Written by Lauren Graham
One thing I love about New York is its bagel culture. NYC has some of the best delis in the North, filled with baked goods and cured delicatessen meats. And their bagels are top-tier. Every time I visit, I can’t help but order one (or two). Out of hundreds of flavors, my favorite is the salmon lox bagel. With freshly cured salmon and salty toppings, this bagel is delicious. It is a timeless classic perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch.
That's why I thought, why not bring a slice of the NYC life back to Atlanta, Georgia, and make these bagels at home? They are fun to assemble and will bring out your inner artist. Not only that, but this bagel is downright tasty with its many flavor combinations. So, here is my short and sweet take on a classic NYC-style salmon lox bagel that will make you feel like a big city dreamer on a windswept Manhattan day.
Full Recipe:
Ingredients:
Everything bagel buns
Plain cream cheese
Salmon lox slices
Thinly sliced English cucumber
Thinly sliced red onion
A jar of capers non pareil
Fresh or dried dill sprigs
Instructions:
When making a salmon lox bagel, each ingredient adds to the complexity of the overall flavor, from the bagel to the seasonings. First, you must choose a bagel flavor that complements the salmon. Practically any savory flavor will work, including sesame, onion, garlic, poppy seed, or plain. (Avoid a blueberry bagel for this one!) For my bagel, I use an everything bagel because, as the name suggests, it has everything you can ask for.
After you toast the bagel buns, the next step is layering on the fluffy cream cheese. I usually opt for the regular plain cream cheese so that the salmon can shine through. After you add a nice and even layer, it's time to distribute the salmon lox. You can use any brand of lox that you prefer. I used Blue Hill Bay’s Scottish-cured salmon for a reasonable price. It has a beautiful smoky and herbal taste from celery powder with a smooth and light texture that practically melts in your mouth.
Now for the fun part: the toppings! Traditionally, a lox bagel doesn’t come with cucumbers. However, I love how the cucumber slices add a refreshing crunch to the bite. If you are a cucumber fan like me, grab a few slices and arrange them neatly on top of the salmon. I prefer the English cucumber because of its snap and mildly sweet taste.
After the cucumber, the red onion is an essential topping that brings the twang that ties together the entire bagel. Once the onions are on, add the capers and pickled flower buds of the Flinders rose. These balls of flavor elevate the bagel to 100% with their sharp and poignant briny saltiness.
Lastly, the brightness comes from the fresh or dried dill sprinkled on top of your bagel however you wish. The dill complements the smoky flavor of the salmon with its herbal and citrusy notes. Plus, dill has a faint sweetness that marries the flavors together. If you want to be a little extra like me, you can top it off with some light ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
There you have it, a perfect and deli-worthy salmon lox bagel that would make a New Yorker proud. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
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