Smoked Trout Dip / Spread with Horseradish

Beautifully smoked trout, made into a spread, atop fresh rye bread is (to me) the stuff of dreams.

A squeeze of lemon adds a nice bit of tang to the cream cheese & mayonnaise-based dressing, while a touch of horseradish helps to round things out.

For the full list of ingredients & detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. But before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know below.

Fish has been a Polish speciality for centuries. In the first (or rather – the oldest surviving) Polish cookbook, there’s a whole chapter full of fish recipes. And while carp, northern pike, zander and trout can turn into a wonderful dinner; they make a delicious breakfast as well, especially when smoked.

When I get hold of a whole smoked trout, this is the recipe I’ve been turning to on repeat for breakfast, lunch, and for snacking (as a dip). Sooo easy to pull together. 

Do you need any special ingredients or equipment to make this Smoked Trout Dip?

First off, you’ll need a smoked trout; ideally whole, straight off the smoker. Canned products won’t work here, the whole beauty of this spread is its freshness. 

🇵🇱 In Poland, try ‘Pstrąg Ojcowski’ (a brown trout farmed in crystal clear water in Ojców National Park) when you get a chance. It’s a traditional product of Lesser Poland, naturally smoked with beechwood, lean and tender.

The rest of the ingredients should be available in any supermarket.

Equipment-wise, a food processor would be useful; but you can chop everything finely with a knife. I find that it takes less work than cleaning the food processor afterwards.

How to make this Smoked Trout Dip / Spread?

Step 1

Cut the trout open along the spine. Retrieve the meat; carefully removing of the bones along the way.

Step 2

For a breakfast spread / salad: you can keep the fish pieces in flakes.

For a dip: pulse the fish pieces in a food processor about 10 times, until finely chopped. Alternatively, just chop the fish with a knife, as finely as you can.

Step 3

Peel the boiled eggs and chop them finely. If you’re making a dip, add them into a food processor and pulse together with the fish, 4-5 times is enough.

Step 4

Chop the herbs (dill, chives) finely, add them into a bowl.

Add in the mayo, cream cheese and grated horseradish. Combine together.

Step 5

Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and a tablespoon of lemon juice; combine yet again.

Transfer into a bowl, garnish with lemon slices or vinegar pickles and some more herbs if desired. 

How should you serve this Smoked Trout Dip?

As a spread / egg salad: this recipe tastes best with a slice of rye bread; garnished with some sliced vinegar pickles and smoked trout flakes. 

As a dip: serve it with tortilla or potato chips, crackers, breadsticks or raw veggies. You could also treat it as a garnish for baked potatoes, or even use it as a sauce for a pasta dish.

Can you make this Smoked Trout Dip another way?

Yes. You can swap smoked trout for another fish – I find that smoked mackerel tastes nicely as well.

If you would like to limit the calorie count, replace mayonnaise with some more cream cheese.

What diets is this Smoked Trout Dip suitable for?

This recipe is gluten-free. Serve it with gluten-free bread or crackers. 

If you skip the bread/crackers entirely, this Smoked Trout Dip is also low-carb and keto-friendly.

How long can you keep this Smoked Trout Dip in the fridge?

This Smoked Trout Dip is at its tastiest when fresh, don’t keep it in the fridge for longer than a day or two. Store in a container with a lid.

Can I freeze this Smoked Trout Dip?

No, I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

Continue to Content

Yield: 6-8

Smoked Trout Dip / Spread with Cream Cheese and Horseradish

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Here's a perfect way to enjoy smoked trout, as a dip, and as a breakfast spread for a slice of bread.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 10 oz (280 g) smoked trout (weight of the whole fish)
• 4 eggs, boiled
• 4-5 tbsp mayonnaise (that’s roughly 3 heaped tbsp)
• 2 tbsp cream cheese, can substitute with sour cream
• 2 tsp horseradish, grated (can be from a jar)
• 1 bunch (1-2 oz, 28-56 g) of dill and/or chives
• Pinch of salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. If you have a whole smoked trout, cut it open, along the spine. Remove any bones that you can see. 
2. Retrieve the meat by hand, one chunk at a time. When making a breakfast spread, you can keep the fish in flakes. If you’re making a dip, chop the fish finely, or better yet - pulse the fish pieces in a food processor about 10 times.
3. Peel the boiled eggs and chop them finely. Again, if you’re making a dip, add the chopped eggs into a food processor and pulse together with the fish. Usually, 4-5 times is enough. Move everything into a bowl.
4. Chop the herbs finely, add them in. Add in the mayo, cream cheese and grated horseradish. Combine together with a spoon or a spatula.
5. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Combine together. Have a taste - if you feel the dip needs more seasoning, add some more.
6. Transfer into a bowl or another container. Garnish with vinegar pickles, lemon slices and some more herbs if desired.

Notes

In my case, 10 oz (280 g) of whole smoked trout equaled around 6 oz (170 g) of meat. Keep that in mind when purchasing a fillet.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 223mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 16g

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Recipe Information

Filed under:

Appetisers, Breakfast

all-Polish (Popular Nationwide)

Comfort Food, Kid-friendly

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Alternative traditional/regional names:

Also known / Misspelt internationally as:

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