Bagel with Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese
A bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese is a classic open-faced sandwich featuring a chewy, ring-shaped bread roll topped with a generous spread of cream cheese and delicate slices of smoked salmon. Originating from Jewish-American culinary traditions in New York City, it has become an iconic brunch item globally, often garnished with capers, red onion, and fresh dill.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is balanced but leans toward being higher in fat and carbohydrates, with the bagel providing substantial carbs and the cream cheese and salmon contributing healthy fats and protein. A typical serving offers around 400-500 calories, along with omega-3 fatty acids from the salmon and calcium from the cream cheese.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 450 kcal |
| Protein | 25 g |
| Carbs | 48 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 1200 mg |
| Calcium | 80 mg |
| Iron | 3 mg |
| Potassium | 350 mg |
| Vitamin A | 150 mcg RAE |
| Vitamin C | 2 mg |
| Vitamin D | 10 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 | 4 mcg |
| Selenium | 30 mcg |
Per 1 bagel (105 g) with 2 oz (56 g) smoked salmon and 2 tbsp (30 g) cream cheese · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, it represents a fusion of Eastern European Jewish bagel-making with Scandinavian smoked fish traditions, popularized in mid-20th century America. Nutritionally, the combination of protein and healthy fats from the salmon can help slow the absorption of carbs from the bagel, making it a more sustained energy source than plain bread alone.
