smoked trout dip

This smoked trout dip recipe is so easy to make and it’s packed with fresh herbs, lemon and tangy sour cream. Throw everything in a bowl, stir it up and you have the absolute best trout dip!

With this smoked trout dip recipe, I really focused on developing a dip that balanced the smoky, oily notes of the trout without drowning its delicate flavor and rich texture. In other words, I kept it simple and fought the urge to mix in a bunch of distractors. Which is hard to do! 

But I settled on a few basic flavors: fresh dill, a squeeze of fresh lemon, tangy sour cream and the floral pop of fresh black peppers. It's clean, vibrant, simple-- and addictively good. You don't need much to make a smoked trout dip that shines. Other than delicious smoked trout, of course!

what you need for smoked trout dip:

• smoked trout
• sour cream
• lemon juice
• lemon zest
• fresh dill
• fresh parsley
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

how to find great smoked trout:

The best way to find high-quality smoked trout is from a local fishmonger or butcher. In general, local fish shops make in-house smoked fish in addition to selling raw fish. Good butchers often do the same.

They start with great fish, and they have a strong customer base built up to regularly move the smoked fish they produce. You know what you're getting will be fresh-- and it will be so much tastier than the hard packets at the grocery store!

how to make the best smoked trout dip:

1. Flake trout into bowl
2. Add sour cream, lemon juice, zest and herbs
3. Stir until combined
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Serve with crackers, crostini and crudites!

what color is trout, anyways?

For a long time, I always thought the meat of all trout was white or light pink. I never knew the flesh could be a deep orange, almost identical to salmon! It turns out the color of trout meat depends on a few factors.

The size of the fish, which is mostly related to diet, plays the biggest role in meat color. Small rainbow trout that live off of bugs tend to have light, pale colored meat. Larger rainbow trout that eat fish, however, have a deeper pink or orange colored flesh.

Then there’s the variety of trout. Steelhead trout (which is my favorite and the type I use here) is a confusing hybrid of sorts. Basically, it’s a trout that acts like a salmon. Steelhead trout hatch in fresh water rivers, migrate to the ocean to grow and mature, then they return to rivers to spawn, just like salmon.

So while Steelhead trout are the same species as Rainbow trout, they have a different lifestyle which impacts their physiology. And most importantly for us, it's the color of the meat. The flavor is still lighter and more delicate than salmon, but the color is a gorgeous deep orange.

more questions about this smoked trout dip recipe:

how do you eat smoked trout dip?

Our favorite way to enjoy this smoked trout dip is spread on salty crackers, crostini, and bagel chips. Crunchy vegetables are also a great way to enjoy it-- especially cucumber slices, bell pepper chunks and halved radishes.

You can also use it as a trout spread for wraps, sandwiches and pita pockets. Or even as a topping to a great seared steak (my kind of surf and turf!) or stuffed into mushrooms.

can you freeze smoked trout dip?

This smoked trout dip does not freeze well. The freeze-thaw process changes the consistency of the sour cream and the texture of the smoked trout. It also damages the fresh flavors from the herbs and lemon, which are so key to the greatness of this dip!

how long does smoked fish dip last?

This trout dip is best consumed within 4 days of making it. Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. I prefer to pull it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving, which takes off the chill and lets it reach the best, spreadable consistency.

More dip recipes to try!

salmon rillettes (salmon spread) with fresh herbs and lemon

herbed ricotta cheese dip

whipped feta dip with herby cucumber salad

white bean hummus with spicy seed oil

saffron aioli (and how to make a grand aioli platter)

spicy dried red chile salsa

Watch our holiday party appetizer web story here!

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