Smoked Salmon Bagel

This Smoked Salmon Bagel sandwich is a delicious and simple meal you can make in just a few minutes. It makes a great breakfast, brunch or lunch sandwich. It’s very customizable to include ingredients that you love.

Years ago my husband and I regularly visited a small bakery/cafe on the weekend. We fell into a bit of a routine and got the same meal each time if possible. I always love the poached egg with Canadian bacon on top of a warm croissant. Usually this was on an English muffin but who could resist a buttery, flaky croissant. This was all then topped with a delicious hollandaise sauce.

My husband on the other hand loved a recipe that they called the “Ian”. A soft plain bagel with delicious cream cheese spread on each half. Then on the bottom half of the bagel, thin layers of smoked salmon were layered, then a nice whole thin slice of a red onion. They then sprinkled yummy capers on top of it all and topped it with the other cream cheese slathered bagel. They’d slice it in half and ran a pick through each half holding it together. Sounds scrumptious!

For each of us, they were the best meals ever. Delicious brunch meals that we loved.

Fast forward a few years and unfortunately we don’t live near that cafe anymore. We try to make a stop in whenever we visit the area. My husband brought up the idea to have that meal again, recently and I decided I had to make this dish for him. It had been so long since I’ve seen the sandwich so i tried my best to remember all that was in it and tried to recreate it. With a few questions for my husband, I made it for brunch one morning recently and I apparently got it just right.

It’s a very simple sandwich but it packs a lot of flavor. He was pleasantly surprised to get it, as I didn’t tell him I was making it. Point 1 for me!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Though they taste best made right before you serve it you can make them ahead of time. I have made these the evening before my husband took it to work the following day. I put it in an air tight container to keep it fresh.

What other toppings can I add?

You can add anything that you like. Some add a poached egg. You could also thinly slice up some avocado or even cucumbers. The cucumbers add a nice fresh and crisp taste to the sandwich. Thinly sliced tomatoes or even microgreens or arugula or baby spinach would be delicious.

What is the best smoked salmon to buy?

I try to find something that is wild caught like an Atlantic Salmon. I have read that the Latitude and DuckTrap Spruce Point brands seem to be the best when it comes to flavor and texture. If you like the added flavor of dill you could try the Gravlax Style of the DuckTrap Spruce Point brand. Next, take note of any added flavors or preservatives, you’ll want to avoid these.

Ingredients for a Smoked Salmon Bagel

• Bagel – Feel free to use what ever type of bagel you fancy. Plain bagels tend to be more popular but an everything bagel or even a cheese bagel would be delicious. I used a homemade sourdough bagel for this sandwich. I think the sourdough adds another tasty flavor to the sandwich.
• Smoked Salmon – Try to find a good quality smoked salmon. If you can find one that’s not farmed and wild caught, that would be best. Also, take note if it has any coloring added to it. You can use regular cooked salmon, it just won’t have the same flavor that smoked salmon does.
• Cream cheese – I used regular whole fat cream cheese but you could use a whipped cream cheese. If you fancy a flavored cream cheese you can add some herbs to give your sandwich even more flavor. You could try a little dill, garlic and green onions and a couple dashes of pepper mixed in.
• Red onion – Slice them very thinly, this makes for an easier time to not get too much onion and just the right amount with each bite. If you find pickled red onions that will add for a nice sweet and tangy flavor.
• Capers – I added about a tablespoon but if you really like them, feel free to add more. Maybe add it to the cream cheese before your smoked salmon so it doesn’t fall out.

How to Make a Smoked Salmon Bagel

Start off with your bagel. You may toast it if you like, that adds another tasty texture to your sandwich. If you prefer, just slice it in half and leave it as it is.

Next add your cream cheese. I like to put a generous amount of the cream cheese on each halves of the bagel.

Add your salmon, the thinner the slices the better, you’ll find that this brand of salmon has them thinly layered. I did about 2 oz per sandwich. The package of smoked salmon I had was a 4 oz package. If you add more toppings than in this recipe, I would add closer to 1 oz of salmon per sandwich.

Add the red onions

Next, add the capers and any other toppings if you choose.

Slice and Enjoy!

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Show your support and appreciation. If you made this recipe and loved it, give it a 5 star review and leave a comment. Follow me on Instagram @naturalliving.homestead then tag me in a photo of your amazing creation! Thank you!

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