Smoked Salmon Dip

Savory Smoked Salmon Dip is a party must have! This creamy dip loaded with smoke salmon, cream cheese and capers is sure to please the crowd! 

Dips are a must whenever you host a party. Whether people are dipping chips in Caramelized French Onion Dip, spreading on some Baked Goat Cheese, or dipping Homemade Tortilla Chips in fresh Habanero Salsa, the dips are always the hit of the party.

This Smoked Salmon Dip with Dill is no different! Smoked Salmon is pretty popular here in the Northwest. Chances are if you grew up here you knew someone who smoked their own salmon and always brought it to the family get togethers.  And while it’s great on its own, mixed with cream cheese, capers, dill and a splash of lemon juice make it a creamy, savory dip that everyone will love.

What do you need to make Smoked Salmon Dip?

You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make smoked salmon dip. Besides the salmon and the capers, most are pretty common ingredients you’ll likely have on hand.

• SMOKED SALMON: I mean obviously. You can find this in the seafood section at your local grocery store. A small 4oz filet is all you need for this recipe.
• CREAM CHEESE: Salmon and cream cheese are a match made in heaven so no doubt that a salmon dip would have cream cheese as it’s base. Use the full fat here.
• SOUR CREAM: This makes the dip a bit creamier and more spreadable.
• NON-PAREIL CAPERS: I always keep capers on hand. They go so well with seafood whether I am making tartar sauce or salmon with lemon and capers, my family goes bonkers for these little buds of a flower. They add a nice salty, briny flavor to any dish.
• DILL: You can use fresh or dried dill for this recipe. I prefer to use dried because it’s something that I always have on hand. If you use fresh you’ll need 1 tablespoon.
• LEMON JUICE: A squirt of lemon juice for some brightness and acidity.
• GRANULATED GARLIC: You can also use garlic powder. Don’t use garlic salt, the salmon and the capers are already salty.

How do you make Smoked Salmon Dip?

You will need a food processor to make this dip. You can do it by hand but, on account of the cream cheese, it’ll take a bit more elbow grease to get it as smooth and luscious as the food processor gets it.

• STEP #1: Whip together softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. It really helps if the cream cheese is at room temperature.
• STEP #2: Add in the remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth. Chill for 20 – 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. After the flavors have had a chance to meld, then adjust seasoning with salt if desired.
• STEP#3: Serve with buttery crackers or crostini.

This Smoked Salmon Dip is great year round! Serve it at your holiday parties, backyard BBQs in the summer and even at Sunday Brunches. Whenever you serve it, I’m sure the crowd will love it!

Need more crowd pleasing party appetizers? Try these:

Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs

Roasted Garlic and Brie Pull Apart Bread

Artichoke Tapenade

Note: this post was originally posted in 2009. It was updated with a new recipe, photos and nutrition information in 2021.