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Salmon Rillettes (French spread recipe) 

ByGéraldine Leverd
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4.9 of 26 votes

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Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
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At home, these salmon rillettes never last long when I serve them as an appetizer! As a French girl, when my friend asks me for the recipe, I always say that my secret is combining two types of salmon—fresh and smoked—unlike many recipes that use only fresh or smoked salmon.

You’ll see, it makes all the difference: your rillettes will have an intense flavor and the perfect creamy texture. They take less than 20 minutes to make, and you can even prepare them ahead of time.

A glass jar containing salmon spread flavored with dill and lemon zest, served on a white plate with two slices of toast.

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Salmon Rillettes (French spread recipe) 

Click on the stars to rate!

4.9 of 26 votes
These delicious salmon rillettes can be prepared in just 20 minutes, or in advance if you prefer. One of my favorite dip for special occasions!
Glass jar filled with salmon rillette garnished with dill and lemon zest, served on a white plate with three slices of toasted bread.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side dish
Cuisine French
Servings 8
Calories 124 kcal
Print Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

  • 7 oz fresh salmon
  • 1 shallot peeled and cut in quaters
  • 4,5 oz smoked salmon
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese
  • 2 tbps dill chopped, + 1 sprig for poaching
  • 1 tbsp parlsey chopped, + 1 sprig for poachng
  • 1 tbsp capers chopped
  • 1 lemon (for the zest and juice)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet, combine the wine, water, 2 sprigs of dill, and the minced shallot. Bring to a simmer.
    A raw salmon fillet poached in water with fresh herbs and shallot pieces in a stainless-steel saucepan placed on an induction cooktop.
  • Place the fresh salmon fillet in the center of the pan, cover with a lid, and poach over medium heat for 10–15 minutes.
    Salmon fillet poaching in a stainless steel pan with herbs and vegetables in simmering water.
  • Using a fork, flake the cooked salmon into small pieces.
    A decorative plate topped with slices of cooked salmon rests on a rustic wooden tray.
  • In a bowl, combine the flaked salmon, smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, parsley, capers, and lemon zest and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
    A glass salad bowl containing salmon, mayonnaise, chopped dill, capers, diced red onion, lemon zest, and black pepper, sitting on a wooden countertop.
  • Mash everything with a fork until you get a spreadable consistency. Transfer to a glass jar. Refrigerate and take out 10 minutes before serving.
    A glass jar containing salmon spread, garnished with dill and lemon zest, is placed on a plate alongside two slices of toast.

Video

Notes

This salmon spread (rillettes) keeps for 2 to 3 days.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 546IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @la.cuisine.de.geraldine on Instagram and let me know how it was!

Ingredients for Homemade Salmon Rillettes

As I mentioned in the introduction, I like to mix fresh salmon and smoked salmon when making my salmon rillettes. And you’ll see, as for the rest, they’re all ingredients you have at home

  • Fresh salmon: Choose a fillet weighing about 7 oz or 200 g—it doesn’t matter if it has skin or not, you will remove it anyway.
  • Smoked salmon: It adds a smoky flavor to the rillettes.
  • Cream cheese: such as Philadelphia, to give it a creamy texture. For a lighter version, you can substitute crème fraîche or Greek yogurt.
  • Fresh herbs: dill, parsley, chives. Whatever you have on hand!
  • Lemon: It balances out the richness of the salmon. I also always add a little zest because it really enhances the flavor of the rillettes.
  • Capers: finely chopped, for a tangy flavor.
  • Shallots and dry white wine: these are just to add flavor when poaching the fresh salmon. If you like, you can also add a fresh, finely chopped shallot directly to your rillettes.

And if you don’t have any salmon on hand, you can try my sardine rillettes!

A glass salad bowl containing, on the left, flaked cooked salmon and, on the right, finely chopped smoked salmon, placed on a wooden countertop.
A glass jar containing salmon spread, garnished with dill and lemon zest, is placed on a plate alongside two slices of toast.

How to Make Salmon Rillettes

You’ll see, these salmon rillettes are super easy and quick to make. The only step that takes—let’s say—2 minutes of your time is poaching the salmon—but honestly, it’s not rocket science:

  1. Poach the fresh salmon. Poaching simply means cooking in a liquid. To add flavor to your salmon while it cooks, pour a small glass of white wine and water into a skillet, then cook the fish in it, covered, for 10 minutes. For extra flavor (optional), add a shallot and some herbs (dill and parsley).
  2. Crumble. Flake the poached salmon and finely chop all the other ingredients (smoked salmon, herbs). Grate the zest from your lemon and squeeze out about one tablespoon of juice.
  3. Mix. Mix all the ingredients together with a fork and adjust the seasoning.
  4. Save. There you go! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. Take them out 10 minutes before serving. They’ll keep for 2 to 3 days with no problem.

Tip: Instead of poaching your fresh salmon, you can also bake it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 180 °C with a drizzle of olive oil, or sear it in a skillet. This will give your rillettes a slight grilled flavor.

A raw salmon fillet poached in water with fresh herbs and shallot pieces in a stainless-steel saucepan placed on an induction cooktop.
A decorative plate topped with slices of cooked salmon rests on a rustic wooden tray.
A glass salad bowl containing salmon, mayonnaise, chopped dill, capers, diced red onion, lemon zest, and black pepper, sitting on a wooden countertop.

What to Serve with Salmon Rillettes

Here’s how and with what I like to serve my salmon rillettes:

  • Crostini: they’re simply slices of toasted baguette. Check out my recipe—it’s super easy to make your own crostini at home!
  • Crackers: Store-bought or homemade herb crackers if you have time!
  • Raw Vegetables: Serve your rillettes in small cucumber boats (see photo below) or in small endive leaves, as in my recipe for endive boats.
  • As an appetizer: Serve these salmon rillettes as an appetizer with cornichons or red onion pickles on the side and a small green salad.
A glass jar containing herb-flavored salmon spread, sitting on a plate, surrounded by slices of toast, with a small knife next to it.

Salmon Rillettes FAQ

What are rillettes in French?

In French cuisine, rillettes refer to a dish in which meat—usually pork
or poultry (try the famous duck rillettes!)—is slowly cooked in its own fat
until it becomes tender and easy to crumble. Salmon rillettes are a variation on this, using
salmon instead of meat.

Can I make the salmon rillettes ahead of time?

Yes. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight:
The flavors blend together, and the rillettes taste even better as a result. Give them a quick stir before serving.
Homemade salmon rillettes will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
You can also freeze them for up to 1 month: the texture may change slightly after thawing,
but the taste remains excellent.

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes. In that case, thaw the salmon completely before poaching it, and make sure it’s well drained.

Can I use a different kind of fish?

Yes, absolutely! You can substitute trout, tuna (in this case, both fresh and canned tuna), and even sardines for the fresh and smoked salmon!

Are rillettes served cold?

Yes, in France, rillettes are generally served cold or at room temperature as an appetizer. It’s best to refrigerate them for at least an hour after preparing them so the flavors can develop fully and the texture can firm up. Take them out just 10 minutes before serving.

More Salmon Recipes to Try

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14 Comments

  1. Just made it. Absolutely love it! So good!!! Love the poaching liquid also, I think I may use something like that to poach salmon!
    Thank you so much! You are awesome!

    Reply

    1. Bonjour Elaine ! Great to hear you’re planning to make it! 😊 Once prepared, salmon rillettes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days. Make sure to keep it well covered to maintain freshness. If you’d like to keep it longer, you can also freeze it for up to 1 month, though the texture may change slightly after thawing…

      Reply

  7. Hello, thank you for a wonderful recipe, I’ll definitely try it. Quick question – were you using hot smoked or cold smoked salmon for this recipe?

    Reply