Smoked fish is an easy yet luxurious way to make any brunch special. You can always chill it yourself, or just pick up smoked salmon, trout, or sablefish at the grocery store or from your favorite purveyor. In the recipes below, smoked fish makes fast friends with classic ingredients like cream cheese, crème fraîche, chives, and caviar, often inspired by the classic bagel-and-lox combination or Eastern European favorites like blini . Add smoked fish to eggs Benedict, potato pancakes, rösti, crêpes, and more favorite brunch dishes with these delicious ideas.
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with Caper Butter Hollandaise
Smoked salmon is a classic topping for eggs Benedict. This version is extra decadent thanks to a hollandaise made with caper-infused butter and brown-butter fried capers.
Salmon and Arugula Frittata with Pesto
This spinach pesto-infused frittata from chef Eric Adjepong features salmon two ways: It’s baked with cooked salmon, then topped with thin slices of smoked salmon before serving.
Smoked Fish Brunch Board
Guests are left to choose their own adventure with this smorgasbord of steelhead trout or arctic char, and fixings like crackers, hard-cooked eggs, caperberries, cornichons, radishes, and horseradish sour cream.
Potato Rösti with Smoked Salmon
Food & Wine / Photography by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
This classic Swedish potato pancake is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Although you can serve it on its own, it tastes even better topped with crème fraîche, smoked salmon, onions, and capers.
Tater Tot Waffles with Smoked Salmon and Caviar
Thawed frozen tater tots are the secret to this easy meal that comes together in a waffle iron. Top with smoked salmon, caviar, and crème fraîche for an elegant yet effortless brunch.
Rye and Crème Fraîche Strata with Smoked Salmon
This clever dish combines two brunch favorites. Here, a custardy rye bread pudding is topped with all the fixings of a classic bagel and lox: smoked salmon, red onion, and capers.
Crispy Potato Galette with Smoked Fish and Dill Crème
This crispy pancake from the legendary Wolfgang Puck is topped with smoked salmon and smoked sturgeon, which perfectly complement the dill crème fraiche, caviar, and chives.
Soft-Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Sablefish and Trout Roe
These luxurious eggs from chef Andrew Carmellini are cooked with lots of heavy cream and butter, then topped with smoked sablefish, sour cream, trout roe, and sliced scallions.
Waffled Potato Blini with Smoked Salmon
F&W’s Justin Chapple turns classic potato blinis into a new brunch dish with the help of a waffle iron. Fragrant dill upgrades the blini batter and also serves as a garnish to complement the buttery smoked salmon.
Smoked-Trout-and-Caper-Cream-Cheese Toast
Inspired by the classic combination of lox and cream cheese, chef Tori Miller tops these English muffins with smoked trout, chives, and caper-laced cream cheese.
Mini Herb Frittatas with Smoked Salmon
These miniature frittatas from chef Tom Colicchio are perfect for a crowd and can be made up to three hours ahead. Top each square with smoked salmon, crème fraîche, and a sprig of dill to order.
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Crêpes
These giant crêpes are filled with smoked salmon, spinach salad, and a tangy cream cheese infused with lemon, dill, and capers.
Poached Eggs with Parmesan and Smoked Salmon Toast
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has created a dinner-worthy version of a childhood breakfast favorite. Toasts wrapped in smoked salmon are the perfect vessel for a soft poached egg.
