This everything bagel casserole recipe with smoked salmon is an easy and elegant way to enjoy weekend brunch. It’s creamy, salty and garlicky, just like your favorite bagel and lox.
And since you can prepare the entire thing ahead of time, there’s no work for you to do once your guests arrive!
Bagels and lox are Jewish soul food. Every Sunday when I was growing up we would go to my grandparents’ house in West Philly for bagels and lox. My kids have grown up similarly, but sometimes they get restless and need a change.
This smoked salmon casserole is a great recipe for when you want similar flavors but a different format, and far less clean up than an entire bagel and lox spread.
This creamy salmon casserole has quickly become a family favorite, and I especially love how easy it is to prepare!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious salmon casserole recipe:
- Everything bagels
- Smoked salmon or lox
- Cream cheese
- Half-and-half
- Eggs
- Capers
- Fresh chives
- Lacey swiss cheese (find this at the deli counter at your local grocery store)
How to Make this Overnight Smoked Salmon Casserole
Toast the Bagels
Cut the bagels into small pieces and spread them onto a baking sheet. Then, toast them for a few minutes in the oven, just to crisp them up a bit.
Now, transfer the toasted bagels to a 9×13 baking dish.
Make the Custard
Combine the eggs, half-and-half and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat them together using an electric mixer.
Then, chop up your salmon using a sharp knife and stir it into the egg mixture.
Chop your chives and add them too. Stir in the capers, and you’ve got your custard mixture.
Now, pour the entire thing over the toasted bagels.
Weigh Down the Casserole
Cover the casserole dish loosely with plastic wrap. Now, take another baking dish and weigh it down.
You want the bagels to absorb as much of the custard as possible, so weigh it down as much as possible. Sometimes I put soup cans or anything else I can find into the empty baking dish to make it even heavier.
Then, refrigerate the casserole. You can leave it in the fridge overnight (recommended) or for a few hours.
Bake the Salmon Casserole
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, unwrap it and layer the slices of Swiss cheese on top. Then, bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
See the recipe card for full instructions.
FAQs
Go for large, bakery style bagels for this recipe. Everything bagels give this smoked salmon casserole amazing flavor and texture with their sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion and salt.
You can use stale bagels, but you don’t have to since we are toasting them anyway.
Because it’s the main ingredient, choose a high-quality smoked salmon, such as wild Alaskan smoked salmon. If it says “nova” on the package, that’s okay too. Nova is just a bit milder and less salty than traditional lox smoked salmon.
Many times, the terms smoked salmon and lox are used interchangeably. But there is a notable difference in their flavors, and it comes from the way the salmon is cured.
Lox is fresh salmon that has been cured and brined in salt. Smoked salmon is also fresh salmon that has been cured and brined in salt, but then it is also smoked. So the distinct saltiness of lox is amped up by the additional smokiness of smoked salmon.
Both are good. For this recipe, use what you like.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
If you have leftovers of this everything bagel smoked salmon casserole, you’re in luck because it stores beautifully.
- Refrigeration: Cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. It will stay fresh for several days.
- Freezing: Cut the casserole into squares and wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap. Store the pieces in a large freezer bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to several months.
- Reheating: Thaw frozen salmon casserole at room temperature. Reheat in a warm oven.
When you make this everything bagel casserole with smoked salmon, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
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For more brunch recipes, try these:
- How to Build a Smoked Salmon Platter for Brunch
- Cracker Barrel French Toast Recipe (with Sourdough)
- Better than Starbucks Cranberry Orange Scones
Everything Bagel Casserole Recipe with Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
- 6 everything bagels
- 8 oz. smoked salmon minced
- 8 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 Tbsp. capers
- 1 Tbsp. fresh chives minced
- 8 slices lacey Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Cut the bagels into cubes. Arrange them on a baking sheet and toast them at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the bagel pieces into the baking dish.
- Place the eggs, cream cheese and half-and-half in a large bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat them together. There will still be chunks of cream cheese, which is okay. Stir in the smoked salmon, capers and chives.
- Pour the salmon mixture over the bagels. Cover with plastic wrap and weigh down with another baking dish. Refrigerate overnight or at least 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the casserole and top with slices of Swiss cheese. Bake 40-45 minutes.
- Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing into squares. Garnish with additional fresh chives and fresh ground black pepper, if desired.
Gram says
Sounds wonderful and I look forward to trying it!
simmerandsage says
I hope you love it!
Debra Kelley says
This looks absolutely delicious!!!! I can’t wait to try it!