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lox and cream cheese bagel :Towering NYC deli-style lox and cream cheese bagel on a toasted everything bagel, stacked high with ruffled pink smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, cucumber, red onion, capers, fresh dill, and a bright lemon wedge being squeezed – ready to eat

Classic NYC Deli-Style Lox and Cream Cheese Bagel

The ultimate 8-minute NYC deli-style lox and cream cheese bagel: perfectly toasted, expertly layered, and guaranteed taller and tastier than any $18 Manhattan classic
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Prep Time 8 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 open-faced bagels
Calories 592 kcal

Equipment

  • Toaster or toaster oven
  • Sharp bread knife
  • Mandoline slicer (for paper-thin onion)
  • Cutting board
  • Paper towels

Ingredients
  

  • 2 fresh everything or sesame bagels
  • 6-8 oz premium smoked salmon (lox)
  • 5-6 tbsp whipped cream cheese (Philadelphia recommended)
  • ½ small red onion
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained
  • 1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced
  • ¼ English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • Fresh dill + lemon wedges

Instructions
 

  • Toast bagel halves at 350°F for 3–4 minutes → outside golden, inside still chewy and steaming.
    Toasted bagel halves at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, golden on the outside with a soft, chewy steaming interior.
  • Spread 2½–3 tbsp whipped cream cheese edge-to-edge → should look like fresh snow.
    Close-up of a warm toasted everything bagel half covered edge-to-edge with a thick, snowy-white layer of whipped Philadelphia cream cheese spread perfectly smooth, looking like fresh fallen snow – ready for the next toppings
  • Layer tomato and cucumber slices directly on the cream cheese (your “glue”).
    Close-up of bright red tomato slices and crisp English cucumber slices layered directly on top of a thick, snowy-white whipped cream cheese base on a toasted everything bagel – acting as the perfect glue to hold the lox and toppings in place
  • Fold 3–4 oz lox into soft ruffles → small pink waves, never flat.
    Folded lox slices arranged in soft ruffles, creating small pink waves instead of flat pieces.
  • Scatter translucent red onion shards, capers, torn dill, pepper, and a big lemon squeeze.
    Finished towering NYC deli-style lox and cream cheese bagel topped with translucent paper-thin red onion slices, scattered briny capers, torn fresh dill sprigs, cracked black pepper, and a bright yellow lemon wedge being squeezed – ready for the first bite