Smoked Trout or Salmon Dip — The 5-Minute Canapé

Smoked trout or salmon dip is the canapé that vanishes from the platter at every party. Smoky, creamy, lemon-bright — perfect spread on rye crackers or fresh sourdough, or piled into cucumber boats for a fresh appetiser. 5 minutes to make, lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. Use leftover smoked fish, or buy 275g of pre-smoked trout/salmon from any decent supermarket fish counter. Recipe Card Serves 4–6 (canapé) Prep 5 min Cook — Method No-cook / assembly Difficulty Easy Best for Camp specialist Photo by cleo stracuzza on Unsplash Smoked Trout or Salmon Dip Serves: 6-8 as canapés · Prep: 5 minutes · Equipment: food processor (or fork + bowl) Photo: Peter / Unsplash Ingredients 275g smoked trout or salmon (skin and bones removed) 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice 4 tablespoons (60ml) cream OR cream cheese (see options) 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped 125g unsalted butter, softened Ground black pepper to taste Method Food processor version (smooth): Put the fish flesh, butter, lemon juice, cream and pepper into a food processor Blitz for 30 seconds — stop, scrape down the sides, blitz again until smooth Stir in the chives by hand (don't blitz them — they'll turn the dip green) Taste, adjust pepper Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving (firms up nicely) Fork + bowl version (chunky, my preferred): Flake the fish into a bowl with a fork Add softened butter, mash with the fork until combined but still chunky Stir in lemon juice, cream, pepper Stir in chives last Refrigerate before serving Photo: Clyde Gravenberch / Unsplash Cream alternatives The recipe is flexible on the cream component: Single cream (the original) — looser, richer dip Cream cheese — thicker, classic American-style smoked salmon spread Sour cream — tangier, lighter Greek yoghurt — healthier, more tangy, lower fat Curd cheese or ricotta — softer texture, milder Cottage cheese — chunkier, lower fat option All work. Pick what you have. Or mix two for layered texture. Serving ideas Spread on rye crackers or thinly sliced sourdough toast Pipe into cucumber rounds with a sprig of dill on top Hollow out cherry tomatoes and fill with the dip Spread on cocktail blinis with a tiny dollop of caviar Mixed into pasta for a quick weeknight dinner (warm; don't fry) On a bagel with thinly sliced red onion and capers Garnish with extra dill, a lemon wedge, and a few capers for the full restaurant treatment. Our take The 5-minute canapé that always disappears first. Make a double batch — it keeps 4 days in the fridge and gets BETTER as the flavours meld overnight. Pair with a crisp Tasmanian sparkling, set out crackers, watch the bowl empty. Shop Fishing Gear

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Smoked Trout or Salmon Dip — The 5-Minute Canapé

Posted on April 26, 2026