Smoked Salmon Pâté Spread (Printable Format)

A flavorful, creamy spread blending smoked salmon, cream cheese, sour cream, and fresh herbs.

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Dairy

01 - 7 oz smoked salmon, roughly chopped
02 - 5.3 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 2 tbsp sour cream
04 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
07 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, plus extra for garnish
08 - 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
09 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

10 - Crackers, toasted baguette slices, or cucumber rounds

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a food processor, pulse smoked salmon, cream cheese, sour cream, and butter until mostly smooth with slight texture remaining.
02 - Incorporate lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, chives, and black pepper with brief pulsing to blend evenly.
03 - Taste the mixture and modify seasoning by adding more lemon juice or herbs as preferred.
04 - Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
05 - Garnish with additional dill and present alongside crackers, toasted bread, or cucumber slices.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but honestly takes less time than brewing coffee.
  • The balance of smoky, creamy, and bright citrus hits every craving at once.
  • You can make it ahead and let it wait in the fridge while you handle everything else.
  • It works just as well on a fancy cheese board as it does on a Tuesday night with crackers and wine.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese is cold and stubborn, the pate will turn grainy no matter how long you blend it.
  • Taste before you chill because once it's cold, adjusting the seasoning feels like guesswork.
  • Don't skip the resting time, the flavors really do need those thirty minutes to become friends.
03 -
  • Pulse in short bursts instead of running the processor continuously so you control the texture and don't accidentally make salmon butter.
  • Use the best smoked salmon you can afford, the flavor is front and center here and there's nowhere for mediocre fish to hide.
  • If you're serving a crowd, double the batch and pack it into a pretty bowl the night before so you can pull it straight from the fridge when guests arrive.

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