
cheats salmon rillettes are so good and so ridiculously easy to make, too!
This little cheats salmon rillettes recipe will blow your mind. It really is SO GOOD! (<– I know I keep saying that but it’s true!)
Many of my recipes are inspired by my mum. Chrissie (Mum!) was an early adopter of a whole food approach and it was reflected in the food we grew up with in New Zealand.
Mum has an arsenal of tried and true foodie numbers that she can whip up – usually from memory – when the situation calls for it. Among some of her more ‘AIP friendly offerings:
- Mum’s Christmas fruit mincemeat is to-die-for (and I recreated it into a seriously good AIP-friendly version here).
- My favourite childhood soup – the galloping gourmet’s root vegetable soup has been recreated to be AIP-friendly as my BEST Root Vegetable Soup.
- Mum’s world-famous in New Zealand chicken liver pâté is an AIP reintro’ recipe, but it is worth bookmarking (my siblings and I still request it when we are heading home for a visit!)
And now I bring you an AIP-ised (and low FODMAP) version of my mum’s cheats salmon rillettes.
This little number is a cheats version because it is so easy to make. None of the pfaffing around waiting for the rendering of fat and slow cooking of meat. Instead, all that is required is a brief steaming of some happy salmon before all the ingredients are bunged into your food processor for a quick whizz.

What could be simpler?
This little dip-like number is good enough to be dinner party-worthy. AIP Muggles will love it (and they’ll never know that it’s so good for you, either!)
What are you waiting for?
Makes about 2 cups
- 200g fresh, wild salmon filet (boned)
- 50g coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely 'snipped' chives
- 150g smoked salmon (pieces are fine)
- Salt
- The fiddliest bit of this recipe is steaming your fresh salmon filet. Half fill a wok or saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat a little, but keep the water at a gentle rolling boil. Season the fresh salmon with a little salt. Place in a steamer basket and pop steamer over boiling water.
- Cover securely so no steam escapes and steam salmon until just cooked, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- When the salmon is cool, pop all the ingredients into your food processor and pulse until combined into a smooth paste
- Taste for seasoning and salt accordingly.
- Spoon into a serving dish and refrigerate for an hour or two.
- Serve with crudités (like cucumber slices!) or AIP-friendly crackers
E N J O Y !
*First published October 2018

I clicked from Pinterest to finally find out what “rillettes” were. I stayed because that Jason Bateman quote is sheer perfection, exactly the kind of thing I would use on my own websites. And I’m following because “AIP Muggles” says something about you. Something along the lines of “Nitwit. Blubber. Oddment. Tweak!” (“Oh, I hope they get that joke!”, she thinks as she realizes those words aren’t complimentary…) I may never make this recipe, because we are not salmon lovers, but I’m “hooked” !
Katie – you take the prize for the best comment today. And, for making me feel good. Thank you!
I am confused! The list of recipe ingredients calls for 200g fresh, wild salmon and also 150g smoked salmon. Is this in error or do you only use one of the salmons listed?
Hi Karen – nope. There is no error. This recipe calls for fresh and smoked salmon. We’re doubling down!