If you love a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, then this Lox Salad with Cream Cheese Dressing is going to be your new favorite. It takes everything you adore about that classic deli bite – the silky salmon, the cool crunch of cucumber, the creamy richness of cream cheese – and serves it up in a fresher, lighter, and more elegant way. The best part? It comes together in just ten minutes, making it a dream recipe for busy weekdays or effortless entertaining.
The foundation of this dish is a bed of crisp salad leaves, which keep everything refreshing and light. Thick slices of English cucumber add crunch, capers bring their signature briny punch, and buttery avocado offers a creamy contrast. Then comes the star: smoked salmon, arranged between the greens so that every forkful feels balanced and indulgent. To complete the picture, toasted bagels are served on the side – because what’s a smoked salmon dish without them?
What really makes this recipe shine is the dressing. Cream cheese is whisked with tangy buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, dill, garlic, olive oil, and everything bagel seasoning. The result is silky and rich but brightened with citrus and herbs. It’s like the essence of a bagel with lox, but transformed into a pourable dressing that ties the whole plate together. A little drizzle, and suddenly your salad feels special enough to rival any café lunch.
Whether you serve this with Cream Cheese Dressing for brunch, a light lunch, or even as part of a relaxed dinner spread, it’s bound to impress. It has all the familiar comfort of a bagel with lox but feels lighter, fresher, and just a touch more polished. One bite, and you’ll never look at smoked salmon the same way again.
Lox Salad with Cream Cheese Dressing
Equipment
- large serving plate
- Mixing Bowl
- ramekin
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 bagels toasted and halved
- 1 avocado diced and topped with freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 large bag of fresh salad leaves of choice
- ½ English cucumber thickly sliced
- 2 tbsp capers drained
- 4 oz smoked salmon thinly sliced (115g)
For the dressing:
- 3 oz cream cheese 85g
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 3 tbsp buttermilk 45ml
- 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil 30ml
- 1 tsp everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- On a large serving plate, lay out the salad leaves. Top with the sliced cucumbers and sprinkle over the drained capers.
- Lay the chopped avocado throughout the leaves and nestle smoked salmon between sections of the leaves on the plate.
- Place the toasted bagels on one end of the plate.
- In a bowl mix together all the dressing ingredients then pour into a ramekin and place onto the serving plate.
- Serve with additional fresh lemon and a little more fresh dill.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @Addthelove_ on Instagram and hashtag it #Addthelove.
This recipe may include affiliate links. If you decide to buy through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
