Smoked Salmon & Gorgonzola Cheese Savory Muffin Recipe

Last year, we woke up on Easter morning to discover that the Easter bunny had hidden his brightly colored bounty in the foot of snow that carpeted our backyard. After filling up on warm Hot Cross Buns, muffins and fresh fruit, we bundled the kids up in snow pants and gloves, and lined their baskets with plastic bags to help deal with the inevitable quick melt once the baskets came inside, and sent them off to dig for their eggs. It was not the bright spring day, full of tulips and chirping birds, that we typically hope for in the middle of April, but it certainly made for a memorable Easter Sunday. Really, the kids were not at all concerned that the plastic eggs were half-frozen, as long as those eggs were filled with chocolate and jellybeans.

Considering that our spring this year can only be described as frigid, there is a chance that we will need another hot breakfast to warm us post-hunt. Poached Eggs on Toast with Chipotle Mayo, Bacon and Avocado and Whole Wheat Waffles with Blueberry Maple Sauce are contenders. Whichever recipe wins the majority vote, we will also make a batch of these easy savory muffins to munch on throughout the day.

Now, I realize that smoked salmon and Gorgonzola cheese might sound like an unusual combination. The idea to pair the two popped into my head a few days ago and, try as I might to convince myself to go with the classic match of smoked salmon and dill, I just could not shake the thought of Gorgonzola. Several years ago, I indulged in a pasta dish with smoked salmon and a Gorgonzola cream sauce at a local restaurant. The decadent combination won me over, then took a backseat in my memory until a few days ago. The resulting muffin is tender and full of the rich flavors of a creamy cheese and smoked fish. They are irresistible when served warm with a pat of butter.

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add chopped smoked salmon, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and chives, and stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, egg and melted butter until the mixture is smooth. Fold milk mixture into the flour mixture until combined. The batter will be very thick.

Using a ⅓-cup measuring cup coated in cooking spray, divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups.

Bake until the muffin tops are just starting to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.

Let the muffins cool in the pan, about 5 minutes, and then remove from pan and let cool for 5 additional minutes before serving.

Other savory biscuit and quick bread recipes:

Mushroom Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Cream Biscuits with Prosciutto & Parmesan Cheese
Caramelized Onion & Spinach Olive Oil Quick Bread

Smoked Salmon & Gorgonzola Savory Muffins
Basic savory muffin recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ tps salt
4 oz. smoked salmon, roughly chopped
4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 ¼ cups 2% milk
¾ cup sour cream
1 egg
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add chopped smoked salmon, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and chives, and stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, egg and melted butter until the mixture is smooth. Fold milk mixture into the flour mixture until combined. The batter will be very thick.

Using a ⅓-cup measuring cup coated in cooking spray, divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups.

Bake until the muffin tops are just starting to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.

Let the muffins cool in the pan, about 5 minutes, and then remove from pan and let cool for 5 additional minutes before serving.

Makes 12 muffins