Thousand Island Salmon Spread
September 28, 2026 by Angela Montana
Makes one 5½-cup mold · 4 hours to set (2 hours if you freeze it)
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unflavored gelatin (Knox) | 2 envelopes |
| Cold water | ½ cup |
| Boiling water | 1 cup |
| Sour cream | 16 oz |
| Thousand Island dressing | ¾ cup |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbsp |
| Canned salmon, drained and flaked | 16 oz |
| Dried dill weed | 1 tsp |
Method
- In a medium bowl, mix the unflavored gelatin with the ½ cup cold water and let it soften.
- Add the 1 cup boiling water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved — no visible grains.
- Add the sour cream, Thousand Island dressing, lemon juice, flaked salmon and dill weed. Stir until evenly combined.
- Turn into a 5½-cup mold and chill until firm, about 4 hours. In a hurry, 2 hours in the freezer works — the tester confirmed it sets completely without freezing solid, thanks to all that sour cream.
- To unmold: dip the mold briefly in warm water, run a thin knife around the edge, place a plate on top and invert.
Notes
- Halve it for a standard fish-shape mold — the blogger did, because half fit hers and she was making several molds.
- Canned salmon with skin and bones is what the era used; the tester picked out the skin and bones for a smoother spread, but noted you can leave the bones in (they mash easily and add calcium).
- Garnish: olive slices for eyes, parsley around the base. Described as mandatory for the full mid-century effect.
- The verdict, from the tasting notes: “Actually, yeah. It’s really good. It tastes like tuna salad that has pickles in it.” Creamy, tangy, with the dill coming through — and it doesn’t taste like salad dressing.
- Serve with: crackers. It’s a spread, not a salad course.
Note: this is the recipe as reproduced on the blog, including its note that it was halved in the demonstrated version — the amounts above are the full cookbook amounts. I haven’t cooked it myself, so the “really good” verdict is theirs, not mine.
