Homemade smoked salmon pâté is dead easy and quick to prepare. Learn how to make it yourself.

If you’re like me and stop at the seafood section in your supermarket on every shopping trip and yearn for the overpriced, elegant ready-made seafood starters, you will love this recipe. It is shockingly easy to prepare, tastes better and is cheaper. What’s more you don’t have to wonder who touched the food nor if there is salmonella lurking in the attractively displayed food.

There never seems to be a wrong occasion to serve smoked salmon pâté as a starter or canapé. Whether it’s Christmas, a dinner party or a quick lunch, everyone will be pleased.

Adjusting Smoked Salmon Pâté for Special Diets

An appetizer portion of this pâté is only 140 calories. Nutrition-wise it is low in sugar and saturated fat and high in selenium and B12. Mind you, if you’re on a low sodium diet you want to steer clear of this.

The recipe provided is somewhat luxurious. Here are a few options to make it healthier to suit your lifestyle:

• Weight Watchers, Slimming World or other Low-Fat Diets: Substitute the double/heavy cream with low-fat crème fraîche or cottage cheese to lower the calories of this dish.
• Pregnant women are advised to avoid all kinds of pâté because of the risk of catching listeria. Smoked salmon is safe to eat though and if the proper food hygiene practices are followed when making the pâté there is no reason pregnant woman can’t enjoy the starter too.
• Dairy Free Smoked Salmon Pâté: Admittedly, I’ve never had to make it this way but if you’re seriously intolerant of dairy products you can you silken tofu instead of cream or cheese. Add a little bit at a time with a bit of soy milk and pulse with the smoked salmon. Repeat this process until you achieve your desired consistency.

What You Can Add To Smoked Salmon Pâté

You don’t have to use double/heavy cream if you don’t want to. There are plenty of alternatives you can substitute it with such as:

• Single cream
• Sour cream
• Crème fraîche, and lower fat versions
• Cream cheese, e.g. Philadelphia
• Quark cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Mascarpone cheese
• Goat’s cheese

In terms of flavour you can add one of the following to liven up the pâté:

• Capers
• Chives
• Dill
• Horseradish
• Lemon
• Parsley
• Black Pepper

Don’t Have Enough Smoked Salmon?

Why not make up the deficit with some cooked prawns or smoked mackerel? It’s best to aim for a 50/50 ratio.

Can’t Find Smoked Salmon?

If you can get hold of liquid smoke, you’re in luck. Simply use cold leftover or canned cooked salmon, blend it with the rest of the ingredients and add ½ teaspoon (you may need more) of liquid smoke. Ta-daaah! A true cheat’s recipe.

If you can only find hot smoked salmon, fear not. All you need is a bit more cream or cheese to make the mixture wetter and you’re fine.

Do you have a big dinner party coming up and need plenty of smoked salmon? Handpicked Collection has got 1150g ‘D’ Sliced Side MacGilvray Smoked Scottish Salmon that are sometimes available at discounted prices.

2 Other Smoked Salmon Pâté Ideas

Carry on blending the mixture in the food processor until it forms a perfectly smooth mousse. Serve it in little cones like we did at Baumanns Cooking Academy.

Add more liquid to the mixture in order to make it sloppier and serve it as a dip with some crudités.

How to serve Smoked Salmon Pâté

Due to its saltiness, the spread is best served with plain fare such as crackers, blinis, toast, fresh bread and melba toast. Top it with bits of caviar and serve with wedges of lemon or pickled ginger. Other foods that pair well with smoked salmon are artichokes, avocados, celeriac (celery root), eggs, grapefruit, leeks, melons, plums, radishes and potatoes. Have fun!

How Long Will Smoked Salmon Pâté Keep?

Due to its nature consume it within two days. When not in use it should be kept in the fridge.

Can you freeze Smoked Salmon Pâté?

Yes. Make sure the pâté is wrapped tightly in clingfilm. Store for no longer than 3 months.

In this recipe we don’t use gelatin. It is a critical component in a Smoked Salmon Terrine, check out the recipe here.

It’s always a good idea to get all your ingredients ready first before you start cooking. Here are layers and layers of tempting smoked salmon.

Grate some lemon peel…

…and squeeze out the lemon juice.

Let me show you how to be fancy. We will be making smoked salmon pâté parcels. It’s easier than it looks. First line ramekins with clingfilm.

Carefully layer smoked salmon slices until the whole ramekin is covered. Please note: You’ll need to buy extra smoked salmon for this. The ingredients listed in the recipe are only for the filling.

Now we’re ready to make the pâté. Place the smoked salmon in the mini-food processor.

Add the cream…

then the lemon juice and peel.

And lastly, freshly ground black pepper.

Give it a whizz….and voila!

Feeling creative? Substitute 50% of the smoked salmon with cooked prawns.

Don’t forget the dill!

Blitz with the cream and lemon.

Now you can fill up the smoked salmon lined ramekin and cover it with even more smoked salmon.

Wrap tightly with clingfilm and place in the fridge for a while.

And there you have it! One fancy Dinner party starter!

Of course, without all the faffing about with the ramekins it can just be lunch on a week day. Whatever the occasion, ENJOY!

Other great smoked salmon recipes around the web:

• Jeanne made Smoked Salmon and Avocado Stacks.