Smoked Salmon and Bagels

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Smoked Salmon and Bagels is a classic breakfast. Add cream cheese, red onion, tomato and watercress and your day is off to a delicious start!

everything bagel with lox, red onion, tomato and watercress

The timeless lox on a bagel combination with cream cheese is creamy, savory and fresh and is a classic New York-style breakfast or brunch recipe!

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Classic Smoked Salmon and Bagel
How to make a lox bagel recipe
Expert recipe tips
Substitutions
Variations
FAQ
Ingredients
Easy Breakfast Recipes
What to serve with smoked salmon on bagels
Smoked Salmon and Bagels

Classic Smoked Salmon and Bagel

Trust me when I say that there’s nothing quite like a bagel with lox and cream cheese to start your morning on a delicious note.

Flavorful smoked salmon, crisp onion, juicy tomato and tangy cream cheese together on a toasted bagel will delight your tastebuds.

This recipe is so easy to prepare and will also feel like you are having a gourmet coffee shop breakfast at home.

Smoked salmon and bagels are ideal for brunch, a light lunch, or a weekend treat.

This bagel with lox recipe really does look impressive and colorful. It is brimming with the classic combination of fresh ingredients on a toasted chewy bagel with tangy cream cheese.

Be sure to visit the Swirls of Flavor Amazon Storefront for GG's personal kitchen recommendations!

How to make a lox bagel recipe

This is a quick overview of how to make this bagel with lox recipe. Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below

Step 1: Toast your bagels. Spread cream cheese on cut sides of bagels and top with salmon.

Step 2: Top half of each bagel with red onion, tomato and watercress. Place remaining bagel half on top to form a sandwich.

Hint: Toasting the bagels adds texture and flavor, however, this bagel and lox sandwich is delicious without toasting the bagels too.

Expert recipe tips

Fresh Dill - Add a sprinkle of fresh dill to your bagel sandwich.
Serve immediately – It is not recommended to make this sandwich ahead of time because it can become soggy. For the best texture, assemble and serve right away.
Slice ingredients thinly – Thin slices of onion and tomato ensure the flavors don’t overpower each other and allow the bagel to be easy to eat.
Toast the bagel – Toasting the bagel brings out added flavor and guarantees that the bagel holds up against the creamy and juicy ingredients.
Use high-quality smoked salmon – Choose the freshest lox or smoked salmon available for the best flavor.

Substitutions

Bagel – The classic bagel and lox is made with an everything bagel but you can use your favorite flavor of bagel in this recipe. A gluten-free bagel or an English muffin can be substituted as well.
Cream Cheese – Whipped cream cheese, dairy-free cream cheese or a flavored cream cheese, such as chive or garlic herb, can replace plain cream cheese.
Smoked Salmon – Gravlax or cold-smoked trout can replace the lox or smoked salmon.
Watercress – Baby arugula, baby spinach, or microgreens are good substitutes for watercress.

Variations

Avocado Lox Bagel – Creamy avocado slices will add extra richness.
Classic New York Style – Add capers for a briny flavor.
Open-Faced Bagel with Lox – Top bagel halves with all of the ingredients for an open faced sandwich that will serve 2 people.

FAQ

What is lox?

Lox is salmon fillet that has been cured in a salty brine.

What’s the difference between lox and smoked salmon?

Lox is cured salmon that is salty and has a silky texture. Smoked salmon has been both cured and smoked and has a more smoky flavor. You can use either in this recipe.

What kind of bagel is best for lox?

An everything bagel is a classic choice of bagel with its bold, garlicky flavor. Plain, sesame, and poppy seed bagels are also popular choices.

What can I use instead of cream cheese on a lox bagel?

Vegan cream cheese is a non-dairy alternative to cream cheese. Hummus or mashed avocado will also work well. And Greek yogurt mixed with herbs is another alternative.

Is a bagel with lox healthy?

Bagel with lox is considered healthy because smoked salmon is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids and the fresh vegetables add fiber and nutrition.

Ingredients

Ingredients for smoked salmon and bagels

Bagels – A toasted bagel adds a chewy texture and is the perfect base for all the ingredients. Plain, everything, sesame, or poppy seed bagels all work beautifully.
Smoked Salmon – Smoked salmon, also known as lox, is rich, silky, and slightly salty and is the signature flavor of this recipe.
Cream Cheese – Smooth and tangy cream cheese adds creaminess and flavor and helps to hold everything together.
Red Onion – Thinly sliced red onion provide a sharp, slightly sweet flavor that balances the richness of the salmon.
Tomato – Juicy, ripe tomato slices add freshness and color.
Watercress – Watercress leaves add a hint of spice, peppery notes, freshness and color.

Easy Breakfast Recipes

What to serve with smoked salmon on bagels

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