Smoked Salmon Rillette
This Smoked Salmon Rillette recipe blends cream cheese with smoked salmon (and a few other ingredients) topped with melted butter, creating a fun play on a traditional rillette (think lox and bagels turned into a dip). It’s a delicious addition to any relish tray or charcuterie board. Yeilds Approximatley One-Cup of Rillette
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If you don’t know what a rillette is, you’re missing out. Rillettes, at its core, are a savory meat spread. Originating in the Loire region of France, it’s a method of preserving meat by braising a fatty cut with white wine, garlic, and spices like clove, allspice, and bay leaf.
Once they’re cooked, the meat is shredded and emulsified with the cooked fat creating a beautifully textured spread.
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Smoked salmon rillettes
While my smoked salmon rillette is probably closer to being a pǎté vs a rillette, since I’m pouring melted butter it, I’m sticking with rillette. Regardless, this recipe is creamy, smokey, and EASY to make! A perfect addition to your next party’s spread.
About the ingredients
hot-smoked salmon is used because of the texture and stronger smoked flavor. Hot smoked salmon is cooked at a much higher temperature, resulting in a more cooked, flakier texture and stronger smoky flavor. Cold smoked salmon is smoked at a low temperature, leaving it with a more delicate, silky texture and milder smoky taste, closer to raw salmon (think lox).
cream cheese bumps up the salmon with a thick creamy texture. They just go together (ever heard of a bagel with lox?)
sour cream adds a creamy-acidic flavor needed with the fatty salmon.
Chinese mustard adds a spicy and vibrant flavor.
pure horseradish adds a little spice and sharpness.
lemon juice adds brightness
parsley adds a freshness to the smoked salmon
salted butter is used as the covering for the rillette
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
Beautiful 2-Speed Immersion Blender with Chopper & Measuring Cup, White Icing by Drew Barrymore
Buy Now →
U-Taste Silicone Spatula Set with 600 Degrees Fahrenheit Heat Resistant (Teal/Aqua Sky)
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How to make smoked salmon rillettes
The process is actually really easy. Since the salmon is already cooked, it’s much easier than a typical rillette’s.
Melt the Butter. The first thing you will want to do is gently melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave in a microwave-safe glass with a pour spout, and set aside.
Jenn’s Notes:
You don’t want the butter scorching hot. You want butter at a “just melted and cooled” temp. Everything else is cold, therefore, adding something scorching hot will result in possible food poisoning
Make the rillette. Add the salmon into your food processor bowl along with cream cheese, sour cream, mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, parsley, and garlic. Pulse 5 to 6 times or until well combined and the mixture is a spreadable consistency. Season with Salt and pepper if needed, and pulse once or twice just to combine.
Chill and serve. Transfer the mixture into one 8oz ramekin (or any straight-sided jar-8oz or larger), pressing down with a spatula and working it into the corners and against the walls to avoid trapping any air bubbles, and smooth the top into an even layer. Pour the melted butter over the top of the rillette(s). Scatter with extra parsley, if desired. Cover, and place in the fridge for about 1 hour to set up. Serve the rillettes spread over crostini, bagel chips, or shredded wheat crackers.
Storage
Although Rillette is technically a form of food storage, as explained above, this version is a borderline rillette and therefore is NOT a one-month type of Rillette.
This smoked salmon rillette can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Check out these jar options for storage and serving
Le Parfait Wide Mouth 350ml (12oz) French Glass Jar w/Airtight (Pack of 4)
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Mora Ceramic 8oz Ramekins – Set of 6
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LE TAUCI 8 oz Ramekins with Lids – Set of 4
Buy Now →Cooking with Kids
DISCLOSURE: These tips are generalized, and meant to be suggestive. Everything I’m sharing I do with my kids, and they are all different even within my own five. So please take these as suggestions or ideas and if you think your child needs more or less help, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your kids, do what YOU think is best.
More party food to add to the table
- Dill Dip Recipe
- Mozzarella Croutons
- Crab Rangoon (or Cream Cheese Wontons)
- Recipe: Pork Wonton Burgers
Did you try it, have questions?
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It’s always wonderful to see loved ones coming together over delicious food.
Smoked Salmon Rillette
This dish blends cream cheese with smoked salmon (and a few other ingredients) topped with melted butter, creating a fun play on a traditional rillette. It’s a delicious addition to any relish tray or charcuterie board.
- Total Time: 1 hour + 15 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Ingredients
- 4 oz hot-smoked salmon
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream [see NOTES 1 for substitutions]
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese mustard [see NOTES 2 for substitutions]
- 3/4 teaspoon pure horseradish [see NOTES 3 for substitutions]
- 1 garlic clove (chopped)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus more for optional sprinkling
- Salt (to taste)
- black pepper (taste)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- Gently melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave in a microwave-safe glass with a pour spout, set aside.
- Add the salmon into the bowl of your food processor along with the cream cheese, sour cream, mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, parsley, and garlic. Pulse 5 to 6 times or until well combined and the mixture is a spreadable consistency. Season with Salt and pepper if needed, and pulse once or twice just to combine.
- Transfer the mixture into one 8oz ramekin (or any straight-sided jar-8oz or larger) and smooth the top into an even layer.
- Pour the melted butter over the top of the rillette(s). Scatter with extra parsley, if desired.
- Cover, and place in the fridge for about 1 hour to set up.
- Serve the rillettes spread over crostini, bagel chips, or shredded wheat crackers.
Equipment
Beautiful 2-Speed Immersion Blender with Chopper & Measuring Cup, White Icing by Drew Barrymore
Buy Now →LE TAUCI 8 oz Ramekins with Lids – Set of 4
Buy Now →
Pyrex 2 Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set
Buy Now →U-Taste Silicone Spatula Set with 600 Degrees Fahrenheit Heat Resistant (Teal/Aqua Sky)
Buy Now →Notes
- 1:1 ratio Greek yogurt
- 1:1 ratio Dijon mustard
- 1:1 ration horseradish sauce
Storage
This smoked salmon rillette can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour + 15 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Category: Appetizer, starter, dip
- Method: one bowl, mix
- Cuisine: French, American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 Tablespoons
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