this wild-caught smoked salmon dip was a customer favorite from my organic grab & go shop and we only made it around the holidays in small batches. it’s luxurious, rich, sophisticated and full of flavor. it’s bound to impress your guests- even if smoked salmon isn’t their cup of tea. I’m personally not a huge smoked salmon fan in general, but I *love* this dip.
the inspiration:
when writing holiday catering menus for my past businesses, we always looked to reinvent classic dishes and elevate them. this dip uses wild-caught smoked salmon which adds a gorgeous coral hue. it doesn’t give the fishy aftertaste that farmed smoked salmon often provides. we also added in briny capers for texture and flavor, fresh lemon and tons of fresh herbs. the bite of red onion adds a sharpness while aioli and cream cheese add richness.
wild-caught smoked salmon dip ingredients:
- smoked salmon: once again, finding wild-caught smoked salmon is key here in replicating the beautiful natural coral hue as well as a freshness that is unparelled. I found mine at Costco right next to the farmed smoked salmon.
- cream cheese: the base of our salmon dip starts with room temperature cream cheese. you can also substitute a dairy free cream cheese to make this dip paleo.
- aioli: you can use homemade aioli or avocado oil mayonnaise for this recipe.
- fresh lemon: freshly-squeezed lemon juice and freshly-grated zest are essential .
- capers: add texture, tang and brine to the creamy dip.
- red onion: minced red onion adds a craveable sharpness and “edge,” to the rich dip.
- spices: we flavor this dip with granulated garlic for a delicate garlic flavor as well as freshly-ground cracked black pepper. salt is not needed in this dip as the smoked salmon is naturally salty.
- fresh herbs: fresh dill and flat leaf parsley add freshness and a brightness to the dish that pairs ideally with the salmon.
how to serve:
this wild-caught smoked salmon dip has a lot going on and is very rich- serving it simply is the way to go. Choose a seasonal fruit to add freshness and serve with your favorite crackers on a decorative tray. you could also serve as a dip component to pair along with my classic ploughman’s lunch.
- winter: serve salmon dip with fresh cherries and rosemary crackers.
- spring: serve salmon dip with fresh strawberries and poppyseed water crackers.
- summer: serve salmon dip with fresh sliced peaches and toasted baguette crostinis.
- fall: serve salmon dip with fresh figs and rye crackers.
Wild-Caught Smoked Salmon Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature, sub Kite Hill Dairy-Free if DF
- ½ cup homemade aioli or avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 10 turns freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh dill minced, plus sprigs for garnish
- 1 Tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley minced
- 1 Tablespoons capers drained and rinsed, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup red onion minced finely
- 8 oz wild-caught smoked salmon minced finely, (it's easiest to do this with ice cold salmon)
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, add room temperature cream cheese, aioli, lemon juice and zest, pepper and granulated garlic.
- Whip mixture together with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixture, until light and fluffy and no cream cheese lumps are visible, at least 2 minutes.
- Delicately fold in minced herbs, capers, red onion and smoked salmon with a spatula until well combined. Transfer to a glass, non-reactive bowl and cover. Chill at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- To serve, garnish with a sprinkling of capers and dill sprigs. Serve with seasonal fresh fruit and crackers on the side.
