This savory salmon mousse with dill is a bit of a showstopper with its five-star-quality presentation. This appetizer will wow your holiday guests with its creamy texture and hint of citrus zing. Best of all, it's super easy to make.
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An Easy & Elegant Holiday Appetizer
Forget the cheese tray. This holiday season, present your guests with a salmon mousse appetizer, adorned with black caviar, served atop crisp crackers.
It's a great make ahead appetizer because it needs to be serve chilled, allowing you to make it 1 or 2 days in advance.
Other appetizers may be quick and easy, but it will be the unique holiday appetizers like my cranberry goat cheese shots and this salmon and caviar mousse that everyone will remember and enjoy for many seasons to come.
Here are some more festive and yummy holiday recipes you might like including Christmas punch and Christmas cookie sprinkles.
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Ingredients
- unflavored gelatin powder - to give it structure and help hold its shape (just like it does in Jello and homemade Jello gummies)
- white wine - white wine is an excellent match for salmon, not only as a drink but also as an ingredient for cooking
- canned salmon - you don't have to cook the salmon because we are using canned salmon which saves on time and energy
- fresh dill - see my tutorial for how to chop up dill
- black fish eggs/roe (lumpfish) - optional--referred to as 'the caviar of the north' and is a cheaper option than the more expensive caviar
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
⭐ If you like appetizers using fresh dill, you might also like my dill dip recipe.
Recipe Tweaks
- Make it spicy by adding a few drops of hot sauce or some red pepper flakes. To please everyone, make a spicy version and a regular version.
- For dipping, you can use different types of crackers, breadsticks or even vegetables like celery sticks.
- Instead of fresh dill, you can try finely diced chives.
- Instead of a mini loaf pan, try another type of mold or multiple, smaller molds.
- You can also use try using hot smoked salmon instead of canned for a different flavor.
How to Make Salmon Mousse
- Pour 3 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl, and sprinkle with gelatin. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Pour it into a small pot over medium heat. Heat it for a couple of minutes, until the gelatin dissolves. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, add the white wine, canned salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice & zest, salt and pepper. Purée until smooth.
- Add the gelatin and the fresh dill and pulse until well mixed.
- Line a mini loaf pan mold with plastic wrap. Pour in the mousse and cover the top with the plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours).
- Open the top of the plastic wrap, turn the mousse over onto the serving plate, and remove the plastic wrap.
- Garnish the mousse with some more fresh dill and black fish eggs. Serve with crackers.
Joss' Tips
- Choose high quality ingredients. I recommend using wild caught, high quality salmon. Using high quality ingredients will give you a great-tasting appetizer that will impress your guests.
- Don't over-blend. By carefully blending ingredients and managing texture, your mousse will turn out light, smooth, and full of flavor!
- Give it time to chill. Let the mousse chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This allows the flavors to mingle and the mousse to firm up, making it easier to spread.
Salmon Mousse FAQs
Salmon mousse is a savory, spreadable mixture of cooked salmon and cream cheese, formed in a mold with gelatin. It has that smooth and airy texture of whipped cream cheese.
Salmon mousse is often served chilled, spread on crackers, toast, or cucumber slices. I love to serve it with an assortment of crackers.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can freeze salmon mousse for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
More Holiday Recipes to Wow Your Guests
If you tried this Salmon Mousse Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Salmon Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 1 cup canned salmon - drained
- ½ cup cream cheese - softened
- 1 lemon - zested and juiced
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill - chopped
- black fish eggs - lumpfish - optional
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Pour 3 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl, and sprinkle with gelatin. Let it sit for 5 minutes.1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- Pour it into a small pot over medium heat. Heat it for a couple of minutes, until the gelatin dissolves. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, add the white wine, canned salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice & zest, salt and pepper. Purée until smooth.2 tablespoons white wine, 1 cup canned salmon, ½ cup cream cheese, 1 lemon
- Add the gelatin and the fresh dill and pulse until well mixed.3 tablespoons fresh dill
- Line a mini loaf pan (something close to 5.5 inches x 2.7 inches x 1.5 inches deep) with plastic wrap. Pour in the mousse and cover the top with the plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours).
- Open the top of the plastic wrap, turn the mousse over onto the serving plate, and remove the plastic wrap.
- Garnish the mousse with some more fresh dill and black fish eggs. Serve with crackers.
Equipment
Notes
- Salmon mousse is often served chilled, spread on crackers, toast, or cucumber slices. I love to serve it with an assortment of crackers.
- Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze salmon mousse for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- I recommend using wild caught, high quality salmon or hot-smoked salmon if you like that flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Joss says
This is such a unique dip and yummy too!