by Carly Cerniglia
Bagels are beloved for their versatility and satisfyingly chewy texture, making them a staple for any meal. From classic combinations like smoked salmon and cream cheese to seasonal twists like a pumpkin bagel with honey walnut cream cheese, we’re rolling out five delicious ways to serve a bagel! This lineup features both sweet and savory options, each bringing a unique spin to the table. If you’ve never tried making your own bagel sandwich, now is the perfect time to have a HOLE lotta fun with toppings. Discover how a simple bagel can become the centerpiece of a hearty breakfast, a quick lunch, or even a showstopping alternative to a traditional dinner.
Smoked Salmon Everything Bagel
This Smoked Salmon Everything Bagel is the most showstopping of them all with its gorgeous cold-smoked salmon, bright red onions, and a smattering of fresh green dill sprigs. The bold flavors and rich colors make every bite as stunning as it is delicious.
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
One everything bagel
2 ounces cold-smoked salmon
4 tablespoons cream cheese
4 slices fresh tomato
Sliced red onion
Fresh dill sprigs
Capers
Everything bagel seasoning
Directions:
Slice the bagel in half lengthwise and lightly toast. On the sliced side of each half, spread 2 tablespoons of cream cheese. Then top each half with 1 ounce of smoked salmon, two tomato slices, red onion, dill, and capers. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Enjoy!
The Ultimate Breakfast Bagel
Looking for something a bit more hearty? The Ultimate Breakfast Bagel is where it’s at! Perfect for getting your day off to a good start, the sunny-side-up egg breaks deliciously over the whole thing, creating a sandwich you won’t want to put down!
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
One plain bagel
2 tablespoons goat cream cheese (or fresh chèvre)
2 slices fresh tomato
Balsamic glaze
1 tablespoon pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
One egg, sunny-side up
Directions:
Slice the bagel in half lengthwise and lightly toast. On the sliced side of the bottom half of the bagel, spread pesto and goat cream cheese. Top with tomato slices, salt, and pepper. Cook your egg sunny-side up and place it on top of the tomato. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Add the top half of the bagel and enjoy!
Prosciutto & Gruyere Egg-in-a-Hole Bagel
While we’re cracking eggs, why not try the Prosciutto and Gruyere Egg-in-a-Hole Bagel? Four ingredients were never so delicious! The runny yolk, melted cheese, and salty prosciutto tucked inside a toasted bagel make this recipe an instant favorite for any meal.
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
One poppy seed bagel
2 slices Gruyère cheese
2-4 slices prosciutto
Two eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Slice the bagel in half lengthwise and place it sliced-side down on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a slice of cheese over each bagel hole. Layer two slices of prosciutto on top of the cheese and press down to make little wells for the eggs. Crack an egg into each well. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Bake for 12-18 minutes, until the egg is done to your liking. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Bagel with Honey Walnut Cream Cheese
Nothing welcomes fall like this Pumpkin Bagel with Honey Walnut Cream Cheese. Homemade candied walnuts are the perfect addition to this sweet sandwich. The honey walnut cream cheese also pairs well with cinnamon raisin, plain, or strawberry bagels!
Makes enough for at least 4 bagels
Ingredients:
For the honey walnut cream cheese:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup candied walnut pieces
For the candied walnuts:
16 ounces walnut pieces
One egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pumpkin bagels
Directions:
For the candied walnuts:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk egg white until light and foamy. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla paste. Stir in walnuts until evenly coated. Pour onto an ungreased baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until walnuts are dry. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to two weeks.
For the honey walnut cream cheese:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add honey and mix until incorporated. Add candied walnut pieces and stir.
Spread on a toasted pumpkin bagel half, and top with more candied walnuts and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
Reuben Bagel
Rounding out our lineup is the Reuben Bagel: a circular twist on the classic Reuben sandwich. Filled with the trending chopped bagel cream cheese and loaded with corned beef and a zippy mustard kraut, this pumpernickel bagel is irresistible!
Makes 4 bagels
Ingredients:
Four pumpernickel bagels
For the Reuben cream cheese:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon ketchup
1 teaspoon pickle relish
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup Swiss cheese, minced (about 4 slices)
2 cups corned beef, minced (about 1/2 pound)
For the mustard kraut:
1 cup well-drained sauerkraut
4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
Directions:
For the Reuben cream cheese:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add ketchup, relish, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper, and mix until combined. Stir in Swiss cheese and corned beef. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together mustard and kraut. Set aside.
Warm the pumpernickel bagels, then slice in half lengthwise. Add a generous layer of Reuben cream cheese to the sliced side of the bottom halves. Top each with mustard kraut. Top with the remaining bagel halves. Enjoy!
This article was originally published in the October 2026 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
