Salmon Bagel

Looking for a delicious breakfast or lunch that's packed with protein and can be totally customized to your preferences? These Salmon Bagels are so easy to assemble and are loaded with smoked salmon, veggies, and cream cheese.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
• 🗒 Ingredients
• 🥯 How to make salmon bagels
• ⏲️ How to make ahead
• 🎉 Variations on recipe
• Prefer fresh salmon?
• 🍣 More salmon recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

There are very few foods I won't eat and I'm open to trying just about anything. For the longest time, I've said that smoked salmon was the only food I wouldn't eat.

Though I love salmon and consider it high up on my list of favorite foods, there was something about the smoky flavor I just couldn't get behind. Until now.

Some say that once you try a food you don't like 7 times, your taste buds will start to change and you may start liking the food. That's why they say to keep feeding picky kids the same foods.

It worked for me with smoked salmon and now I can't get enough. But, like many, the main way I enjoy eating it is on bagels. With cream cheese and all the toppings.

There's nothing complicated about this salmon bagel, but the ingredients all go so well together and it's incredibly easy to customize to your personal tastes.

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

If you're a fan of smoked salmon, you'll definitely want to try these bagel sandwiches! And if smoked salmon isn't quite your thing, these salmon bagels may just change your mind.

Not only are they easy to make on a busy weekday morning, but they're also perfect for serving to a group at a brunch party. You can get out all the fixings and let guests assemble their own salmon bagels!

Since they're packed with protein, they're a great way to start the day or to get some extra power at lunchtime.

I also just happen to think there's something so pretty about these sandwiches, especially when enjoyed open-faced.

🗒 Ingredients

These sandwiches are highly customizable and you can use any of your favorite ingredients. But here's what you need to make them just like I do (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

• Fresh bagels: you can choose your favorite bagel, but I almost always choose everything bagels and I like Dave's Killer Bagels to add even more protein to these sandwiches
• Cream cheese: you can choose the flavor of your choice, but I almost always choose chive and onion
• Smoked salmon
• Tomato slices
• Cucumber slices
• Red onion slices
• Capers
• Chives
• Lemon: I like to drizzle on a little lemon juice and sprinkle on some lemon zest
• Flaky sea salt

I've noticed that my grocery store keeps adding more and more varieties and brands of smoked salmon to their shelves.

I usually buy it in these little packets and find it in the deli section with prosciutto, pizza dough, etc.

🥯 How to make salmon bagels

Once you have all your ingredients prepped, the assembly of these salmon bagels couldn't be easier!

Halve and toast your bagels.

And then just smear the cream cheese onto each toasted bagel half. I generally use about 1 tablespoon per each half, but you can use more or less if you'd like.

Then top with that gorgeous salmon. I typically use about 1 ½ ounces per each half, but again, you can use however much you want.

Isn't t hat salmon so pretty??

Then layer on the rest of the ingredients.

I do sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, red onions, capers, and chives.

Then I zest my lemon over the bagel and add a drizzle of lemon juice.

And you can't forget that flaky sea salt!

I love how such a simple sandwich can be such a work of art. And since this one is totally fresh and customizable, it's better than anything you can get in a bagel shop!

I like to serve the bagel sandwiches open-face style because they're so pretty and open-face makes them easier to eat.

But you can turn the bagels into a full-on sandwich if you prefer.

⏲️ How to make ahead

You really want to make these salmon bagels right before you're ready to enjoy them. Otherwise, the bagels will get quite soggy.

However, you can slice your tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

And then quickly assemble the sandwich right when you're ready for breakfast or lunch.

🎉 Variations on recipe

There are so many more toppings that would go perfectly with these salmon bagels and the options really are endless.

Here are some more fun ideas for what to add to the sandwiches:

• Avocado (sliced or mashed)
• Spinach or arugula
• Picked onions
• Asparagus
• Radishes
• Goat cheese or feta
• Scrambled eggs, hardboiled eggs, or poached eggs
• Fresh herbs of your choice, like fresh dill, basil, or thyme
• Green onions
• Red pepper flakes
• Different flavors of cream cheese, like jalapeño, garlic, or herb cream cheese

Or you can keep them super simple and make them with just the cream cheese and smoked salmon!

However you make these, they really are the most perfect tasty breakfast. But I can't imagine anyone saying no to a salmon bagel for lunch either.

And dinner? Yes, I've enjoyed these for dinner, too!

I also highly recommend setting up a salmon bagel bar at a party or gathering you're hosting. They're perfect for baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties, mother's day, father's day, and so much more!

We try to eat salmon at least once a week in our house and these salmon bagels give us a new way to do it!

I like enjoying them with my morning cup of coffee or with this Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso. Of course, a bloody mary would be delicious, too!

I hope this salmon bagel recipe becomes a staple breakfast food in your house. Toast up a bunch of different flavors, let everyone pick their own bagel, and have fun letting your family assemble their own however they like them best.

What's your favorite way to enjoy salmon? Have you hopped on the smoked salmon wagon yet?

📖 Recipe