Homemade Lox and Bagels Recipe

This homemade lox and bagels recipe brings together thinly sliced herb-and-lemon cured salmon, freshly baked poppy seed bagels, and creamy chive and caper cream cheese for an impressive brunch spread made completely from scratch. Featured on VEGANnotvegan with hosts Maddie and Kiki Longo, this recipe layers savoury salmon, fresh herbs, tangy capers, rich cream cheese, red onion, and chewy homemade bagels into a satisfying meal worthy of a special breakfast or weekend brunch.

The Inspiration

Lox and bagels are built around a memorable contrast of flavours and textures: tender cured salmon, dense and chewy bread, rich cream cheese, briny capers, sharp onion, citrus, and fresh herbs. This version from VEGANnotvegan, hosted by Maddie and Kiki Longo, takes that familiar combination further by preparing not only the salmon but also the bagels and flavoured cream cheese from scratch.

The result is a from-scratch lox and bagel experience that layers curing, bread making, flavoured cream cheese, and classic garnishes into one impressive brunch recipe.

Ingredients

For the Homemade Lox

1 (3lb) fresh salmon filet, skin on
2 cup white sugar
2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Chive and Caper Cream Cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
1/3 cup capers, finely chopped capers
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup dill chopped
Salt and Black Pepper

For the Bagels

1 1/2 cup water, lukewarm
2 tbsp agave syrup, plus 1/2 cup (divided)
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
6 1/2 cups of bread flour
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup of vegetable oil, to grease baking sheet
1 cup of poppy seeds
2 tsp baking soda
Toppings (sliced red onion, dill sprigs)

Method

For the Homemade Lox

Place salt, sugar, dill, parsley, tarragon, lemon zest and black pepper in a food
processor. Blitz for 1 to 2 minutes, until you have a coarse green curing mixture.
Place salmon fillet in a deep flat container. Spread the curing mixture evenly over the salmon and cover the container with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to cure for 24 to 48 hours. Once cured, remove salmon from the container and rinse under cold water. Pat the salmon dry.
Place salmon on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for a minimum of 2 hours, to allow it to dry properly. Slice thinly off the skin to serve on the bagels.

For the Chive and Caper Cream Cheese

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, chives, capers, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Using a rubber spatula, mix thoroughly. Adjust seasoning. Reserve to build bagels.

For the Bagels

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and brush with oil.
In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of water with 2 tbsp of agave syrup and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until yeast starts to foam. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt and make a well in the center.
Pour in the yeast mixture and the remaining water.
Using a fork, bring the dough together slowly. Once you have a shaggy dough, start kneading with your hand.
Knead for 12-15 minutes, adding a little bit of flour or water to adjust the consistency if needed. Shape into a ball, place in a bowl, dust with flour and cover with a damp towel. Let it rise at room temp for 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and transfer to a work surface. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
With the palm of your hand and your fingertips, roll each piece into an 8 inch rope.
Wrap the ropes into circles and pinch ends together firmly.
Work each piece until they are even in size.
Place the circular doughs on the baking sheet.
Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Refrigerate for 6 hours. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil with remaining agave syrup and baking soda.
Peel bagels off the parchment paper one at a time, and add to the boiling water.
Work in small batches, do not overcrowd the pot.
Boil for 1 minute and remove from the pot. Dip the top side of the bagel in the poppy seeds.
Return the bagels to the baking sheet and place in the oven.
Bake for 15-17 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest to room temp.
Slice the bagels. Spread the Chive and Caper Cream Cheese over the bottom part of the bagel. Add thinly sliced Homemade Lox over the top. Garnish with thinly sliced red onion and dill sprigs. Add the top part of the bagel and enjoy.

Serving Suggestions

This homemade lox and bagels recipe is ideal for a weekend brunch, celebratory breakfast, holiday spread, leisurely lunch, or special gathering where you want a centrepiece that feels more impressive than a standard bagel platter.

Serve the freshly baked bagels sliced at the table with generous portions of chive and caper cream cheese, thinly sliced homemade lox, red onion, and fresh dill so everyone can build their own combination.

The red onion introduces a sharper bite, and fresh dill ties the garnish back to both the cure and cream cheese. For a larger brunch spread, the assembled bagels can be served alongside simple fresh fruit, salads, or other light dishes so the cured salmon and homemade bread remain the focus.

Final Thoughts

This homemade lox and bagels recipe is a rewarding project because every major part of the finished meal is prepared from scratch. It is an impressive from-scratch recipe that rewards advance planning with a brunch-worthy result filled with classic flavours and carefully developed textures.

Find more recipes from VEGANnotvegan here!