Dip Into Entertaining Season With This Easy Salmon Spread
Words: Jenn Rice | @jennricewrites
Photos & Recipe: Stacey Sprenz | @ssprenzphoto
Editor: Michelle Webb | @cheeseshopnc
Photos and recipe by Stacey Sprenz.
At Lahaina Noon, a new restaurant in Maui, I recently snacked on their smoked ahi dip, served with pickled onions, tobiko, and shrimp chips while I started writing this piece. That first bite reminded me just how underrated fish dips are—they make the perfect snack. Salmon dip also might not sound exciting at first, but every time I try it, I’m hooked. The zesty, creamy flavor is a total game-changer.
I pondered, why aren’t we making more fish dips?!! It was perfect alongside a cocktail at sunset.
Before we dive into this recipe’s magic, let’s address a couple of things: canned seafood and the fish-and-cheese combo. I get it—canned fish has a stigma, and pairing fish with cheese might seem odd. But hear me out! Canned salmon, especially high-quality Minnow Wild Sockeye, is a revelation. And as for fish-and-cheese skeptics, just think of a classic lox bagel. It just works!
This isn’t your average, mass-produced stuff like Chicken of the Sea. Minnow Wild Sockeye is wild-caught, sustainably sourced from Bristol Bay, Alaska, where the cannery has been perfecting its craft since 1910. The result? Moist, flavorful filets packed with natural oils and just a hint of salt. As Stacey puts it, “They canned it, but they didn’t kill it!”
With the entertaining season upon us, this salmon dip is the ultimate no-fuss crowd-pleaser. Minnow Wild Sockeye Salmon with silky cream cheese and luscious Isigny Saint Mére crème fraîche makes for pure indulgence. If you’re not using crème fraîche in dips, it’s time to start! We’re partial to this one, but Vermont Creamery’s is also a great grocery store option, with a higher butterfat content that brings tangy, slightly sour, and creamy goodness. Personally, I sub it in for any recipe calling for sour cream. You’re welcome!
The lemon and dill in this recipe add brightness, while minced shallots and Lusty Monk’s Original Sin Mustard bring just the right amount of kick. It’s creamy, tangy, smoky, and salty in all the best ways—perfect for slathering on chips, crackers, or crudités. And trust me, once you set this out, it’s going to disappear fast.
Photos and recipe by Stacey Sprenz
An Elevated Take on Fish & Chips
FYI: Don’t sleep on the Long Chips, a potato chip invented in Latvia, in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Michelle discovered them while scrolling TikTok on one of Bethenny Frankel’s famous Hamptons grocery hauls. True to the name, they’re long—like mashed potato in Pringle form, but more delicate and cool because they are flash-fried in 10 seconds. Definitely grab a few at The Cheese Shop before we buy them out!
This dip ridiculously easy to make, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time curating the perfect playlist (hello, ‘80s yacht rock) or planning a cocktail pairing (limoncello spritz, anyone?). Embrace the canned fish, whip up this dip in a flash, and let it be the star of your next gathering. This salmon dip is proof that sometimes, the simplest dishes can dominate a party. Stacey and I devoured the spread after she shot it in under 10 minutes confessing that this was a party we’d want to crash.
(For the record, Michelle, who doesn’t even like salmon, admitted she could eat this salmon dip all day).
Recipe
Alaskan Salmon Spread: Fish & Chips
makes 8-10 servings
Ingredients
1- 6 oz. Can Minnow Wild Sockeye Salmon
3 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. Isigny Saint Mére Créme Fraîche
1 T Lemon juice
1 T fresh dill, minced
2 T minced shallot
2 t Lusty Monk Original Sin Mustard
1/2 t Salt
Dill for garnish
Instructions
In a bowl, combine the salmon, cream cheese, and créme fraîche.
Add the lemon juice, dill, shallot, mustard, and salt.
Mix until thoroughly combined.
Place spread in a serving bowl and garnish with dill leaves. Serve with potato chips, crackers, crudité.
