Smoked Salmon Latke Benedict with Dill-Lemon Sauce

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Crispy, lacy-edged latkes meet silky smoked salmon and runny-yolk poached eggs.
• Choose your sauce: bright dill-lemon yogurt for a light finish or classic hollandaise for richness.
• Everything is home-cook friendly with clear times, temperatures, and step-by-step guidance.
• Brunch-worthy presentation with make-ahead options to keep stress low.

Grocery List

• Produce: Russet potatoes, yellow onion, lemons, fresh dill, optional chives
• Dairy: Greek yogurt, unsalted butter (if making hollandaise), eggs
• Pantry: Neutral oil, matzo meal or flour, kosher salt, black pepper, honey or sugar, white vinegar, cayenne (optional), capers (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Latkes

• 1 1/2 lb russet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and coarsely shredded
• 1 small yellow onion, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup matzo meal (or all-purpose flour)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Neutral oil for frying (about 1/2 cup total), such as canola, safflower, or peanut

For the Poached Eggs

• 8 large eggs
• 2 tsp distilled white vinegar

Quick Dill-Lemon Yogurt (Primary Sauce)

• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra fronds for garnish
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp honey (or sugar)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1–2 tbsp cold water to loosen

Optional Quick Blender Hollandaise

• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, melted and hot (about 200°F)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• Pinch cayenne or paprika
• 1–2 tbsp hot water, as needed to thin

To Serve

• 8 oz cold-smoked salmon (lox), thinly sliced
• Fresh dill fronds, lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 1 tbsp capers, drained and patted dry; thinly sliced chives

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the sauce (yogurt or hollandaise)

For the dill-lemon yogurt: In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, olive oil, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, and salt until smooth. Whisk in 1–2 tbsp cold water until it is spoonable but not runny. Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Cover and refrigerate.

For the blender hollandaise (optional): In a tall jar or blender cup, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and a pinch of cayenne. With an immersion blender running, very slowly stream in the hot melted butter until thick and glossy. Thin with 1–2 tbsp hot water to desired consistency. Keep warm by setting the jar in a warm water bath (about 120°F) or in an insulated mug.

Step 2: Prep and dry the potatoes

Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and preheat the oven to 250°F to keep latkes warm later. Coarsely grate the potatoes and onion. Pile them onto a clean kitchen towel and roll up; twist and wring firmly over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible—the drier the shreds, the crisper the latkes.

Step 3: Mix the latke batter

Transfer the squeezed potatoes and onion to a bowl. Add the eggs, matzo meal (or flour), salt, and pepper. Stir just until evenly moistened and cohesive. If the mixture looks wet, sprinkle in another 1–2 tsp matzo meal or flour.

Step 4: Fry the latkes

In a large heavy skillet, heat 1/4 inch of neutral oil over medium to medium-high until it reaches 350°F (a shred should sizzle immediately). Working in batches, scoop about 3 tbsp mixture per latke (roughly 50 g), drop into the oil, and flatten to 3 inches wide and 1/3 inch thick with a spatula. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden with lacy edges. Adjust heat to maintain 340–360°F and add oil as needed between batches.

Transfer latkes to the rack and hold in the 250°F oven so they stay crisp while you finish the rest.

Step 5: Poach the eggs

Bring a wide pot of water to a bare simmer (about 190°F); you should see gentle movement but no big bubbles. Stir in the vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup. Swirl the water, slide in 2–4 eggs at a time, and poach 3 minutes for runny yolks or 4 minutes for slightly set. Lift with a slotted spoon to a paper towel. If making ahead, chill in ice water and rewarm 30–45 seconds in hot water before serving.

Step 6: Assemble and serve

Arrange two warm latkes per plate. Add ribbons of smoked salmon over each latke. Top each with a poached egg. Spoon over the dill-lemon yogurt or the warm hollandaise. Finish with dill fronds, a shower of lemon zest, cracked black pepper, and optional capers. Serve immediately while everything is hot and crisp.

Pro Tips

• Dryness is everything for crisp latkes—wring the potatoes hard and keep the oil at 340–360°F.
• Use a wire rack in a low oven to keep latkes shatter-crisp while you work.
• Poach eggs ahead: hold in ice water up to 24 hours, then rewarm briefly in hot water.
• For silky blender hollandaise, the butter must be very hot and added slowly.
• Season at the end: smoked salmon is salty, so taste before adding extra salt.

Variations

• Everything-bagel latkes: sprinkle sesame, poppy, and dried onion on latkes right after flipping.
• Swap the sauce: use crème fraîche with lemon zest and dill for ultra-simple elegance.
• Change the fish: gravlax or smoked trout work beautifully with the same toppings.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Latkes: Cool on a rack, then refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. Reheat at 400°F on a rack until hot and crisp, 8–12 minutes. Poached eggs: Poach, chill in ice water, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; rewarm 30–45 seconds in hot water. Dill-lemon yogurt: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Hollandaise: Best within 1 hour; keep warm in a 120°F water bath and whisk in hot water if it thickens.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approx. 580 calories; 32 g fat; 45 g carbs; 31 g protein; 4 g fiber; 1,700 mg sodium. Nutrition will vary based on oil absorption and sauce choice.