10+ Smoked Salmon Recipes to Elevate Your Meals Easily

Smoked salmon brings a rich, smoky flavor to the table. You can toss it into dishes or just eat it straight—no judgment here.

You don’t need fancy equipment or chef-level skills to pull off delicious smoked salmon at home.

With a handful of basic ingredients and a few easy steps, you can whip up smoked salmon recipes that fit your own tastes. Hot-smoked or cold-smoked—pick whatever sounds good.

1) Classic Hot-Smoked Salmon with Brown Sugar Brine

Start by brining your salmon in a brown sugar and salt mix. This keeps it moist and adds a touch of sweetness.

Brine overnight in the fridge for the best flavor. Rinse and pat dry to help the smoke stick.

Smoke your salmon at 225°F (107°C) until it’s cooked and flakes easily. Brown sugar in the brine gives it a gentle caramelized finish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb salmon fillet
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• Optional: black pepper or dill for seasoning

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix brown sugar and kosher salt.
2. Rub the mixture all over the salmon.
3. Place salmon in the fridge for 8-12 hours.
4. Rinse and pat dry.
5. Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C).
6. Smoke salmon for 1.5-2 hours until cooked through.

2) Cold-Smoked Salmon with Dill and Lemon

Cold-smoking gives salmon a silky texture and a fresh, subtle flavor. Dill and lemon brighten it up, making this great for appetizers or salads.

You don’t cook the salmon with heat here. Instead, smoke it at low temps—below 90°F (32°C).

First, cure the salmon with salt, sugar, and dill. Let it rest in the fridge to dry and soak up flavors.

Cold smoke the fish slowly to keep it tender while infusing those smoky notes.

Ingredients

• 1 kg salmon fillet, bones removed
• 500 g sea salt
• 250 g soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp dried dill
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Fresh dill for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix sea salt, brown sugar, dried dill, and lemon zest.
2. Rub the salmon with the cure mixture all over.
3. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
4. Rinse off the cure and pat dry.
5. Smoke the salmon at under 90°F (32°C) for 8-12 hours.
6. Garnish with fresh dill before serving.

For full details on cold smoking with dill, see this Bradley Cold Smoked Salmon with Dill recipe.

3) Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Marinated Smoked Salmon

Whip up a marinade with soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and a little salt. Heat it just enough to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Let the marinade cool, then soak your salmon for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. This helps the flavors get inside and keeps the fish moist.

Smoke the salmon at about 180°F (82°C) until it’s tender and packed with flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 cups soy sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 2 pounds salmon fillet

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, and water until sugar and salt dissolve.
2. Cool the marinade completely.
3. Submerge salmon in marinade and refrigerate for 4-12 hours.
4. Preheat smoker to 180°F (82°C).
5. Remove salmon from brine and pat dry.
6. Smoke salmon for 2-3 hours until cooked through.

4) Paprika-Spiced Dry Brined Smoked Salmon

If you’re into bold flavors, try this paprika-spiced smoked salmon. Mix smoked paprika, brown sugar, sea salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder.

Rub the seasoning all over the salmon and let it dry brine in the fridge for 8 to 15 hours.

When you’re ready, smoke the salmon at 225°F (107°C) until it flakes easily. The result? Smoky, slightly sweet salmon with a hint of paprika.

Ingredients:

• 1 salmon filet
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix paprika, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Rub the mixture all over the salmon.
3. Cover and brine in the fridge for 8-15 hours.
4. Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C).
5. Place salmon in smoker and cook for 1.5-2 hours.
6. Check for flakiness before removing.

5) Traeger Slow-Smoked Salmon at 180°F

Set your Traeger grill to 180°F (82°C) and let the salmon smoke slowly for 4 to 6 hours. Place the fish right on the grill grates and close the lid.

Let the smoky flavor build up gently. The fish turns out tender and mild.

Check that the internal temp reaches 145°F (63°C) so it’s safe to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 whole salmon fillet
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Optional: your favorite herbs or lemon slices

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix brown sugar and salt to make a dry brine.
2. Rub the brine all over the salmon.
3. Preheat your Traeger to 180°F (82°C).
4. Place the salmon directly on the grill grates.
5. Smoke for 4 to 6 hours, until the internal temperature hits 145°F (63°C).
6. Remove and let rest a few minutes before serving.

For more details, see this Traeger smoked salmon recipe.

6) Sockeye Salmon Hot-Smoked with Kosher Salt

Dry-brine sockeye salmon with kosher salt and brown sugar for about three hours. This draws out moisture and adds flavor.

Rinse the fish well, then let it dry in the fridge for about a day. This forms a sticky pellicle that helps the smoke stick.

Hot-smoke the salmon at 180°F (82°C) using mesquite or alder wood. Once the internal temp hits 145°F (63°C), you’re good to go.

Ingredients

• 2 lb sockeye salmon fillet
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup brown sugar

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix kosher salt and brown sugar.
2. Rub the mixture over the salmon.
3. Let it brine for 3 hours.
4. Rinse the salmon well, then pat dry.
5. Place salmon in the fridge uncovered for 24 hours.
6. Preheat your smoker to 180°F (82°C).
7. Smoke the salmon until it reaches 145°F (63°C) inside.
8. Let it cool before serving.

For more details on smoking sockeye salmon, you can visit this hot smoked salmon recipe.

7) Easy Smoked Salmon with Vegetable Oil Glaze

Mix equal parts water, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and brown sugar. Heat to dissolve the sugar, then let it cool.

Marinate your salmon in this glaze for a couple of hours. Smoke the fish over low heat until it’s cooked and flaky.

The vegetable oil keeps the salmon moist and gives it a mild shine. You’ll get a nice sweet-and-savory balance.

Ingredients

• 1 part water
• 1 part soy sauce
• 1 part vegetable oil
• 1 part brown sugar
• Salmon fillet

Cooking Instructions

1. Combine water, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and brown sugar in a pot.
2. Heat until sugar dissolves, then cool the glaze.
3. Marinate salmon in the glaze for 2 hours.
4. Prepare your smoker at 225°F (107°C).
5. Smoke salmon skin side down until cooked through (about 2 hours).

8) Smoked Salmon Pasta with Capers and Cream Sauce

Smoked salmon pasta is both simple and satisfying. The creamy sauce with capers adds a tangy kick that works so well with the fish.

Cook your pasta, then warm cream and capers in a pan. Stir in chopped smoked salmon at the end to keep it tender.

Toss the pasta in the sauce and serve right away. If you want extra brightness, a squeeze of lemon never hurts.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces linguini or pasta of choice
• 1/4 pound smoked salmon, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until soft.
3. Add cream and capers, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in chopped smoked salmon and warm through.
5. Toss pasta with sauce, season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve immediately.

9) Brined and Smoked King Salmon Fillets

Brining really matters when you’re smoking king salmon. It locks in moisture and adds a punch of flavor.

Soak the salmon in a salty-sweet brine for up to 36 hours. Go past 48 hours, though, and you’ll probably regret it—it gets way too salty.

After brining, rinse those fillets well and pat them dry. This step helps the smoke cling to the fish.

Smoke the salmon at a low temp, somewhere between 175°F (79°C) and 200°F (93°C). Let it go until it’s cooked through and smells smoky and rich.

Ingredients

• King salmon fillets
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Water (enough to cover)
• Lemon juice (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix salt, sugar, and brown sugar into water to make your brine.
2. Submerge the salmon fillets, cover, and pop them in the fridge for 24-36 hours.
3. Rinse the fillets under cold water and pat them dry.
4. Set your smoker to 175°F (79°C) – 200°F (93°C).
5. Smoke the fillets for 2-4 hours until they’re cooked through.
6. Take them out and let cool a bit before serving.

10) Smoked Salmon Salad with Avocado and Cucumber

Here’s a smoked salmon salad that’s as easy as it is fresh. Creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and that salty, smoky salmon—honestly, what’s not to like?

It’s light but still feels satisfying. If you want to dress it up, try a Dijon honey vinaigrette for a bit of zing.

Pickled red onions or a dollop of creme fraiche? Go for it. They’ll bump up the flavor.

This salad comes together in minutes and doesn’t need any cooking. Sometimes the simplest things just work best.

Ingredients

• 4 oz smoked salmon
• 1 large avocado, sliced
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced or made into ribbons
• 1/4 cup pickled red onions (optional)
• 2 tbsp creme fraiche (optional)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Lay the cucumber slices or ribbons out on a serving plate.

2. Toss the smoked salmon slices right on top.

3. Scatter the avocado slices evenly over everything.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, and lemon juice.

5. Drizzle that vinaigrette over the salad—don’t worry about being too precise.

6. If you’ve got pickled onions or creme fraiche, add those now.

7. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper.

8. Serve right away, or pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes if you want the flavors to meld a bit more.

Honestly, this salad comes together fast and looks so vibrant.

If you’re curious about different twists or want more tips, check out this smoked salmon salad recipe.