Smoked Salmon Bagel with Everything Cream Cheese
A properly loaded lox bagel with homemade everything cream cheese, capers, and red onion. This is the deli experience at home.
Main Dish · Prep 10 min · Serves 2 · Easy · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 2 bagels, everything or plain
- 150 g smoked salmon
- 100 g cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 0.5 tsp poppy seeds
- 0.5 tsp dried garlic flakes
- 0.5 tsp dried onion flakes
- 0.25 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp capers
- 0.5 lemon, juiced
- 1 sprig fresh dill
I lived near a bagel shop for two years and spent a fortune on their lox bagel. Then I realized I could make an even better version at home for a fraction of the price.
The secret is the everything cream cheese — you mix everything bagel seasoning right into the cream cheese. Sesame, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion. It is stupid simple and so much better than plain cream cheese.
Pile on good smoked salmon, paper-thin red onion, capers, and a squeeze of lemon. That is it. No cooking, no fuss, just assembly. But what assembly.
Pro Tips
- Toast the bagel until it is golden but not hard. You want crunch on the outside, softness inside.
- Spread the cream cheese thick. This is not the time for restraint.
- Use good smoked salmon. Cheap smoked salmon tastes like salty plastic.
- Thinly slice the red onion and soak it in ice water for 10 minutes. Takes the harsh edge off.
Serving
Serve open-faced so you can see and appreciate every layer. A few cornichons and a cup of coffee on the side.
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