Lox & Bagel Recipe
arugula, red onion, lemon dill cream cheese
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Ingredients
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Bagels & Toasting
Lox & Toppings
Lemon-Dill Cream Cheese
Method
Bagels & Toasting
Prepare bagels
Preheat a toaster or oven broiler. Slice each bagel horizontally. If desired, spread about 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter on each cut face.
Toast bagel halves until golden and crisp to your preference (about 1–3 minutes in a toaster; 3–5 minutes under a broiler, watching closely). Remove and keep warm.
Lemon-Dill Cream Cheese
In a medium bowl, add the softened cream cheese. Use a fork or small whisk to break it up until smooth and spreadable.
Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped fresh dill until evenly distributed.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust: add up to 1/2 teaspoon more lemon juice or a pinch more salt if desired.
Transfer the cream cheese to a small serving bowl or spread directly onto bagels. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate (will keep ~3 days).
Assemble Lox & Bagel
Spread a generous layer (about 2 tablespoons) of the lemon-dill cream cheese on each toasted bagel half.
Top each cream-cheese–covered half with a handful (~1/2 cup) of arugula, arranging it so some greens hang over the edge.
Drape 2 ounces of thinly sliced lox over the arugula on each bagel (total 8 oz used across 4 bagels). Fold slices as needed to create an even layer.
Scatter a few thin rings of red onion over the lox (about 2 tablespoons per two bagels; use to taste). Sprinkle capers sparingly if using (about 1/2 tablespoon per bagel).
Finish with a small grind of black pepper and a dill sprig for garnish on each bagel. Serve immediately.