The BEST Smoked Salmon Dip – made with smoked lox, cream cheese, capers, and fresh dill. This dip is rich, creamy, and packed with the most amazing flavor… the perfect appetizer for all your holiday parties!

When it comes to appetizers, I’m all about the dips. Not only because they’re quick and easy to make, typically with just a handful of ingredients, but because the flavor combinations for them are absolutely endless.

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You can basically turn any of your favorite food combos into a dip, whether it’s Cobb Salad Dip or Taco Dip or even Cherry Cheesecake Dip… and this Smoked Salmon Dip is an all-time favorite.

It takes the classic combo of cream cheese, capers, and lox – a popular topping for bagels – and turns it into a delicious, flavor-packed appetizer that’s guaranteed to be a hit!

Ingredients in Smoked Salmon Dip

Cream cheese – Cream cheese forms the creamy base for this dip. I used an 8 ounce block of full fat cream cheese, which I softened before combining it with the other ingredients. You can substitute a lower fat version or even a flavored cream cheese (see recipe variation ideas below).

Sour cream – 1/4 cup of sour cream balances out the thickness of the cream cheese. I used full fat cream cheese, but again, you can substitute a lower fat version OR Greek yogurt.

Mayo – In addition to the sour cream, mayo helps to round out the flavor of the base and adds to the deliciously rich, creamy texture. I used full fat Hellman’s mayo.

Lemon juice – Lemon juice is an essential addition any time you’re working with fish, and lox is no exception. I used 1 Tablespoon of bottled lemon juice. Feel free to substitute fresh lemon juice if you have it on hand.

Dill – Dill is a common addition to the cream cheese + lox combination and adds a delicious element of flavor to this dip. I used fresh dill, which is always best, but you can definitely substitute a high quality dried dill in its place (see recipe variation ideas below).

Smoked paprika – I absolutely LOVE the flavor that smoked paprika adds to any recipe, and this dip is no exception. I used 1/2 teaspoon so as not to overpower the other flavors. Be sure to used a smoked variety to get the full effect.

Capers – Capers are another common addition to the cream cheese + lox combo, and I can’t imagine this dip without them! They add just the right amount of texture, brininess, and flavor… and definitely take this recipe to the next level.

Smoked salmon – Last but not least, smoked lox is the star of the show. If you’re not a fan of the smoked flavor you can feel free to use regular lox in its place.

How to make Smoked Salmon Dip

Make the creamy base – In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, dill, paprika, and half of the capers. Mix on medium speed using a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.

Stir in the salmon and capers – Flake the lox, then stir it into the creamy base along with the remaining capers.

Refrigerate – This step is optional; however, giving the flavors at least 30 minutes to ‘marry’ will bring out the best in this dip.

Enjoy – Enjoy this dip cold or at room temperature; serve with crackers, bread, bagel chips, veggies, or any of your favorite dippers.

What to eat with Smoked Salmon Dip

This dip is packed with flavor and delicious with a variety of different dippers. Some of our favorite options are crackers, sliced baguette, bagel chips, pretzel flats, or any fresh crunchy vegetables.

Recipe variations

Substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream
Use flavored cream cheese and omit the fresh dill and/or smoked paprika
Substitute dried dill for fresh (reduce from 1 Tablespoon to 1 teaspoon)
Add chopped red onion
Add chopped cucumbers or tomatoes
Enjoy as a bagel schmear

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