Smoked Salmon Dip Without Cream Cheese

This smoked salmon dip, also known as salmon rillettes, is made with butter as a base (instead of cream cheese), which makes the smoked salmon shine and creates a beautifully creamy texture.

This smoked salmon spread, also known as salmon rillettes, is adapted from Jess Thomson in Dishing Up Washington, and uses butter as a base, which makes the smoked salmon shine and creates a beautifully smooth texture.

For a smoked salmon dip, we prefer the taste of butter over cream cheese as a base since the cream cheese can dominate in flavor. This smoked salmon spread is simply made with hot smoked salmon, butter, olive oil, fresh dill, capers, garlic and lemon juice.

It's such an elegant spread, yet it’s so simple to whip up. It’s perfect as a snack, appetizer or for serving at more formal get togethers. You can serve anytime of day, too — we even have it for breakfast.

Simply serve with low-carb crackers (we serve with Carbolicious low-carb melba toast) or fresh cut veggies like celery or cucumbers.

What is hot smoked salmon?

Hot smoked salmon is wet brined salmon that is smoked at a higher temperature (120 degrees F or more) until the salmon cooks through and becomes flaky.

Cold smoked salmon, on the other hand, is salt cured and then smoke at a lower temperature (80 degrees F or lower). At this temperature, the smoke cures the fish rather than cooks it, so it is more silky and firm in texture and is still considered raw.

Key Ingredients

Just a few notes on key ingredients:

• Hot smoked salmon: This recipes uses hot smoked salmon. When purchasing hot smoked salmon, be sure to look at the ingredients and net carbs. Often times, hot smoked salmon can include sugar in the ingredients, but you can find brands that don't include sugar or use minimal amounts. We bought a brand that is only 1 net carb per serving. Alternatively, you could use leftover cooked salmon.
• Butter: Butter is used as a base in this spread instead of cream cheese. We use the best butter we can buy: organic, unsalted, ultra-creamy butter.
• Fresh dill: Fresh dill is a must. We use just enough to create a light dill flavor, but you can add more to taste.
• Capers: We love the taste that capers add, but if you're not a caper person you can reduce the amount of even skip.
• Garlic: We love adding a little garlic, and you can add more or less to taste.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice is used to add acidity to the dip.

How to Make

It's so easy-breazy to make this spread. Just a few steps:

STEP 1: After removing skin from salmon, combine salmon, dill, capers, softened butter, olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic in a food processor.

STEP 2: Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 3: Spoon into small serving bowl and chill in fridge for several hours or more.

STEP 4: Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with low-carb crackers, cucumber slices and/or celery sticks.

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