Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Pizza

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings, 1 large 12-inch pizza
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, including dough warming and oven preheating

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature for 45 minutes
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for shaping
• 1 tablespoon fine cornmeal or semolina, for the peel or pan
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, for the crust
• 6 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, plus 2 tablespoons dill fronds for topping
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, for the spread
• 4 ounces cold-smoked salmon, torn into bite-size ribbons
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 wedges, for serving

Do This

• 1. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 45 minutes while you preheat the oven to 500°F with a pizza stone, steel, or inverted sheet pan inside.
• 2. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped dill, garlic, pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until spreadable.
• 3. Stretch the dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface, then place it on a cornmeal-dusted peel or parchment-lined sheet pan.
• 4. Brush the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and bake plain for 8 to 10 minutes until puffed, browned, and crisp at the edges.
• 5. Cool the baked crust for 5 minutes, then spread the cream cheese mixture over the warm crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• 6. Top with smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and fresh dill. Slice into 8 pieces and serve with lemon wedges.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Brunch-ready and elegant: It has all the flavors of a smoked salmon bagel, but in crisp, shareable pizza form.
• No fussy sauce: The crust bakes plain first, then gets a cool, tangy cream cheese spread after baking.
• Great contrast: Warm crisp crust, creamy spread, silky smoked salmon, salty capers, sharp red onion, and fresh dill make every bite balanced.
• Easy to customize: Add cucumber, everything bagel seasoning, arugula, or extra lemon depending on your brunch table.

Grocery List

• Produce: Fresh dill, red onion, lemon, garlic
• Dairy: Full-fat cream cheese, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Seafood: Cold-smoked salmon
• Bakery: Fresh or refrigerated pizza dough
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, fine cornmeal or semolina, extra-virgin olive oil, capers, kosher salt, black pepper

Full Ingredients

For the Dough and Baked Base

• 1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, brought to room temperature for 45 minutes
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
• 1 tablespoon fine cornmeal or semolina, for dusting the pizza peel or pan
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the dough
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, for sprinkling over the crust before baking

For the Cream Cheese Spread

• 6 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or very finely minced, about 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Toppings

• 4 ounces cold-smoked salmon, torn into 2- to 3-inch ribbons
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
• 1/3 cup very thinly sliced red onion, about 1/4 small red onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill fronds
• 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 wedges, for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Warm the Dough and Preheat the Oven

Place the pizza dough on the counter at room temperature for 45 minutes. This relaxes the gluten so the dough stretches easily instead of springing back. Meanwhile, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or an inverted rimmed sheet pan on the rack and preheat the oven to 500°F for at least 30 minutes. A very hot surface helps the crust bake up crisp and lightly blistered.

Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Spread

In a medium bowl, combine 6 ounces softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon chopped dill, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir with a spoon or flexible spatula until smooth and spreadable. If the cream cheese is still a little firm, let the mixture sit at room temperature while the pizza bakes, then stir again before using.

Step 3: Shape the Pizza Dough

Lightly dust a clean counter with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. Place the dough on the flour and gently press it into a thick disk. Working from the center outward, stretch and rotate the dough into a 12-inch round or oval. Try to keep a slightly thicker rim around the edge. If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue shaping.

Step 4: Prepare the Dough for Baking

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon fine cornmeal or semolina over a pizza peel. If you do not have a pizza peel, place a sheet of parchment paper on the back of a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle the parchment with the cornmeal or semolina. Transfer the shaped dough to the prepared peel or parchment. Brush the surface evenly with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Use a fork to dock the center of the dough 8 to 10 times, leaving the outer rim untouched so it can puff.

Step 5: Bake the Plain Crust

Carefully slide the dough onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted sheet pan. Bake at 500°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed, golden in spots, lightly crisp on the bottom, and browned around the edges. Because ovens vary, start checking at 8 minutes. The crust should look fully baked and sturdy enough to hold the cool toppings.

Step 6: Cool and Add the Cream Cheese Spread

Transfer the baked crust to a cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes. This short cooling time is important: the crust should still be warm, but not so hot that the cream cheese instantly melts into a thin sauce. Dollop the cream cheese spread over the crust, then gently spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge.

Step 7: Add the Smoked Salmon and Fresh Toppings

Arrange the smoked salmon ribbons over the cream cheese spread in loose folds instead of flat layers. Scatter 2 tablespoons capers, 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion, and 2 tablespoons fresh dill fronds over the top. The goal is a generous but balanced layer, so each slice gets salmon, creaminess, briny capers, onion, and dill without becoming overloaded.

Step 8: Slice and Serve

Use a sharp pizza wheel or large chef’s knife to cut the pizza into 8 slices. Serve immediately with 4 lemon wedges on the side. A light squeeze of lemon just before eating brightens the cream cheese and smoked salmon without making the crust soggy.

Pro Tips

• Use cold-smoked salmon: It has the silky texture and delicate flavor that works best for this brunch-style pizza. Hot-smoked salmon is flakier and stronger, though it can still be used in a pinch.
• Let the crust cool for 5 minutes: Spreading cream cheese onto a piping-hot crust makes it melt too much. Warm, not blazing hot, is the sweet spot.
• Slice the onion very thin: Paper-thin red onion adds crunch and sharpness without overpowering the salmon. For a milder flavor, soak the sliced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
• Pat capers dry: Rinsing removes excess salt, and patting them dry keeps the top of the pizza from getting watery.
• Do not bake the salmon: Smoked salmon is best added after baking so it stays tender, cool, and flavorful.

Variations

• Everything bagel version: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning around the oiled crust edge before baking, then top as directed.
• Cucumber-dill version: Add 1/2 cup very thinly sliced Persian cucumber after the salmon for extra crunch and freshness.
• Arugula brunch pizza: Toss 1 cup baby arugula with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon olive oil, then scatter it over the finished pizza just before serving.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This pizza is best assembled and eaten right away because the cream cheese and smoked salmon are freshest when cool and the crust is crispest just after baking. To make parts ahead, mix the cream cheese spread up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator; let it soften at room temperature for 20 minutes before spreading. You can slice the red onion up to 1 day ahead and store it covered in cold water in the refrigerator, then drain and pat dry before using. The plain baked crust can be made up to 4 hours ahead and kept uncovered at room temperature; refresh it in a 400°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes, cool for 5 minutes, then top. Store leftover assembled pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day and eat it cold or at cool room temperature. For food safety, do not leave smoked salmon and cream cheese pizza at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 486 kcal | Carbs: 52g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Sodium: 980mg | Cholesterol: 56mg