Smoked Salmon Dip

Jump to Recipe·5 from 4 reviews

This is the BEST smoked salmon dip that’s creamy, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re serving it for brunch, as a party appetizer, or as a spread for sandwiches, this dip never disappoints. Creamy and bright cream cheese is whipped together and combined with fresh dill, red onion, and plenty of smoked salmon for a dip that tastes bright and flavorful to balance out the creamy and savory flavors.

This is one of the first dips I started making in my 20s and here we are, 20 years later and it’s still one of my signature dips and always gets rave reviews.

Serve the homemade salmon dip with a variety of crackers and you’ve got the perfect make-ahead party appetizer that’s fancy enough for everything from brunches to baby showers and easy enough for…well…weeknight spring picnics outside.

Smoked salmon dip with crackers and veggies

Table of Contents

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Viral Salmon Dip on Instagram

This salmon dip video went viral on Instagram! Watch below to see how easy this recipe is or click through to the video to read some of the great reviews:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Emily Dingmann (@myeverydaytable)

What You’ll Love About Easy Smoked Salmon Dip

Incredibly delicious
Pretty pink colors
Always a crowd-pleaser
Great to make ahead for parties
Just 10 minutes total time
Made with just 5 ingredients

Ingredients

Cream cheese – Use full-fat for the best flavor and texture. Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature so that it’s easier to mix. Some salmon dips are made with sour cream and mayonnaise, but I prefer the thick consistency of whipped cream cheese.
Lemon – Use fresh lemon for the best flavor and because we’re using both fresh lemon juice AND the zest.
Onion – I prefer red onion for this dip. If you find the flavor strong, soak the minced onion in cold water for 5-10 minutes to lessen the bite a bit. Chop them up as small as you can so that you don’t get huge chunks. You could also use green onion or fresh chives if you prefer those flavors.
Dill – Use fresh dill for the brightest, freshest flavor.
Smoked salmon – You can use cured salmon (lox) or hot smoked salmon. They are similar but have slightly different flavors and textures. Cured salmon has a brighter flavor and color and isn’t quite as flaky. This is what you’ll typically find if you get a lox and bagel sandwich. Hot smoked salmon has a more smoky flavor, a flakier texture, and a more muted color. It is more delicate than cold smoked lox, so be extra gentle when you’re folding it into the cream cheese mixture.
Extras – Many of you suggested adding horseradish, capers, garlic, and everything bagel seasoning to the mix and they all sound delicious to me!

Emily’s Tip

For the creamiest dip, let the cream cheese soften for at least 20 minutes, before mixing! This helps ensure it whips perfectly.

How to Make Smoked Salmon Dip

This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

Whip cream cheese. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip cream cheese and lemon juice together.

Cream cheese for smoked salmon dip in a bowl.

White bowl with cream cheese, onion, and dill for salmon dip.

Season cream cheese. Add onion and fresh dill to lemon cream cheese and stir together until combined.
Add salmon. Fold smoked salmon into the cream cheese mixture.

Salmon dip before mixing salmon into cream cheese mixture.

Serve. Garnish with fresh dill and serve with a variety of crackers, bagel crisps, and/or veggies.

FAQs

What is the best smoked salmon for dip?

This will depend a bit on your personal preference. You can use cured salmon (lox) or hot smoked salmon. They are similar but have slightly different flavors and textures. Cured salmon has a brighter flavor and color and isn’t quite as flaky. This is what you’ll typically find if you get a Lox and bagel sandwich. Hot smoked salmon has a more smoky flavor, a flakier texture, and a more muted color. I prefer to use lox in this salmon dip, but you can also use smoked salmon if you want more of a smoky flavor.

Storage

Store dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Can I freeze smoked salmon dip?

I would not recommend freezing the dip as the cream cheese will change texture during the freezing and thawing process.

How to prep ahead

You can make this dip up to a day in advance.

Bowl of salmon dip with crackers and veggies.

What to Serve with Salmon Dip

You’ve got options! Crackers are a must, but you can also serve the dip with veggies and/or crostini as well.

Crackers – Wondering what crackers go with salmon dip? Just about any! I like using a classic water cracker like Carr’s or these wafer crackers, but you can really use any type of cracker – Ritz crackers, everything bagel seasoned crackers, etc.
Bagel chips – Make your own or buy them at the store, but this is the perfect bagel dip recipe! You can even spread it right on fresh bagels too.
Veggies – Try raw veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery stalks, radishes, or snap peas.
Crostini – Serve with crispy crostini, or toasted rye bread pieces.

More Dip Recipes

If you love dips as much as I do (I live in the Midwest after all, it’s sort of a must), try out these popular dips next time:

Want More?

Read more about my nutrition philosophy here and follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.