Simple Smoked Fish Paté Recipe

Trout pate in white bowls served with melba toast on white chopping board on wooden table, close-up
William Shaw / Getty Images
  • 15 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins,
  • Cook: 5 mins
  • Yield: 2 cups (16 servings)
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By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

Updated 03/25/18

Whip up this quick-and-easy smoked fish paté in your food processor. It's smooth, cold, and creamy and it pairs perfectly with a variety of bread and crackers. It's best served after being refrigerated overnight, so plan ahead if you want to serve it at a party.

Paté has a long and illustrious history and has meant many things to many people. But today, paté is simply a mixture of seasoned ground seafood, poultry, meat, or vegetables, and often a combination of several different base ingredients.

For this recipe, you can use any smoked fish you like. Try catfish, salmon, mullet, mackerel, or whatever you happen to have. You really cannot go wrong with any choice you make.

What You'll Need

  • 1 cup smoked fish (skinned, deboned, and flaked)
  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese (softened)
  • 4 ounces butter (or margarine, softened)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic wine vinegar (or red wine)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
  • 1/4 cup onion (minced)
  • 1 small clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 dash black pepper (freshly ground, or to taste)
  • Garnish: 2 tablespoons chives (chopped)
  • Toasted bread wedges or crackers

How to Make It

  1. Place all of the ingredients (except the chives) into a food processor bowl.
  2. Pulse until mixed well but not completely puréed.
  3. Mound the mixture into a serving dish and refrigerate overnight.
  4. Top with chopped chives. The paté tastes best when brought to room temperature. Serve with toasted bread triangles or savory crackers. Refrigerate any leftovers.

DIY or Buy Smoked Fish

Smoked fish is as old as mankind itself.

Once a means of food preservation, smoked fish has become a much sought-after flavor. The fish can be cold smoked or hot smoked. It can be easy to make your own if you follow some basic fish-smoking steps. All you need is a smoker, a fuel source, and some fish.

If you don't want to smoke your own fish, find a reputable smoker or purveyor who still smokes small batches. It can also be found at local markets or from an online company.

More Fish Dip Recipes

Fish-based dips make great appetizers and paté is not your only option. Explore more of our favorite fish recipes that are the perfect dips for any occasion.

  • Low-Calorie Smoked Salmon Paté - This paté recipe requires just five ingredients and features smoked salmon. It's the perfect fish for a little lemon and dill and makes a delicious party food.
  • Warm Halibut, Artichoke, and Parmesan Dip - A creamy artichoke-based dip, you'll love the play on flavors in this recipe. Featuring halibut spiced with paprika and Parmesan cheese, it's a unique twist to the average fish dip.
  • Brandade de Morue - A classic in French cuisine, this recipe features salted cod seasoned with bay, garlic, thyme, and cloves. The potatoes and cream give it a nice base and add dimension to the dip.
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 101
Total Fat 8 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Unsaturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 14 mg
Sodium 92 mg
Carbohydrates 5 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Protein 2 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)