Creamy Herb Smoked Trout Dip

A bowl of smoked trout dip topped with chives and potato chips on a platter of crudites.

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This luxuriously creamy, bright, and herb-flecked smoked trout dip is inspired by green goddess dressing, made with fresh herbs, sour cream, creme fraiche, smoked fish, and aromatics.

Prep Time25

Chill Time30

Total Time55

Servings: servings

Calories: 74kcal

Author: Karishma Pradhan

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

½ cup sour cream
½ cup crème fraîche
⅓ cup roughly chopped parsley
3 tablespoons roughly chopped dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot from about 1 small shallot
1 tablespoon capers drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely minced chives divided
3 - 4 ounces smoked trout measured after removing skin and bones; see notes

For serving:

Potato Chips, Crudités, or Crackers

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the base: In a food processor, combine ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup crème fraîche, ⅓ cup roughly chopped parsley, and 3 tablespoons roughly chopped dill. Pulse until light green and creamy, about 30 seconds.

Note: Do not over-blend, as it can cause the sour cream to get too runny.

Mix: Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot, a pinch of chopped capers, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and ½ tablespoon finely minced chives.
Flake the fish:
If using trout fillets: Carefully peel away the skin off of a fillet of smoked trout. Break the fish into large pieces and remove any pin bones. Remove any tough or hard exterior pieces of the fish (these will be darker orange). Break the remaining fish into bite-sized pieces.
In total, you should be left with 3 - 4 ounces smoked trout.
If using tinned trout: Drain the trout of excess oil. In total, you should be left with 3 - 4 ounces smoked trout.
Fold the fish into the bowl, then cover and let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve: Remove from the fridge and taste for seasoning, adding the remaining capers if desired. Garnish with the remaining ½ tablespoon finely minced chives and serve with Potato Chips, Crudités, or Crackers.

Video

Notes

A lot of smoked fish "dips" are more like spreads; this dip is much creamier, yielding a milder flavor and texture that's appealing to even smoked fish–curious eaters.

Smoked Trout:

The only canned trout I recommend using is Fishwife, as it's meaty enough to prevent the dip from getting too runny or diluted in flavor. Otherwise, I recommend a dry smoked fish fillet, such as Ducktrap brand.
You'll need about 3 - 4 ounces of meat for this dip, after removing any bones or skin (about 1 fillet smoked trout or 2 cans tinned fish).You can also use smoked salmon or another smoked fish, as long as it's dry and flaky.
Smoked trout is quite salty, so you will likely not need to add any salt for seasoning. If the dip feels too salty, you can always add a bit more sour cream or crème fraîche.

Storage & Make-Ahead: Store dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If serving to guests, you can prep up to one day ahead of time. Just before serving, garnish with a bit more chives.

No food processor? The dish won't have that pale green color, but otherwise it'll still taste great. Just finely chop the herbs, then mix with the sour cream base and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Nutrition