Cured salmon, also known as gravlax or lox, is a versatile ingredient that can take your meals from boring to spectacular. Its rich, salty-sweet flavor pairs well with a variety of ingredients and dishes. If you have cured salmon sitting in your fridge, don’t let it go to waste! Here are 10 delicious ways to eat and serve this tasty cured fish.
1. Eggs and Toast
A classic pairing that can’t be beat – cured salmon, scrambled eggs, and toast is a simple and satisfying breakfast or brunch. The creamy eggs contrast nicely with the firm texture of the salmon. Toast mops up the eggy goodness while adding crunch. For an extra indulgent twist, try smoked salmon eggs benedict on English muffins.
2. Salad with Citrus Dressing
Thin slices or shavings of cured salmon liven up any green salad Bitter greens like arugula or radicchio work especially well Toss the salmon with mixed greens, sliced onion, and fresh dill. Then dress the salad with a bright citrus vinaigrette made with lemon or lime juice to cut through the salmon’s richness.
3. Loaded Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes become a main course meal when loaded up with cured salmon and all the fixings Top russet potato halves with salmon slices, diced tomato, sliced scallions, a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, and fresh dill The cool sour cream balances the salty salmon perfectly.
4. Pasta with Dill Sauce
For a rich pasta dinner, simply toss hot pasta with heavy cream, lemon juice, chopped dill, and pieces of flaked cured salmon. The fish gives a savory depth to this easy weeknight meal. Grated parmesan can be sprinkled on top for added flavor.
5. Smoked Salmon Dip
Skip the usual salmon-plus-cream cheese combo and whip up this deli-inspired salmon dip instead. Blend together cured salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice, capers, and fresh dill. Chill thoroughly before serving with crackers or raw veggies for dipping. It makes for an easy appetizer or spread.
6. Fried Salmon Cakes
For an easy weeknight meal, make quick salmon cakes with cured salmon, breadcrumbs, egg, and spices. Pan fry the cakes in olive oil until crispy on the outside, then serve on buns with lemon aioli. Paired with a fresh green salad, these salmon cakes make a satisfying dinner.
7. Gravlax Sandwiches
Make an easy salmon salad by mixing together flaked gravlax, diced cucumber, fresh dill, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pile the salmon salad onto crusty bread or croissants for an easy sandwich. Add lettuce, tomato, onion or pickle if desired.
8. Smoked Salmon Pizza
Why not add cured salmon to your next homemade pizza? Spoon pizza sauce onto a pre-baked crust and top with mozzarella cheese, ribbons of salmon, thinly sliced red onion, capers, and fresh dill. The classic pizza toppings pair surprisingly well with the smoked fish.
9. Salmon Avocado Toast
For a nutritious breakfast, lightly mash avocado onto toasted bread. Top with sliced or diced cured salmon and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. The richness of the avocado complements the salmon perfectly. For added crunch, top with sliced cucumber or radish.
10. Cured Salmon Flatbread
Build an easy appetizer by topping naan, pita, or other flatbread with a schmear of cream cheese or labneh. Add folded slices of cured salmon, fresh dill, capers, and thinly sliced onion on top. Bake until warmed through and sliced into portions. Serve warm.
Cured salmon is endlessly versatile. It can be eaten as-is straight from the package, incorporated into easy weeknight meals, or used to elevate simple dishes into gourmet fare. Salty, briny, and rich, cured salmon pairs well with creamy, crunchy, citrusy, and fresh ingredients. With so many tasty ways to eat it, your fridgeful of salmon will never go to waste.
So next time you have leftover cured salmon, don’t settle for just placing it on a bagel. With a little creativity, you can enjoy this unique and delicious ingredient in many delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.
Our favourite ways with smoked salmon
Potted fish is a vastly underrated starter, traditionally made with crab, shrimps or mackerel. But a mix of both smoked and fresh salmon works a treat. Mary Cadogans version is a little like a paté in that the fish is flaked until fine and its spreadable. Pour the melted butter and lemon over the salmon and leave to set until a bright yellow hard layer has formed over the top. Divine!
Try adding smoked salmon to soup and achieve a finish similar to traditional Scottish cullen skink. Add your fish to a leek and potato base right at the end of cooking, so it retains its texture but impart that salty, smoked flavour.
Serve this smoked salmon dish as a starter on a special occasion such as at Christmas. With beetroot, rocket and walnuts, it‘s full of colour and texture. It looks impressive, but its deceptively easy to make, and youll even learn how to make your own labneh in the process.
Enjoy hot-smoked salmon flaked with coddled eggs, capers and gruyère cheese for a sophisticated Christmas starter. Served with sourdough soldiers for dipping, it’s also great for a leisurely breakfast or brunch over the festive holidays.
Weve layered classic smoked salmon with prawns and punchy horseradish cream, drizzled in a zingy lime, honey and ginger dressing to make a sophisticated starter. Finish with a few handfuls of leafy salad and you have a light and elegant appetiser, leaving ample room for heavier dinner party fare.
Pickle vegetables and serve with smoked salmon for a fabulous festive starter. Finished with a generous tablespoon of crème fraîche on each fillet and a spoonful of salmon roe on top, this makes a truly elegant starter to serve on Christmas day. Keep the leftover veg in the fridge to have with cold cuts over Christmas.
Savor the simple delight of smoked salmon slices, a delectable and versatile addition to your plate. If youve not tried salmon with eggs, we recommend you do so soon. Go for this delicious scramble for breakfast. Its guaranteed empty plates – who could resist mopping up buttery eggs with a Tabasco kick with a second helping of hot toast? Or, enjoy smoked salmon with coddled eggs, capers and gruyère cheese for an indulgent starter or brunch.
Enjoy a leisurely morning with our easy recipe for classic eggs royale. This popular brunch dish features perfectly poached eggs, smoked salmon and silky hollandaise sauce. Weve used miso paste for added savoury depth to the hollandaise, but you can leave it out should you wish.
Make a batch of potato scones to serve with smoked salmon and a dollop of soured cream for a levelled-up brunch or a weekend treat. The recipe calls for budget-friendly and readily accessible ingredients, such as Maris Piper potatoes, flour and butter.
Smoked salmon makes a delicious topping for scones, especially when paired with soft cheese like in our seeded bagel-inspired recipe. You can enjoy them with warm fried potato scones for a hearty brunch or try our recipe for mini potato cakes topped with smoked salmon and caper berries for a festive canapé.
Kick-start your day with scrambled eggs and hot smoked salmon or trout, on top of toasted dark rye bread and a tangy caper and rocket salad. Ready on the table in under 20 minutes, this truly is a breakfast of champions.
How to make gravadlax
While high-quality slices of smoked salmon are easily available from supermarkets and fishmongers, you can make a really similar cured variety at home with our easy gravadlax recipe. Its not as hard as it sounds and you dont need to own a smoke shack in the Outer Hebrides to get an authentic finish. Also view our video above for steps on how to prepare and flavour gravadlax.
Youll need the freshest salmon fillet you can buy, then the method is to cure (so strictly speaking its not smoked) over two days in a brine. Dont be scared of the fact you dont cook the fish over heat – the saltwater infuses the raw flesh and makes it edible.
Matt Tebbutt adds spices to his sherry and anise-tinged version, while our food editor Barney adds a splash of vibrant purple by marinating his salmon in beetroot. Gordon Ramsay, meanwhile, takes a Scandinavian approach and cures his salmon with dill to make gravadlax.
Quick Cured Salmon – How to Cure Salmon in 3 Minutes
FAQ
What goes well with cured salmon?
Serve it with all the fixings—capers, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, red onion and steamed potatoes.Feb 13, 2025
What is cured salmon used for?
This citrus cured salmon is great on water crackers, rye bread, on bagels, in potato croquettes and is stunning in pasta – you drop it in at the end so you have a combination of cooked and uncooked salmon – fantastic. So without further ado lets salt cure some salmon.
How to eat cured smoked salmon?
You can eat the cured salmon as a protein snack, on a gluten-free sandwich, make sushi/nigiri, or add it to a Buddha bowl. My favorite way is to eat it on a gluten-free avocado toast, with a splash of lemon drizzled on top.
What is traditionally served with smoked salmon?
The classic option is to serve a slice of the fish on a pancake or blini, but try it out in homemade sushi with cold smoked salmon, in tortilla rolls with cream cheese, or on toasted crostini too.