Classic French Salmon Rillettes

Made with both poached as well as smoked salmon, these salmon rillettes are an easy-to-make yet elegant spread, with big flavor! They deliver a chunky texture with a rich smoky taste from the salmon, smoothness from crème fraiche and fresh citrusy notes from lemon, dill and pink peppercorns. Serve them at your next dinner party with bread and crackers!

What are rillettes, exactly?

Similar to a pâté, French rillettes consist of meat pieces (usually pork or duck) slowly cooked in their own fat to turn utterly melty. The meat is then shredded and packed in small bocals. Once cooled off, rillettes have the consistency of a chunky spread and are enjoyed on top of bread.

Rillettes are a very popular appetizer in France. They’re not really considered a delicacy like foie gras and are usually affordable (often more affordable than pâtés too). They can be found next to pâtés at every grocery store, market and of course at butchers – who often offer their housemade version made from meat scraps. They’re also a French homecooks’s favorite, as they are far easier to make than a smooth pâté.

Although less traditional, rillettes with fish are very popular too, especially over the holidays, as they’re slightly more elegant tasting than the meaty ones. Fish rillettes aren’t truly rillettes, as the fish isn’t necessarily cooked in its own fat. The idea is just to shred fish and mix it with a creamy dairy component (usually crème fraiche) to get a consistency similar to rillettes.

I especially love making salmon rillettes as they’re an easy, no-frill recipe yet they feel elegant enough that you can serve them over the holidays, or any other dinner party you’re hosting.

You can also check out my Sardine Rillettes recipe, a staple recipe from my home region Brittany. These are just as deliciously chunky and creamy, but slightly more affordable to make than Salmon rillettes. 

Can you prepare these Salmon rillettes ahead?

Yes, you can! These salmon rillettes can be made up to three days prior and refrigerated in an airtight container before serving.

They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. For thawing, simply place them in your fridge overnight the day before serving.

Cooking notes and substitutions:

• Although it wasn’t easy to find up until a few years ago, crème fraiche has now become common in grocery stores in Canada and the US. You can usually find it next to sour creams. Two of my favorite brands I recommend are Liberte and Maison Riviera.
• Along with crème fraiche, “fromage blanc” (french-style soft fresh cheese) is traditionally used in this recipe. Outside of France, where fromage blanc is hard to find, you can use greek yogurt, skyr or quark instead.
• These salmon rillettes are best served at room temperature. So make sure you take them out of the fridge at least one hour before serving.

I hope you enjoy this Classic French Salmon Rillettes recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More appetizer recipes you may like: 

• Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil
• French-style Deviled Eggs (Oeufs Mimosa)
• French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
• Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade)
• Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous)
• Ham Cheese Olive Bread 
• Sardine and Cream Cheese Rillettes
• Eggplant Caviar Dip
• Black Olive Tapenade
• Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)

Classic French Salmon Rillettes

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 3 voted )

Ingredients

4 cups (950ml) low sodium vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
0.9lbs (400g) boneless, skinless salmon fillets (about 2 fillets)
1/3 cup (100g) crème fraiche (35-40%MF)
1/2 cup (125g) Greek yogurt (or skyr or quark)
½ lemon juice
¼ tsp lemon zest
4 tbsp chopped dill (+ a few extra leaves for garnish)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp pink peppercorn (+ a few extra for garnish)
0.45lbs (200g) smoked salmon, finely diced

Instructions

Step 1 – In a pot or medium saucepan, bring stock, bay leaf and cloves to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the salmon fillets and gently poach for 10 minutes. Using a spatula or slotted spoon, transfer the salmon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Let cool completely to room temperature.

Note: You can use the remaining poaching stock to cook pasta, rice or use it as a base to make fish soup.

Step 2 - Place the poached salmon into a mixing bowl and shred it with a fork. Add the crème fraiche, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, salt, black pepper, pink pepper and diced smoked salmon. Mix until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Transfer into a serving bowl, cover with a plastic film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Step 3 – Let cool to room temperature before serving. For serving, garnish with extra dill and pink peppercorns. Serve with crackers, bread sticks or fresh crusty bread.