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Home / Recipes / Salmon Cream Cheese Spread

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Salmon Cream Cheese Spread

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Just add bagel.

salmon cream cheese on plate with bagel and cucumber slices

Uncontested fact: Everyone loves bagels. What’s not to love about a chewy, dense, warm orb of carbs? But I hold bagel toppings in equal importance. Of all the toppings, from butter to PB&J, my favorite is salmon cream cheese. Briny, creamy, and whipped until fluffy and light, this salmon cream cheese recipe comes together in less time than it takes to place a bagel order.

You’ll also like: How to Fry an Egg and Our Best Blueberry Muffins

salmon cream cheese on plate with bagel and cucumber slices

First, the Bagel.

A lot — a lot — of attention, words, research, and even fights have been given over to bagels. Who in New York City, and thus, the world, makes the best bagel? (Ess-a-Bagel, Absolute, The Bagel Hole.) What defines a great bagel? (Glossy, slightly blistered exterior, dense and chewy insides, steamed-then-baked cooking process.) Is toasting a fresh bagel wrong? (Yes.) Where did bagels even come from? (Poland.)

One thing we all know, though, is that we love them. Chewy, dense, and — if you are lucky — glossy and just a little bit crisp on the outside, a good bagel is the ultimate breakfast. But let’s turn our attention to the bagel’s other half: the schmear on top.

salmon cream cheese on plate with bagel and cucumber slices

Recipe Notes: Salmon Cream Cheese

Sunday morning bagel breakfasts are best when accompanied with cream cheese, a thin layer of lox, and capers — maybe some red onion or crumbled hard-boiled egg, too. But a smoked salmon cream cheese can be just as satisfying.

Think of the term “smoked salmon” as a broad umbrella. Lox is a variety of cured, smoked salmon taken from the salmon belly. This means it is fattier and more desirable. And a little pricier. Which is why it is found on the best bagel spreads. But it is not imperative to use lox for this recipe. In fact, I think that less-expensive smoked salmon works better. The fatty, more tender lox tends to dissolve into the cream cheese. My preference is wild Alaskan smoked salmon, which has a vivid pink color and stands up well against the blades of a food processor.

salmon cream cheese on plate with bagel and cucumber slices

This recipe calls only for cream cheese, salmon, and thinly-sliced scallions, but a tablespoon or so of minced dill would also taste good. Or just use dill to garnish. Or no dill. You do you.

Do not worrying about an exact two-ounce weight for the smoked salmon. Just eyeball half of a standard four-ounce package. It will taste great. Err on the side of a little more than a little less.

salmon cream cheese on plate with bagel and cucumber slices

Did you make this salmon cream cheese? How was it?

salmon cream cheese on plate with bagel and cucumber slices
Print Recipe

Salmon Cream Cheese Spread

This classic bagel spread recipe takes 5 minutes to make, and only 3 ingredients.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keywords:: bagel, breakfast, brunch, cream cheese, lox, salmon, smoked salmon
Servings: 1 cup (enough for about 6 bagels)

Ingredients

  • 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, slightly softened
  • 1 large, or two thin, scallion(s), white and light green parts, sliced very thin
  • 2 ounces smoked salmon, sliced

Instructions

  • In a food processor, pulse the cream cheese and smoked salmon until blended but small salmon chunks remain. Scrape the bowl as necessary to combine.
  • Add the scallions and blend again until combined. Spread on bagels and garnish as desired.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Easy, Recipes, Soup, Salad, Snacks Tagged With: bagels, breakfast, brunch, cream cheese, easy, lox, salmon, smoked salmon

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. karina says

    July 31, 2020 at 10:23 am

    5 stars
    Just like from the bagel store but way cheaper!!!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      July 31, 2020 at 10:28 am

      Hah! That’s what I always think, too!

      Reply
  2. Sarah Ball says

    July 31, 2020 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    Cannot believe how easy and tasty this is. Make sure the cream cheese is not directly out of the fridge as it really does need to soften a little to blend in the food processor.

    Reply
  3. Alex says

    July 31, 2020 at 10:28 am

    5 stars
    yummy.

    Reply
  4. Martha W Goodman says

    December 4, 2020 at 8:45 am

    For Christmas – I like to layer it. Make a layer of salmon spread and a layer where you use Italian Pesto with cream cheese. A red layer and a green layer. Tastes great too.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      December 4, 2020 at 9:13 am

      Mmm…that sounds so good, and it must look so festive, too! Thanks for sharing such a great idea!

      Reply

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