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Get It NowLox salmon is a common staple at any grocery store, but homemade? It seriously blows that stuff out of the water. My grandpa used to make a version of this lox recipe for every family holiday, and my mom still does. And while I still buy the store-bought kind for convenience (my 6-year-old goes through it like candy, lol!), every time I make my own I wonder why I don’t always do this. You might wonder the same once you learn how to make lox from fresh salmon yourself. Let me show you!
Why You’ll Love My Salmon Lox Recipe
- Salmon-y, buttery, salty lox – Salmon is my favorite fish, but this version is different from most of my salmon recipes that involve cooking it. My lox recipe tastes fresh, and you’ll taste way more (perfectly salty, salmon-y) flavor than you’d get with the packaged kind.
- Smooth, silky texture – Unlike the store-bought stuff, my homemade lox has higher moisture content and a rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Never tough, never chewy!
- Easy to make – It’s easier than you might think! You just need a few simple ingredients and the active prep takes 15 minutes. The hardest part is waiting a couple days for it to cure.
- Cost effective – The stuff at the store can be pricy. It’s much cheaper to make your own.
- Perfect for special occasions, or any day – My holiday celebrations aren’t complete without a platter of lox on the table. But it’s also great for cocktail parties, brunches, or just adding a healthy protein to your breakfast. I’ve got a whole list of ways for you to enjoy it beyond just bagels!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for salmon lox, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Salmon – Choose the thick belly section if you can. (I think belly lox is the best kind!) You can get skin-on or skinless salmon. I usually get skinless because it’s easier to eat, but skin-on will be a bit more flavorful.
- Fresh Dill – Nothing beats the aroma of fresh herbs, so I don’t recommend using dried. But if you really want to, my rule of thumb to convert fresh to dried is use 1/3 the amount.
- Sea Salt – You can also use kosher salt if you like. I don’t recommend using table salt.
- White Pepper – I use this so that I don’t have specks of black pepper, but black works just fine if that’s what you have.
My mom and grandpa also add sugar to their lox recipes, but anyone who knows me wouldn’t be too surprised that I skip it. It’s just as amazing without!
How To Make Lox
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Making lox yourself is super simple! Some versions use a saltwater brine, but I just do a dry brine because it’s simpler and that’s how my family has always made it.
- Rinse the fish. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Add the curing ingredients. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and sprinkle it with plenty of fresh dill, sea salt, and white pepper. Place the salmon fillet in the middle, then top with more dill, salt, and pepper.
- Wrap and weigh it down. Tightly double wrap the salmon in plastic wrap and place it in shallow dish. Top with a smaller dish and weigh it down with metal cans (I usually use this set, but used the one below for a visual).
- Let it cure. Refrigerate for 36 hours, flipping over and draining any liquid every 12 hours.
- Rinse off the salt. Wash the salmon lox with water to remove the excess salt mixture and pat dry. Refrigerate again, this time uncovered, for up to 12 hours or overnight.
- Slice and enjoy! Use a sharp knife to cut thin slices. This time I sprinkled my lox recipe with extra fresh dill for serving.
My Recipe Tips
- Get the freshest salmon you can. Since we’re curing it and not cooking, you’ll taste the freshness more than ever! I prefer wild-caught for my lox recipe, but any kind is fine as long as it’s fresh, vibrant, and firm.
- Be generous with the seasonings. It’s normal for it to look like too much! You need a lot of salt needs to fully penetrate and cure the fish, so use the entire amount on my recipe card below.
- Slice as thinly as possible. I’ve never been able to slice it as thin as the store-bought kind, but I do my best! Thinner slices have a better texture when you eat them. Plus, they look prettier. 😉
Common Questions
- What is lox? Lox is simply salmon that has been cured with salt, which preserves it. The name comes from the Yiddish word laks, which literally means salmon. And it’s delicious!
- What is the difference between lox vs. smoked salmon? Many people use these terms interchangeably, but true lox is made using a simple salt curing process, while smoked salmon is cured and then smoked (hot or cold-smoking) for a different texture and unmistakable smokiness.
- What is the difference between gravlax vs. lox? Lox and gravlax are similar, both being cured but not smoked. However, gravlax is spiced with ingredients like sugar, salt, pepper, dill, juniper berries, citrus, and aquavit. My salmon lox recipe just lets the flavor of the fish shine instead!
- What is Nova lox? Nova lox refers either to lox made from Nova Scotia salmon or to a specific style where the fish is cured and then lightly smoked. This method combines curing, with an additional smoking step.
- Is lox raw? Yes, lox is considered raw, but it’s cured with salt and is safe to eat.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep your salmon lox in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to about a week. I usually add an extra layer of plastic wrap before putting on the lid, which locks in the moisture better.
- Freeze: Wrap the fish tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a zip lock bag and remove as much air as you can. If you know you’ll be freezing it, I recommend doing so before slicing. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight.
Ways To Eat Lox
There are so many ways I enjoy this lox recipe! My daughters and I actually just love it plain next to fried eggs or egg muffin cups. But here are some other ways to eat it:
- Lox Bagel – The New York classic! Slather your favorite bagel with a schmear of cream cheese, homemade lox, cucumber, red onion, tomato slices, and/or capers. I use my low carb bagels (shown in my pictures here), while my kids eat regular.
- Platters – Cured salmon is perfect for your Christmas charcuterie board with cheese, crackers, fresh veggies, and fruit. I also like to make little salmon cucumber bites with it for appetizers!
- Salads – Swap baked salmon for cured salmon in my salmon salad recipe, or use it instead of smoked salmon in my smoked salmon salad. One of my favorites is on top of strawberry spinach salad for a fresh spring or summer lunch! You could even swap the chicken in a Cobb salad for a fun twist.
- Bowls – If you have your lox ready in the fridge, it’s a faster way to make my salmon bowls!
- Eggs – Stir the cured fish into scrambled eggs, tuck it into omelettes, or swap the bacon for salmon in my bacon deviled eggs recipe.
More Easy Salmon Recipes
Since I love salmon, I have so many other ways you can use it! If you picked up extra, use the rest for one of my other recipes:
My Favorite Dishes For This Recipe
You’ll need two different-sized baking dishes, so that one can weigh down the other. I usually use this set that fits together evenly (you’ll spot them in many of my other recipe pictures, too).
How To Make Lox (Easy Salmon Lox Recipe)
Learn how to make lox at home, with a few simple ingredients! This easy salmon lox recipe tastes perfectly salty, buttery, and silky smooth.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Rinse the salmon fillet under cold water. Pat dry.
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Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap, 2-3 times the size of the salmon. Sprinkle half of the fresh dill over the plastic, covering an area about the size of the salmon fillet. Sprinkle the same area with half of the sea salt and white pepper.
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Place the salmon fillet onto the salt covered plastic wrap. Sprinkle the top of the salmon with the other half of the salt, pepper, and dill. Make sure all sides of the salmon are generously covered in salt.
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Wrap the plastic wrap tightly around the salmon, then double wrap in a second layer of plastic wrap.
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Place salmon into a shallow baking dish, large enough that the salmon can lay flat. Top the salmon with a second, smaller baking dish (this is the set I use). Transfer to the fridge and place 2-3 14-oz metal cans onto the top dish, to weigh down the salmon.
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Refrigerate for 36 hours; every 12 hours, drain any liquid from the pan and flip the salmon over, without opening the plastic.
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After 36 hours, rinse the salmon to remove the surface salt. Pat dry.
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Return salmon to the fridge, uncovered, for at least 2 more hours, up to 12 hours or overnight.
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To serve, slice thinly across the short end of the lox.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 ounces
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
44 Comments
PM
0Do you remove the skin first?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi, No, you don’t have to, but you can if you like.
Lorraine Garies
0This sounds very good, I’m going to try it.
Toni Smith
0We have a freezer full of salmon from an Alaskan trip. Could I use frozen salmon to make this?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Toni, Yes, this would work but you will have to completely thaw the salmon first.
Ray
0Does it matter what type of salmon you use?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Ray, It should work with any kind of salmon, but the thick belly section (of any species) tastes the best.
Lauren
0Have you ever cured using soy sauce and/or brown sugar, in addition to salt and other spices?
Also, just a note, but the belly of a salmon is the thinnest section of meat. The top and sides of the spine are the thickest part on a salmon steak or fillet.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Lauren, I have not tried it with soy sauce or brown sugar. I’m sure it’s delicious! Thanks for the tips.
Dr Fritz R Boehm
0I used ziplock bags instead of plastic wrap because it allowed me to drain fish better. At least that was so for me. I really like the additional ideas for using Lox. Will be using them soon. Thanks!
Wetcoaster
0I just sliced the finished product. It was too salty on its own but a tomato and and red onions would offset it. I’m going to try it again with less salt, more dill and some sugar. Luckily, I have access to free salmon.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Wetcoaster, The salt is what cures the salmon. You might want to try rinsing it off better at the end.
Rita Marasa
0When I called the best deli around I found out lox was…$52 a pound!!!! So I found this recipe. Well…never again. I suggest to slice it more on an angle so you get wider across the grain slices. Thinner the better. We serve it with cream cheese, capers, tomatoes, red onion and cukes. As well as omelets and hand-to-mouth. Thank you for your recipe.
Megan
0Hi! Question- if I have skin on salmon, do I remove the skin before curing?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Megan, Yes, you would need to remove the skin.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Megan, Yes, you would need to remove the skin if you can see the salmon flesh.
Joe
0I prefer to leave the skin on. It aids in slicing. I always slice at an angle, across to give a wider slice and I find the skin is helpful with slicing.
I do not find that it hinders the curing process in any way whatsoever.
Johnycee
0Prefer 1 part salt and almost 2 parts brown sugar and dill.
Miriam Eguchi
0I would love to make my own lox, but I don’t like exposing food to plastic.Is there something I could use instead of the plastic wrap? Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Miriam, You could use aluminium foil if you would want.
Leslie Gaebe
0How much sodium is in a normal serving?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Leslie, Nutritional facts are provided as a courtesy. If you have questions, please see my nutrition policy.
Laura
0My salmon turned out with the taste of pure salt on 2 of the 3 salmon filets I used. I followed the recipe exactly. Now the 1 lb filet wasn’t as bad, but the half pounders weren’t salvageable. I rinsed them well to wash off the salt, and only brined them for the 36 hrs. I decide to put them in the cold smoke for a few hours to try to rescue them.
Maybe the 1 pounder was better because I sliced the outer layer off before I smoked and it took a lot of the saltiness away. Not sure.
I love lox. I eat it all the time and have tried every brand I see out there. I wonder if the recipe would be better with half the salt?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Laura, Sorry you didn’t enjoy this dish. If you wish you could reduce the salt a small amount next time.
Jeanine Peterson
0Yes, I did rinse the salmon. Should I have really scrubbed it down?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jeanine, Maybe did you cure for too long. Lox is definitely salty so maybe you are sensitive to that.
Jeanine Peterson
0I just tried this easy recipe. My lox is super salty. I used Mortons sea salt. Should I have used a different brand or did I cure it too long? Is there a way to tone down the salty. Other than that it is very good and I will try it again with your guidance on what I did wrong.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jeanine, Did you rinse the salt after you cured the salmon?
Brad Houser
0People who monitor their sodium intake always check the Nutrition Information for sodium. I am surprised you don’t show the sodium content, as salt used in the curing process will be absorbed into the salmon. Also, anyone who has ever eaten lox knows it tastes salty. Online sources show lox has around 700 mg per 2 oz serving. Please make sure your nutrition information is accurate.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Brad, Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. You can see my nutrition policy for more details, but you’d have to calculate on your own for anything that is not listed. Anyway, for cured recipes like this, it’s impossible to get the exact sodium content because some of the salt absorbs into the fish but a lot get rinsed off, and there’s no way to tell how much.
Shane
0Thank you for this recipe. Not only was this a lot less expensive than purchasing it in a store but the flavor was amazing. This is the closest that I’ve ever tasted to the actual flavor of the “belly lox” that I had when I was a boy up north.
Jim Liik
0A few more picture of the food being made or making the food.
Marjorie Heard
0Maya, can I freeze the lox even if the salmon was previously frozen before I made the lox, since the salmon is now cured, thanks Marj
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marjorie, Yes, you can. I have instructions in the post above.
Roberta
0It’s not clear to me how to drain it without breaking the plastic wrap… I mean, I am not sure that keeping the salmon wrapped will let the liquid came off enought to drain…hope you can get the point, sorry if I am not explaining it very well and thank you for any clarification so that I’ll be sure to understand how to make the process properly and enjoy the result without waisting the salmon and the time needed to “cure”it!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Roberta, Using salt, a second baking dish, and weights from canned food will work together to force liquid from the salmon. You don’t have to completely unwrap the fish to drain it, but if it is accumulating liquid inside the plastic, you can open up one side to drain the liquid. I hope this helps to clarify the process!
Amy L Huntley
0The flavor was absolutely amazing!
Kristyn
0I had no idea how easy this was to make! And, you are right…way better than anything you can buy in the store!!
Natalie
0This was a great appetizer!! Super tasty!!
Michelle
0I had no idea the ingredients were so simple to make lox at home! I’ll certainly be eating a lot more of it now that I know how to do it!
Jess
0Ohhhh this is so yummy! Perfect weekend brunch!
Laura
0I was looking for a lox recipe without sugar. I am glad I found it. I don’t really see the need to add sugar to salmon, this is perfect
Danielle Wolter
0This sounds delicious! I make lox all the time but have never tried it with white pepper. Def giving it a try.
Caroline
0I’ve made gravlax before and indeed this is very similar, and so no doubt just as tasty. Great for salads, canapes and so much more.