A few friends, a pitcher of mimosas, and a gorgeous bagel board with smoked salmon, cream cheese, thinly sliced red onion, capers, and fresh dill. It’s everything you need for a fun and lazy Sunday brunch!
There used to be a restaurant near me that I frequented several times a year for their “pajama brunch”, where guests would – you guessed it – wear their pajamas! They held it twice a year and we never missed it. Shout out to Mon Ami Gabi – we miss you so much!
One of my favorite brunch dishes that was always a must-order was their “Smoked Salmon Platter”. It was similar to a bagel board but used brioche toast in place of bagels and crème fraîche in place of cream cheese. It was spectacular, and I’ve often recreated it using those ingredients for this “bagel board”.
Still, there’s nothing quite like the quintessential pairing of lox and cream cheese, which goes so perfectly together. Similar to the butter board, it works especially well when presented together on a gorgeous plate or wooden board.
To make this bagel board, you’ll need a few ingredients:
- Bagels – cut each bagel into 6 pieces, and you may want to offer both plain and flavored (everything bagels are delicious).
- Cream cheese – go with full-fat cream cheese and make sure it’s very soft before spreading onto the board or plate.
- Smoked salmon – get the highest quality smoked salmon you can find. This “recipe” only has a few ingredients, so they must be all high-quality.
- Red onion – slice this thinly or mince it if you prefer.
- Capers – I always go heavy on the capers, but you could always have a small dish of extra nearby.
- Fresh dill – this flavorful herb adds a lot of flavor but also adds color to the board
- Chopped hard-boiled egg (optional) – I opt to leave this off of the board to preserve it visually, but will often include some in a small dish for those who want it.
How to Make a Bagel Board
It’s probably self-explanatory just from the images, but here are the steps to make it as simple as possible:
- Choose the plate, platter, or wooden board you’ll be using, and make sure it’s very clean and dry.
- Start with the cream cheese as your base. Make sure it’s very soft to make it easier to spread, and using an offset spatula, spread it over the board. Don’t make it smooth; it should have little “peaks and valleys”, which not only make the board more interesting visually but also helps “hold” the ingredients.
- Tear or cut the smoked salmon into pieces, then arrange them evenly over the cream cheese.
- Add the sliced or minced red onion, then the capers, and finally the fresh dill leaves.
- Serve the board with a basket or plate of sliced bagels nearby. Mimosas recommended!
Crème fraîche is a fantastic alternative to the cream cheese! When I’ve had more than a couple of guests coming, I’ve made two boards: one with cream cheese and one with crème fraîche.
You can also substitute the bagels for little toasts. Brioche works really well here but we’ve also served it with crostini with great success. If using toasts, toast the bread shortly before guests arrive and cut it into pieces (I usually take the crusts off after toasting as well).
No matter how you choose to serve this, everyone will absolutely love it! It’s sophisticated yet simple to assemble and serve, plus it’s gorgeous and a unique way to serve otherwise boring bagels.
Don’t forget to take a photo and tag us on social so we can see your creation!
Bagel Board
A few friends, a pitcher of mimosas, and a gorgeous bagel board with smoked salmon, cream cheese, thinly sliced red onion, capers, and fresh dill. It's everything you need for a fun and lazy Sunday brunch!
Ingredients
- 2-3 bagels, each cut into 6 pieces
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 oz smoked salmon
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced or minced
- 2-3 tbsp capers, patted dry
- 1 tbsp fresh dill leaves
- Chopped hard-boiled egg (optional - we recommend this be served on the side)
Instructions
- Choose the plate, platter, or wooden board you'll be using, and make sure it's very clean and dry.
- Start with the cream cheese as your base. Make sure it's very soft to make it easier to spread, and using an offset spatula, spread it over the board. Don't make it smooth; it should have little "peaks and valleys", which not only make the board more interesting visually but also helps "hold" the ingredients.
- Tear or cut the smoked salmon into pieces, then arrange them evenly over the cream cheese.
- Add the sliced or minced red onion, then the capers, and finally the fresh dill leaves.
- Serve the board with a basket or plate of sliced bagels nearby. Mimosas recommended!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 468Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1396mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 19g
The nutrition information is HIGHLY estimated as we don't typically provide exact amounts for our charcuterie boards. For more accurate information, we suggest using an online nutrition calculator and entering the exact amounts you use for your particular board.
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