?

While light versions will reduce fat content, using full-fat cream cheese and sour cream gives you that rich, velvety dip texture and flavor that makes this recipe truly special. For best results, stick to full-fat dairy.

What can I substitute for Worcestershire sauce?

If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand, a splash of soy sauce or a few drops of liquid smoke can add some umami depth. Keep it light so it doesn’t overpower the delicate flavors of the smoked salmon.

How spicy is this dip?

This dip is not spicy. The black pepper adds mild warmth, balanced by lemon and pickled onions’ brightness. You can adjust pepper levels to your personal taste if you want a little more kick.

Can I prepare the pickled onions in advance?

Absolutely! The quick-pickled red onions can be made a day ahead; simply store them in the refrigerator. Just drain and add them to the dip right before serving to keep their crispness.

What if I don’t have a food processor?

You can finely chop the smoked salmon, dill, green onion, and capers, then mix everything well by hand with the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and other ingredients. The texture will be chunkier but still delicious.

Final Thoughts

This Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe is one of those dishes that feels both luxurious and wonderfully approachable. With its creamy base, smoky fish, and zesty pickled onions, it’s sure to become a beloved staple whether you’re whipping up a quick snack or planning a festive gathering. I wholeheartedly encourage you to try this recipe—you might just find your new favorite way to enjoy smoked salmon.

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Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe

Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.3 from 89 reviews

This creamy and flavorful Smoked Salmon Dip combines rich cream cheese, tangy sour cream, and smoky salmon with a zesty quick-pickled red onion topping. Perfect as a dip or spread for bagels, bread, or chips, it combines smooth and chunky textures with bright, savory, and slightly sweet flavors.

  • Author: Linda
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: About 2 cups (serves 6-8)
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Quick-Pickled Red Onion Topping:

  • ½ cup (120 ml) water
  • ½ cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
  • 1½ tbsps (32 g) honey
  • 1½ tsps (9 g) fine sea salt
  • ½ medium (75 g) red onion, finely diced

Smoked Salmon Dip:

  • 8 oz (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (60 g) full-fat sour cream
  • ¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise
  • 1 clove (3 g) garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • Fine sea salt, to taste
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • 7 oz (200 g) smoked salmon
  • 2 tbsps (30 g) capers, drained
  • 2 tbsps (6 g) fresh dill, stems removed
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • Everything bagel seasoning, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Quick-Pickled Red Onions: In a small saucepan, combine the water, apple cider vinegar, honey, and fine sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the salt dissolves completely. Remove from heat.
  2. Pickle the Red Onions: Place the finely diced red onion in a heat-safe jar or container and carefully pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions ensuring they are fully submerged. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to lightly pickle. Drain before using.
  3. Make the Dip Base: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Process until smooth and fully combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
  4. Add Smoked Salmon and Fresh Ingredients: Add the smoked salmon, capers, fresh dill, and green onion to the processor. Pulse just until everything is evenly incorporated, taking care not to overmix to keep the texture slightly chunky.
  5. Adjust Seasoning: Taste the dip and adjust the salt if necessary.
  6. Serve: Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Top with several tablespoons of drained quick-pickled red onions and optionally sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature with pita chips, toasted bread, bagel chips, or use as a bagel or sandwich spread.

Notes

  • Nutrition values are calculated using full-fat dairy and smoked salmon, excluding pickling liquid except for the small amount absorbed by the onions.
  • The dip thickens slightly as it rests; stop blending before it looks fully finished to maintain the best texture.
  • Smoked salmon saltiness and texture vary; taste before adjusting seasoning.
  • For best texture, add the pickled onions just before serving if making ahead.
  • Freezing the dip is not recommended, as the dairy base tends to separate when thawed.

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