Budget-Friendly Smoked Salmon Bagel Board for Home Entertaining
A bagel board lets you feed a crowd without spending a fortune on individual lox platters. You’ll use less smoked salmon per person while still creating an impressive spread.
Guests can build their own combinations, and you’ll spend about half what you’d pay for pre-made bagel sandwiches. It’s ideal for brunch parties or casual entertaining.
Stretching Smoked Salmon Without Skimping on Flavor
The key to a budget-friendly board is using 1-2 ounces of smoked salmon per person instead of the usual 3-4 ounces. Mix it with cream cheese, capers, and fresh dill to create more volume and flavor.
Choose less expensive cold-smoked salmon from the refrigerated section rather than premium Nova or gravlax. The difference won’t be noticeable when paired with all the other toppings and spreads.
Highly Recommended
Smart Board Assembly for Maximum Impact
Arrange items in odd-numbered clusters rather than neat rows – it looks more abundant and professional. Place the cream cheese and salmon in 2-3 spots around the board so guests don’t crowd one area.
Toast bagels just before serving and stack them in small piles. Cold bagels make everything feel cheap, but fresh warm ones elevate the entire spread without adding cost.
Budget-Friendly Smoked Salmon Bagel Board for Home Entertaining
Ingredients
Equipment Needed
- Large wooden board or platter (18×12 inches minimum)
- Small bowls for capers and seasoning
- Sharp knife
- Toaster
Instructions
- Place cream cheese: Arrange cream cheese in 3 small mounds around your board, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle each mound with everything bagel seasoning and fresh dill.
- Add salmon: Tear smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces and arrange in 2-3 clusters near the cream cheese. Don’t overlap pieces too much – you want guests to see the salmon clearly.
- Arrange vegetables: Fill in spaces with cucumber slices, red onion, and halved cherry tomatoes. Fan cucumber slices in small groups and separate onion rings for easy grabbing.
- Add finishing touches: Place capers and extra everything seasoning in small bowls and nestle them into gaps on the board. Add lemon wedges around the edges.
- Toast and serve: Toast bagel halves until golden brown and lightly crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Stack warm bagels in 2-3 small piles around the board. Serve immediately while bagels are still warm.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (1 serving)
