charcuterie board

How To Create A Lox And Bagel Brunch Board

You’ll be the hostess with the mostest when you learn How To Create A Lox And Bagel Brunch Board! Serve this creative and flexible breakfast with lox, bagels, herbed cream cheese, and fresh toppings when you want to impress guests or celebrate special occasions.

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Large platter with bagels, lox, vegetables, and cream cheese

Certain celebrations call for light, fresh, and comforting flavors. We can’t always rely on a charcuterie board!

That’s why I love this fresh and colorful lox and bagel board. Loaded with vegetables, cold-smoked salmon, cream cheese, and soft bagels, it’s the perfect meal or snack for morning celebrations, holidays, or when you’re hosting Sunday brunch. The best thing about this recipe is that there are no real rules, and it can be made for groups of all sizes!

This helpful guide will teach you all you need to know before creating your own bagel brunch with lox and cream cheese. Make sure to include a light and sparkly cocktail on the side, like my Citrus Rosemary Spritz or Pomegranate Tangerine Bellini to compliment the fun flavors. It’ll be a brunch your guests will never forget!

Close up of a large platter with bagels, lox, capers, vegetables, and cream cheese

When to serve a bagel brunch board

You can serve this bagel board for a fancy brunch for the family or on special occasions. The fresh flavors are best first thing in the morning or early afternoon. It’s an out of the box option you can bring to baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties, family get-togethers, for Mother’s Day, Christmas Day, or Easter.

What is lox?

Lox is taken from the belly of salmon and then cured in a salty brine or rub. It’s fatty, salty, and has a very strong flavor. Nova is a type of lox that’s been cured and then cold-smoked and is more common to find these days.

You can buy lox from seafood markets, but if you can’t find it, replace it with cold-smoked salmon.

What goes on a bagel and lox breakfast board?

This breakfast charcuterie board has all of your brunch favorites. You can include everything on the recipe card or add in any extras that you love:

The bagels

Give your guests some variety and serve different flavors, like everything, poppy seed, whole wheat, and onion bagels. The fresher, the better, so make sure you buy or make the bagels 1 or 2 days before serving the board.

I would recommend serving Montreal-style bagels rather than the New York-style because they’re thicker and have more room when you’re adding all of your toppings.

The lox

Buy your lox the day ahead of serving this board from a deli or seafood market. Fresh is best! If you can’t find lox, replace it with cold-smoked salmon instead.

Close up of herbed cream cheese in a bowl next to a bowl of capers, bagels, salmon, and vegetables.

The schmear

Bagels, lox, and cream cheese go hand in hand. Feel free to serve plain cream cheese and herbed cream cheese if you like variety. All you need to do is mix in fresh dill and chives into the plain cream cheese.

If you prefer bagels without cream cheese, you can serve soft cheese, tzatziki, hummus, or a seafood salad instead. For guests who prefer the sweeter things, include a batch of my berry compound butter.

The toppings

With your cream cheese and lox as a base, now you need an array of fresh toppings on your bagel. You can use anything you like, but these are some of the most complimentary options you could include along with herbed cream cheese and salmon:

Lena’s Kitchen Pickled onions
Ribboned cucumbers (use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons)
Radishes
Tomato slices
Avocado slices or rosettes (click to learn how to make an avocado rose)
Hard-boiled eggs or sunnyside eggs, optional
Charcuterie meats (like salami, pepperoni, or prosciutto) for non fish lovers
Capers
Green olives
Fresh dill and chives
Microgreens or sprouts

4 images of putting a lox and bagels on a wooden board

How to assemble a bagel board

Grab your serving tray, wood board, a large plate, or a marble slab. Place some wax or parchment paper down so the smell from lox doesn’t absorb into the board. I prefer to keep the lox in the center of the board and surround it with fresh veggies and toppings.

4 images of putting vegetables, dips, and toppings on a wood board

Pre-slice the bagels so they’re ready to be enjoyed. You can place them right on the board with everything else, or serve them in a basket on the side. Feel free to even place a toaster near the serving area in case your guests prefer their bagels toasted.

4 images of adding garnishes to a large salmon and bagel board

Place the herbed cream cheese, capers, pickled onions, and any other similar toppings in small bowls with utensils so everything is easy to access. Keep some extra utensils, plates, and napkins on the side for guests.

Right before serving your bagel board, sprinkle the vegetables with flaky sea salt and Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, then fill in space on the board with garnishes of lemon slices, fresh herbs, or edible flowers.

Tips and tricks

These helpful tips will help you create and serve the best bagel brunch:

How much should I serve?

This recipe is easy to customize based on how many people you’ll be serving. Keep the following amounts in mind when you’re out shopping:

For the lox, plan to serve 2 to 3 ounces per bagel.
For the cream cheese, serve 2 to 4 tablespoons per bagel.
For the bagels, serve at least 1 bagel per person.

Close up of a bagel with salmon, cucumber, and onion on top

Making the bagel board ahead of time

Prepare the herbed cream cheese and place it in your serving bowl. Keep it sealed and in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the board.

Pre-slice the vegetables and assemble them onto your board up to 1 day ahead of time. If using peeled cucumber, make sure to dry it with a paper towel first. Wrap the board in plastic and keep it in your fridge until it’s time to serve.

Place the cream cheese on the kitchen counter for around 10 or 20 minutes before serving to it has time to come down to room temperature (making it easier to spread). Lastly, right before it’s time to serve the board, add the lox, avocado, spreads, bagels, and anything in a small bowl to the board.

Close up of 3 bagels next to a platter with lox and vegetables

How to store leftovers

Everything on your tray can be wrapped in plastic or sealed in containers and stored in the fridge. Keep everything separate so the flavors aren’t compromised.

Leftover lox and cream cheese will last in your fridge for up to 8 days. A great way to use up leftovers is to make individual bagel and lox sandwiches in the mornings.

Close up of a bagel and salmon sandwich of a white plate

What to serve with brunch

These tasty brunch recipes would be perfect to go along with your lox and bagel board:

Did this guide help you create your first Lox and Bagel Brunch Board? Don’t forget to tell me what you think in the comments below, or share a picture on Instagram! I love to share all of your recreations on my page.

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5 from 4 votes

How To Create A Lox And Bagel Brunch Board

Prep Time15 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 30 minute meal, breakfast, brunch, charcuterie, easy, seafood, spread, veggies

Servings: servings

Calories: 801kcal

Author: Lena Gladstone

Ingredients

Lox and Bagel Board

6 bagels
12 oz lox
1 cup Lenas kitchen pickled onions
3 small cucumbers patted dry and thinly sliced
1 bunch radishes halved
3 tomatoes on the vine thinly sliced
3 small avocados sliced or rosettes
4 oz capers
½ bunch fresh dill
¼ cup fresh chives chopped
1 ½ cup arugula
1 lemon cut into slices
4 oz herbed cream cheese recipe below
4 oz plain cream cheese
everything bagel seasoning
flaky sea salt

Herbed Cream Cheese

8 oz cream cheese softened
2 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh chives finely chopped

Instructions

Herbed Cream Cheese

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. This can also can be done by hand, but make sure cream cheese is room temperature first. This can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Lox and Bagel Board

Arrange everything on a large serving board or platter. I like to add wax paper under the lox so it doesn't make your board smell.
Just before serving, season the veggies with flaky sea salt and Everything But The Bagel Seasoning. Garnish with fresh herbs, lemon slices. Allow guests to assemble their bagels.

Notes

TIPS:
1. I like to add wax paper under the lox to prevent it from making your board smell.
2. You can have your toaster near the board/platter for gusts to toast their bagels before enjoying them.
3. Plan on 2-3 ounces of lox per bagel.
4. Plan on 2-4 tablespoons of cream cheese per bagel.
5. Plan on 1 bagel per person.

Nutrition

How To Build A Holiday Charcuterie Board

by lena

Learn How To Build a Holiday Charcuterie Board using this thorough guide. Filled with all of your holiday favorites, this beautiful board of bright flavors and delectable ingredients is sure to be the highlight of your next holiday party.

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Overhead view of a large platter layered in cheese, meat, crackers, fruit, pickles, olives, and berries.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comté Cheese Association. All opinions are 100% mine.

Your guests this holiday season are going to run, not walk to this gorgeous and festive Holiday Charcuterie Board.

Charcuterie boards are the perfect appetizer for holiday parties, New Year’s celebrations, or for a quiet night at home with some wine. Loaded with creamy Comté cheese, meat, crackers, fruit, and nuts, the flavors are bright, decadent, and classic to the season.

Just like my summer charcuterie board, I’ll guide you through all of the ingredients you need to make a cheese board for the holidays and how to assemble it. You can keep your fridge stocked with this list all season long so you’re prepared for any unexpected guests or last minute get togethers. It’s a flexible recipe you can make for two or 20 people!

What is a charcuterie board?

Charcuterie (pronounced “shahr-ku-tuh-ree”) is all about beautiful presentation and refined flavors. It’s a French word for cured meats, such as bacon, salami, and prosciutto. Nowadays, the word is associated with assembling meat products together with other accompaniments, such as dried fruits, nuts, and cheeses.

A winter charcuterie board celebrates the season with grand displays of seasonal and warming ingredients. There are a few elements you need to make a small or large board that showcases the flavors of the holidays and winter weather.

Elements you need to create the best holiday charcuterie

Use any or all of these elements in your holiday charcuterie platter:

Cheeses

I highly recommend using a delicate and creamy Comté cheese on your board. Pronounced Comté (“con – TAY”), this fresh cheese is handmade every day by artisans in about 150 small village cheesemaking facilities in the Jura Massif region of France. Comté is made with no additives or artificial colorants and controlled at each level of production, making it a pure and natural food.

This unique cheese is a staple for charcuterie boards. Each wheel has a distinct flavor and aroma based on the micro-region where it was produced, the season in which it was made, and the style of the cheesemaker. No two wheels taste alike!

Not sure how much cheese to buy? Aim to serve 2 to 3 ounces of cheese per person. Pick a few high-quality hard and soft cheeses from your local deli.

Cheeses used:

Comté Cheese: delicate and creamy
Hawes Wensleydale Cranberry: crumbly and sweet
Truffle Double Cream Brie: creamy and savory

Close up of a large platter layered in Comte cheese, meat, fruit, crackers, and pickles.

Charcuterie

Always include salty and savory charcuterie meats on your cheese board. Thin slices of prosciutto, salami, or soppressata are easy to grab and pair perfectly with the creamy cheese and crackers.

Play around with the presentation. I like to create rosettes and pretty folds with the slices of meat so they not only look amazing but are easy to grab.

Feel free to buy as much meat as you like. You can splurge on a few different kinds or just get one simple choice that’s loved by all.

Meats used:

Calabrese Salami
Prosciutto
Truffle Salami

4 images showing how to layer cheese, meat, and fruit on a charcuterie board

Crackers and nuts

A variety of crackers and/or fresh bread or crostini are necessary on your winter charcuterie. Use them to hold your soft and spreadable cheeses or top them with meat, fruit, or a slice of hard cheese. You can use a variety of storebought crackers or even make your own.

Crackers used:

Pistachio Pomegranate Crisps
Rustic Bakery Crackers

Fill a few small bowls with a variety of nuts for extra salt and crunch. Nuts not only provide a beautiful presentation, but they help fill empty space. There are plenty of seasonal varieties you can include.

Nuts to use:

Hazelnuts drizzled with honey
Marcona Almonds
Pistachios
Almonds
Cashews

4 images showing how to assemble a holiday charcuterie board

Extras

This is the fun part! These extras will fill your board with plenty of colors, flavors, and seasonal flare. You can use a variety of fresh or dried fruit, pickled things, and fresh herbs. You can also add decor like sprigs of holly, mistletoe, Christmas ornaments, or even twinkly lights.

Fruit and Berries:

Grapes
Blueberries
Tangerines
Apples
Pomegranate
Pears
Persimmons

Pickled things:

Cornichons
Olives

Herbs:

Rosemary
Thyme

4 images of a large platter with lots of meats, cheeses, olives, pickles, and crackers.

How to assemble your charcuterie board

Start by grabbing your best wood board, marble slab, or a ceramic serving plate. Gather any small bowls or ramekins, then prepare some cutlery like cheese knives, forks, and spoons.

Follow these steps to arrange your holiday charcuterie board:

Add the cheese: All of your cheeses will take up a corner of the platter or board. This makes it easier for your guests to slice or cut. You can even pre-slice the harder cheeses so they’re easy to grab.
Add the meats: Wrap or fold the slices of meat. As the meat is one of the more popular choices, place them closer to the edges of the board.
Add pickled things: Pour any olives or cornichons into small bowls. If you’re worried about fingers dipping in and out of the bowls, go ahead and serve them with a fork or spoon.
Add fresh fruit: Slice the apples and peel the tangerines, then place them on the board. It always looks nice to layer the slices or sections on top of each other. Keep the grapes on the vine and layer them on the board.
Add the crackers: Spread the different types of crackers around the board so each variety is together. This way, no matter where your guests are standing, they can grab a cracker and layer it with a slice of cheese.
Finish and serve: Complete the holiday board with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs, more grapes, and blueberries. These will help fill in empty space and add color.

Close up of a large platter with lots of meats, cheeses, fruits, pickles, and crackers.

Tips and tricks

These helpful tips will help you create and serve the best holiday charcuterie:

Make it ahead of time

Assemble your board without the crackers and nuts a few hours before guests arrive. Wrap it in plastic and keep it in the fridge. Remove the board 30 minutes before serving so the cheese has time to come down to room temperature.

Keep it budget-friendly

You don’t need to go all out to make the best holiday cheese and meat board. Stick to your budget and fill it with just a handful of ingredients you can find at your local grocery store. Just buy multiples of the same ingredients to fill it out.

Make it your own

Don’t feel like you need to use every ingredient on this list. Only use the stuff you and your guests love! This will help you create the charcuterie of your dreams without anything going to waste.

If you follow these tips and make your own holiday charcuterie board, let me know! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it with #lenaskitchenblog on Instagram. I love seeing what you come up with!

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5 from 2 votes