Smoked Salmon Dip

Smoked salmon dip with cream cheese, onions, capers, dill, and a sprinkle of Everything But The Bagel seasoning— this tastes like your favorite New York bagel in a bowl. It’s creamy, a bit salty, herby, and a total crowd-pleaser.

Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩‍🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Salmon Recipes

This smoked salmon dip is my little ode to that unforgettable bagel I had in New York recently. It had beautiful fresh cream cheese, salty smoked salmon, capers, red onion, fresh dill, and that magical Everything But The Bagel crunch on the sourdough bagel. It was made with love and quality ingredients and I still remember every mouthful. I came home determined to turn that moment into a dip. And here we are!

This dip (or spread) is creamy, tangy, smoky, and seriously scoopable — think “everything bagel” vibes in dip form. There’s sharpness from the onion, tang from lemon juice and capers, and a lovely creaminess from cream cheese that ties it all together. You get little bursts of flavor in every bite. And the best part? It’s incredibly easy and fast. We’re talking 20 minutes max, and it keeps well if you want to make it ahead.

You can serve it with crackers, bagels, mini toasts, or crudites. Perfect as an appetizer or finger food for holidays, summer parties or NYE. Me? I make a batch and enjoy it for breakfast with toasted sourdough and a boiled egg.

👩‍🍳 You might also like these dips: Tex-Mex-inspired corn and cream cheese dip, whipped feta dip (with roasted cherry tomatoes and garlic), cashew hummus with pumpkin, or beet and walnut dip. Oh, and make sure to check out this collection of smoked salmon recipes.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this smoked salmon dip recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

• Cream cheese: Use full-fat for richness or light for a healthier twist (which is what I used for the one pictured here). This is the creamy base that holds everything together.
• Smoked salmon: Adds that salty, smoky depth. Chop it fine or leave a few bigger bits for texture.
• Red onion: Brings a sharp bite. You can swap with chives if you want something milder.
• Capers: Tangy, briny little flavor bombs. Don’t skip these — they wake everything up.
• Fresh dill: For that classic salmon-and-dill combo. You can use parsley if dill’s not your thing, but trust me — it belongs here.
• Lemon juice: Just a bit to brighten everything.
• Salt and pepper: Keep it minimal—smoked salmon and capers already bring saltiness.
• Everything But The Bagel Seasoning: Adds crunch and flavor — sprinkle it on right before serving. This is another MUST in my opinion.
• Olive oil: Optional, but a little drizzle on top makes it look and taste extra nice.

How To Make Smoked Salmon Dip

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make my version of a smoked salmon dip.

• Bring cream cheese to room temp.
• Finely dice the red onion, capers, dill, and smoked salmon.
• Add everything (except garnishes) into a bowl.
• Mix using a whisk or electric beater until it’s smooth-ish (it should still have some texture).
• Transfer to a serving bowl, smooth the top.
• Garnish with EBTB seasoning, extra dill, capers, onion, and a little drizzle of olive oil.
• Serve with crunchy stuff (bagel bites, toast, crackers, veggies).

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

• Texture Tip: Don’t overmix — this dip is better with a bit of texture.
• Healthier version: Swap in light cream cheese and go easy on the olive oil.
• Make it fancy: Add a spoon of crème fraîche or sour cream for extra tang and richness.
• No EBTB seasoning? Just sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds, dried garlic, and onion flakes instead.
• Storage tips: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s not freezer-friendly — cream cheese doesn’t love the cold that much.
• Make-ahead tips: You can make the dip a day ahead, just hold off on the EBTB sprinkle until just before serving so it stays crunchy.

Serving Suggestions

Perfect with sourdough toast, mini bagel bites, rye crisps, crackers, or fresh veggies—especially radish, cucumber, or fennel. It’s also lovely dolloped onto blinis or cucumber rounds if you’re going a bit fancy. I often have it for breakfast, spread over toasted sourdough with boiled eggs on the side for extra protein.

💬 If you’ve tried this smoked salmon dip or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.

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