This Smoked Salmon Dip with whipped goat cheese is super easy to make, and flavorful. It's the perfect appetizer or party food served with chips, crackers, toasted bread, or crudités. It's great for get-togethers and game nights but it's also fancy enough to be served at any Christmas or New Year's Eve party!
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Why This Recipe Works
Dip or a spread - It's great as a dip but it can also de served as a spread. It's great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Add it to your holiday brunch spread or serve it for lunch in sandwiches with tomato, cucumber, red onion, and lettuce.
Quick and easy to make - You don't need any special equipment or ingredients to make this easy dip. Everything should be easy to find in most grocery stores. I do use a handheld mixer to whip the goat cheese and yogurt together but you can also easily do it by hand. Alternatively, you can mix everything together in a food processor.
Light and flavorful - The mix of whipped soft goat cheese and yogurt makes for a light and smooth creamy dip while smoked salmon, capers, fresh herbs, and garlic add flavor. It's a very simple dip perfect for any salmon lovers who enjoy cream cheese and smoked salmon bagels!
Great for any occasion - This is a dip you can serve with chips, crackers, or crudités at practically any party! It's great for a game night but the smoked salmon also makes it fancy enough to be served during the holiday season on Christmas Eve or at a New Year's Eve party!
Ingredients
- Smoked salmon - I always use cold smoked salmon but you can use hot smoked salmon if you prefer. I don't recommend using lox or gravlax as they don't have the same smokey flavor and have a more raw texture. Choose a good quality salmon for the best flavor.
- Soft goat cheese - I'm using soft goat cheese in this dip but you can also use regular cream cheese or a mix of sour cream, mayo, and cream cheese.
- Greek yogurt - A little bit of yogurt makes the dip more creamy and less thick. I whip the goat cheese using a handheld mixer and adding yogurt helps it whip more easily. Use sheep or goat yogurt if you need to avoid cow's dairy.
- Capers - Smoked salmon and capers go really well together and work really well in this dip. Brined capers are best for this recipe. They add umami, saltiness, and acidity to the dip.
- Red onion - Red onion or shallot are the best options for this dip. If you find the flavor of raw onion too strong, chop it up and let it sit in cold water while you prep the rest of your ingredients. It will lose its bite but keep the flavor.
- Fresh herbs - You can use fresh chives, dill, or parsley. If you have all three, add a little bit of each! You can use dried herbs if necessary but fresh herbs yield better flavor.
- Olive oil - This is optional but I add a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the dip for added flavor and creaminess.
- Lemon - You'll need both lemon zest and lemon juice so I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice instead of bottled. It makes a huge difference in flavor!
Variations and Substitutions
- No goat cheese - You can use classic cream cheese, sour cream, or a mix of both. You can also add some mayo if you prefer. I like using mayo made with avocado oil.
- Everything bagel seasoning - You can add a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning on top when serving the dip to mimic smoked salmon bagel sandwich flavor and to add a little crunch.
- Canned salmon - If you want to keep the salmon flavor but make the recipe more budget-friendly, use canned salmon instead. One drained can of salmon is all you need. Try my Canned Salmon Salad Sandwich, the spread has similar ingredients as this dip and very similar flavors!
- Canned tuna - You can add canned tuna the same way you would add canned salmon. The spread in this Canned Salmon Salad Sandwich can be also served as a dip if you mix in some extra yogurt to make it thinner!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Into a large mixing bowl add soft goat cheese and Greek yogurt.
- Whip the two together using a handheld mixer until creamy.
- Add chopped red onion, capers, chives, dill, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, and hot sauce (if using).
- Mix the dip again or stir everything together with a spoon.
- Add chopped smoked salmon and stir until everything is well combined.
Serving Suggestions
The dip makes a great appetizer served as it is or topped with more smoked salmon, fresh herbs, capers, black pepper, and lemon zest. You can also add some chopped green onions on top.
Try it served with crusty bread, toasted baguette slices, crackers, bagel chips, or p chips. You can also spread it on toasted bagels or some sourdough. Try it with some Homemade Pita Chips!
If you want to keep things lighter, you can serve the dip with crudites like carrot sticks, celery, cucumber, bell peppers, or radishes.
Storing
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- I don't recommend freezing the dip because it won't have the same texture after defrosting. It's also usually not recommended to refreeze any previously defrosted fish.
FAQs
Hot smoked salmon is smoked above 120F and cold smoked salmon is smoked below 90F. Cold smoked salmon is milder in flavor and has a more "raw" texture. Hot smoked salmon is much smokier and has a more cooked texture.
Theoretically yes, but if you use gravlax or lox, the dip won't have the classic smoked salmon flavor because neither is smoked. Only use cold smoked salmon if possible.
I don't recommend it, the texture won't be the same after defrosting it.
More Salmon Recipes
Salmon is one of my favorite types of fish to cook, whether it's cooking raw salmon or using canned salmon, smoked salmon, gravlax, or lox. The five recipes below are my go-tos and the teriyaki salmon is definitely my favorite! To see all the latest ones, head over to Fish and Seafood.
- Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
- Smoked Salmon Egg Sandwich
- Creme Fraiche Salmon Pasta
- Teriyaki Salmon Bowl
- Canned Salmon Salad Sandwich
📖 Recipe
Smoked Salmon Dip
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Dip
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Smoked Salmon Dip with whipped goat cheese makes a great spread or a dip served with crackers, toasted bread, or crudités.
Ingredients
- 300g soft goat cheese (or cream cheese)
- 100g Greek yogurt
- ½ red onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 3 tbsp capers, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp each chopped fresh chives and dill
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
- 150g cold smoked salmon, finely chopped (reserve a slice for garnish if desired)
- Sea salt to taste
- Optional garnish: smoked salmon, chives, dill, capers, black pepper, and lemon zest
Instructions
- Into a large mixing bowl add soft goat cheese and Greek yogurt.
- Whip the two together using a handheld mixer until creamy.
- Add chopped red onion, capers, chives, dill, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, hot sauce (if using), and chopped smoked salmon.
- Stir everything together until well combined.
- Serve in a bowl garnished with more smoked salmon, fresh herbs, capers, black pepper, and lemon zest.
Notes
Whipped goat cheese: You can either whip the goat cheese in a food processor or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer. I usually go with a handheld mixer because I find it easier with quicker clean-up.
Serving: You can serve the dip with crackers, toasted bread, a baguette, or with crudites.
Storing: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Marta
I made this smoked salmon dip for my salmon loving daughter and she raved about how amazing it was. I can't wait to make this for my friends and family!
Yu
We love salmon! I tried this recipe, and it turned out so creamy and flavorful. It is perfect for our upcoming family gatherings at Christmas!
Savita
This Smoked Salmon Dip recipe is an absolute gem! I recently tried it for a weekend gathering, and it was an instant hit.
Kathryn
We loved this dip and ate it all! Love smoked salmon and mixing it in a dip was a great idea. It really adds so much flavor.
Krysten
This Smoked Salmon Dip with whipped goat cheese is an absolute showstopper! I can already imagine impressing my guests at our party in a couple of weeks – it's a definite keeper for any occasion!
Jacqueline Debono
This is my new favourite smoked salmon dip recipe. I wasn't sure of the goat cheese even though I love the stuff, but wow it really works in this recipe! Making again for Christmas!
Claire
We love a good smoked salmon dip in our house and this one definitely hit the spot! Can't wait to make this again for our upcoming holiday get-together.
Amy Liu Dong
I love this dip. It is so delicious and so easy to make. Yum!
Leslie
I love that you can serve this dip with bread, chips, or veggies! Such a versatile appetizer!
Ramona
This recipe looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it out. My family will love this thank you for sharing!