14 Surprising Uses for Smoked Trout

Out of all the typical smoked fish, such as salmon, halibut, albacore, or mackerel, trout is often the most beloved by chefs and culinary connoisseurs. It’s largely due to its delicate, mild, and subtly sweet flavor, which is made even more scrumptious by its pleasant smokiness. Additionally, it has a slightly less fishy flavor compared to other smoked fish and seafood, making it a great option for those new to eating smoked fish.

You can typically find smoked trout at seafood markets, specialty grocery stores, and occasionally online, sold by small fish purveyors. When shopping for smoked trout, the key is to look for one that is moist with flaky flesh and a subtle orange hue. Avoid smoked trout that appears too dry or has a sour, funky smell. While smoked trout is absolutely delicious on its own, there are plenty of tasty and fun ways to use it creatively. Next time you’ve got your hands on smoked trout, try using one of these unexpected methods to incorporate it into your cooking.

A delightful way to use smoked trout is by making it into a delicious compound butter. You can serve it with toasted bread, crackers, roasted veggies, or use it to baste a t-bone steak. Whenever you’re making compound butter, always be sure to use high-quality, unsalted butter. This allows you to manage the salt content, which will come in handy when incorporating salty ingredients like smoked trout.

The easiest way to make compound butter is to start with softened, room-temperature butter. This will allow you to evenly incorporate all of your desired flavorings. If your butter isn’t soft, leave it on the countertop for about 1 to 2 hours or until it’s soft. You can cut it into smaller cubes if you need to speed up the process. To ensure your smoked trout is evenly incorporated, try whipping it in the food processor. Simply combine equal parts of room temperature butter and smoked trout, blitz it until smooth. To store it, you can spoon the compound butter onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper, roll it into a log, and twist the ends to seal it. Alternatively, you can place it in an airtight container. Be sure to refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld and for it to become firm.

There are endless ways to make a delicious fish pasta, like whisking a few anchovies into your tomato sauce for a rich umami boost, or transforming the leftover oil from tinned fish into a tasty sauce. If you’ve got a smoked trout on hand, you can easily whip up an impressive pasta dish in minutes.

Since smoked trout’s texture can be quite firm and sometimes dry, it’s key to incorporate it into a moist and creamy pasta sauce. You can make a cream-based pasta by combining a bit of heavy cream, crème fraiche, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl, adding in your cooked pasta, a handful of mint leaves, and garnishing it with broken chunks of smoked trout. If you want to keep it traditional, then you can make a smoked trout aglio olio. Simply heat a pan over medium heat, adding a drizzle of olive oil, minced garlic, shallot, and parsley, and then once everything is softened, toss in your smoked trout and cooked pasta. Emulsify the sauce with grated pecorino cheese, pasta water, and finish it off with a handful of torn basil.

The smoked trout will offer a delicate smokiness and salty, savory flavor to whatever pasta dish it’s incorporated in. It’s a great shortcut ingredient to use if looking to make a quick and easy meal on those busy weeknights.

Looking for a delicious appetizer for your next dinner party? You should try whipping up a batch of tasty smoked trout croquettes and earn the title of the “best chef” in the friend group.

For those of you who don’t know, croquettes are delicate breadcrumb-coated deep-fried balls or rolls. They are typically made with a filling consisting of ground meat, seafood, grains, or vegetables mixed with a binder that can either be mashed potatoes or bechamel sauce. These tasty dried-fried treats originate from France and are extremely popular throughout many European countries like Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

It’s common to find croquettes in the Catalan and Basque regions of Spain filled with salted cod or haddock, making smoked trout the perfect replacement. Try combining the smoked trout with a simple mixture of mashed potatoes, fresh chives, lemon zest, and ground black pepper to let the smoky flavors shine. Roll into it breadcrumbs, deep-fry them until golden brown, and serve them alongside this delectable Homemade Aioli.

A simple way to improve a salad and supply it with more protein is to just add smoked trout. If you’re tired of adding poached chicken breast or leftover steak on top of your salads, fish is an excellent protein to use instead.

Stick to the basics, and combine the smoked trout with bitter chicory greens, a handful of fresh herbs, olive oil, and squeeze lemon juice for a simple yet flavorful salad. You could also slice up Persian cucumbers, toss them with flaked trout, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, and oil for Asian-inspired smoked trout salad.

Another fun way to use it is to make a warm salad. Try mixing in a bowl with some roasted vegetables like squash, zucchini, carrots, and onions, drizzle it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and serve with crumbled goat cheese. The warm roasted vegetables paired with the tangy balsamic vinegar and salty, savory smoked trout would be an excellent addition to your salad rotation. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even replace the anchovy paste in this Kale Caesar Salad Recipe with smoked trout for a unique, creamy, smoky flavor.

If you’ve got a trusty rice steamer in your kitchen, one of the easiest meals you can make during the week is a rice bowl. While you can top it off with sautéed Spam or marinated pork, try stepping outside the box by topping it off with smoked trout instead.

It’s not uncommon in Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine to feature smoked fish as a topping for rice bowls. Just like any other style of seafood, smoked fish is a tasty, nutrient-dense protein that pairs perfectly with steamed rice. Although using a smoked fish like trout adds a complexity of smoky, aromatic flavor to the dish, it’s undeniably delicious. You can garnish it with the same ingredients you would use in a poke bowl, such as boiled edamame, scallions, avocado, cucumbers, pickled vegetables, and nori. Drizzle over soy sauce, teriyaki, sesame oil, or spicy mayo for a final touch of umami flavor and enjoy.

Anytime you’re hosting people over, whether it’s for cocktails, lunch, or dinner, it’s always nice to have a platter for snacks with a tasty dip for people to nibble on. For starters, it will keep your guests from going hungry, and second, making a homemade dip is a perfect way to use up any random ingredients you might have in the fridge, like smoked trout.

Just like pasta, if you want to make a smoked trout dip, it’s key to use a creamy ingredient as the base to alleviate the dry texture. You can try blending it with either cream cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, crème fraiche, or Greek yogurt. To further enhance the flavor, add in lemon zest, salty pickled vegetables like cornichons, capers, or red onions, fresh herbs, and freshly cracked black pepper. If a creamy dip isn’t your thing, then make a smoked trout bagna cauda instead. For those unfamiliar, a bagna cauda is a warm Piedmontese dip made with anchovies, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. Try replacing the anchovies with minced smoked trout for a unique Italian twist. Serve it alongside a bowl of crisp kettle-cooked chips, a platter of sliced vegetables, toasted focaccia, or crackers.

Another unexpected way to use smoked trout in your cooking is to use it to make a quiche. A quiche is a delightful dish to make for any occasion, whether it’s for your office lunches or a quick, easy dinner. Ditching the typical fillings like bacon, ham, and sausage, and incorporating smoked trout into the mix will add an exciting, delicious flair to the dish.

Smoked trout’s delicate, salty, smoky flavor would complement the rich, creamy egg custard of the quiche perfectly. To showcase the delicious flavors of the smoked trout, incorporate ingredients that meld well with it. Try adding in fresh, chopped dill, lemon zest, sautéed leeks or asparagus, and mild, melty cheese like Swiss, gruyère, mozzarella, or even goat cheese for a bit of tanginess. You can pair each slice alongside a simple lemony leafy green salad and call it a day!

For the uninitiated, you might not know that crepes don’t always have to be filled with a chocolate spread or berry compote. Try ditching the sweet toppings for a change and be like the people of Brittany, France, and make a tasty savory crepe! Of course, you can add in some slices of prosciutto with melty brie cheese, or you can try stepping outside the box and make one with a smoked trout filling instead.

To make the best smoked trout crepe out there, it all starts with the batter. In France, where crepes originate, savory crepes are referred to as galettes and are typically made with buckwheat flour rather than wheat flour, giving them a chewier, nuttier flavor and darker color. Beyond flour, a savory crepe batter also often only uses a few ingredients, including melted unsalted butter, eggs, milk, and salt.

Smoked trout’s intense savory, salty, and smoky taste is the perfect match for a buckwheat crepe batter’s rustic flavor. Make a filling consisting of crème fraiche, chopped chives, a squeeze of lemon juice, diced capers, and most importantly, smoked trout the next time you’re in the mood for a savory breakfast — or lunch!

Nothing beats waking up late on a Saturday morning in your pajamas and whipping up a delicious breakfast. Some people prefer a fluffy stack of Buttermilk Pancakes, while others need a salty, savory dish to jolt them awake. If you lean towards a savory breakfast, there’s a good chance you’ll want to make a plate of eggs. Instead of sticking with basic hard-boiled or fried eggs, try giving them a sophisticated twist by adding smoked trout to your next egg dish.

While it may sound unusual to include fish in your morning eggs, don’t be put off. Smoked trout doesn’t have a strong fishy flavor like some other smoked seafood, and it’s a fantastic way to boost your protein intake with flavor. If you’re a fan of scrambled eggs, consider adding chunks of smoked trout in the last few seconds of cooking to warm it through just a bit. Serve it alongside a toasted baguette and top with a handful of dill, freshly cracked black pepper, flaky salt, and a dollop of crème fraiche. You can also fold it into an omelet by gently flaking it into the center before rolling it up in the pan. Minimally garnish it with a bit of minced parsley and black pepper to fully savor the delicious flavors of the smoked trout. Pro tip: anytime you’re making eggs, be sure to use high-quality, fresh eggs.

Looking for a comforting meal to eat curled up on the sofa while watching your favorite television show? Try making a big pot of risotto — but not just any risotto, a salty, herbaceous smoked trout risotto.

It’s not uncommon in Italy to incorporate seafood into risotto. In restaurants throughout Venice, if you notice the locals ordering the classic “risotto di gò” or risotto made from the grass goby fish, you know you’re in the right place. While you might not be able to find the lagoon’s grass goby fish at your local fish market, you can recreate the essence of the recipe by adding smoked trout to your next batch of risotto.

Whenever you’re adding smoked fish into a risotto or pasta dish, the key is to incorporate it into the sauce in the last few minutes of cooking, since the product is already fully cooked. For smoked trout, you can make a basic risotto, consisting of vegetable or fish stock, cheese, and fresh herbs, then adding in flakes of smoked trout in the end. The gentle heat will allow the natural, oily, fatty flavors of the trout to envelop the sauce, creating the tastiest risotto you’ll ever try.

Several key elements of a proper tea party should never be overlooked. Offering a wide selection of high-quality teas is always essential, and having delicious food is second. You’ll typically find an assortment of finger sandwiches and sweet scones. If you’re looking to step away from tradition, the sweet scones are the perfect item to modify! Skip the fruit filling in your batch of scones and incorporate some smoked trout into your dough for a unique savory twist.

If you’re already making smoked trout compound butter, you might as well lean deeper into the project and make some delectable smoked trout scones as well. Similar to how you would incorporate cooked ham or bacon into your dough, do the same with smoked trout. Add the finely flaked fish alongside complementary ingredients like fresh herbs and cheese into the dough, and then process with whatever recipe you’re using as written. Make sure to keep all your ingredients cold, including the smoked trout, to ensure your scones are flaky and soft.

There are plenty of mistakes people make when whipping up a pot of soup, such as neglecting the stock, failing to keep the soup simple, or not adding enough salt. This could all be avoided by adding one ingredient, smoked trout. It’s a common practice in Asian cuisine to flavor soup with an element of fish. Whether it’s a dash of fish sauce, bonito flakes, or fish bones, there’s no argument that it doesn’t create a flavorful soup. If you’ve got smoked trout on hand, then you can use it to create a flavorful base or add a good amount of protein to any soup you’re making.

If you’re cooking a batch of miso soup, in the last minutes of cooking, try adding a few chunks of smoked trout. You could also add to your kimchi jjigae to complement the spicy, fiery flavors of the broth. If you need to make a quick stock and you’ve only got smoked trout on hand, then simmer it with aromatics like onion, garlic, and celery, strain, and use it for other cooking projects.

Switch the narrative that deviled eggs should be left in the ’80s, and level it up by adding a bit of smoked trout to your filling. While the combination of hard-boiled eggs and smoked trout might deter some people, it’s actually a pretty tasty blend of flavors. The smoky, rich flavor of the smoked trout paired with the umami, creamy flavors of egg yolk is absolutely divine.

To the egg yolk filling, add minced smoked trout, a spoonful of Japanese mayonnaise, a handful of chives, green onions, or dill, lemon juice, chopped capers, and the secret twist, gouchgaru (Korean red chili flakes), for a subtle but spicy kick. The Japanese mayonnaise mixed with the fatty egg yolks creates the perfect tangy, creamy base, while the fresh herbs, lemon, and chopped capers add a lovely acidic, salty contrast. Plus, the smoky, fiery flavor of gochugaru adds an unexpected twist. All of these ingredients complement the delectable flavor of smoked trout, making it the perfect deviled egg filling.

Channel your inner Nonna and use the smoked trout to make a classic Sunday Italian meal: stuffed vegetables. If you haven’t had stuffed vegetables before, they are a comforting and delicious dish with a blend of fresh, sweet, and savory flavors. The fillings typically include ground meat, seafood, grains, or vegetables that are mixed with either rice or breadcrumbs as a binder. You can add ingredients such as fresh herbs, tomatoes, cheese, olives, or capers for additional flavor as well.

If you’re making a smoked trout filling, there’s an array of routes you can take. You can combine it with ricotta, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, and onion for a simple cheesy twist. Alternatively, if you’ve got leftover tomato sauce, you can add some in a bowl with flaked smoked trout, breadcrumbs or cooked rice, olives, oregano, and parmesan cheese. These fillings are a delicious way to stuff zucchini, eggplants, bell peppers, tomatoes, or even mushrooms.