60+ Bagel Toppings and Fillings Ideas
Need some bagel toppings and fillings ideas for those soft and chewy holed bread rolls you’ve just brought home? Oh, do I have a list for you!
Below, you’ll find treats, combinations, and toppings aplenty for your bagels. There are ideas for sweet and savory bagels for all times of day. I’ve also included a couple of recipes at the end.
If you’re a bagel lover, why not get my toppings and fillings list for free? You can print it off and challenge yourself to try them all!
Bagel Bar
Got guests coming ’round and want to serve bagels? You could set up a bagel bar with some of the following fillings and ingredients.
- A Variety of Bagels (see the bagel flavors section below for ideas)
- Plain Cream Cheese
- Herb-Capers Cream Cheese
- Smoked Salmon or Lox
- Capers
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Sliced Cucumbers
- Pickled Red Onions
- Strawberry Cream Cheese
- Fresh Fruit and Berries
Popular Toppings
For a bagel flavor you’d probably find in a deli, try some of these fillings and toppings. These are classic, tried and tested bagel flavors that have been chowed down on for generations.
- Plain Cream Cheese
- Flavored Cream Cheeses (see section below for ideas)
- Butter
- Smoked Salmon/Lox
- Capers
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Avocado
- Scrambled Eggs (or Fried Eggs)
- Fresh Herbs (Dill, Chives, Scallions)
Flavored Cream Cheeses
Bagels and cream cheese go hand-in-hand. Here are some cream cheese flavors, both sweet and savory, to try on your bagels. You could make them at home, or you could also get most of these at the grocery store.
- Scallion Cream Cheese
- Herb Cream Cheese
- Jalapeño Cream Cheese
- Garlic Cream Cheese
- Sundried Tomato Cream Cheese
- Olive Cream Cheese
- Lox Cream Cheese
- Strawberry Cream Cheese
- Blueberry Cream Cheese
- Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese
Meats
Smoked salmon may be a firm favorite, but plenty of other tender and succulent meats can make a bagel super tasty. Try some of these meats for a hearty filling.
- Turkey
- Beef Salami
- Roast Beef
- Grilled Chicken
- Bacon
- Ham
- Pastrami
- Prosciutto
- Chicken Salad
- Chorizo
Cheeses
Whether you like your cheeses hard, creamy, salty, tangy, or somewhere in between, plenty of them can be used as a bagel filler. Here are some cheeses for inspiration.
- Mozzarella
- Swiss
- Provolone
- Pepper Jack
- Cheddar
- Muenster
- American
- Goat Cheese
- Feta
- Blue Cheese
More Savory Toppings
These savory fillings will make your bagel hearty and filling. There is no end to savory fillings you could try, but these are a great place to start.
- Egg Salad
- Sauerkraut
- Sliced Radishes
- Hummus
- Tuna Salad
- Nut Butters
- Plain or Flavored Tofu
- Lettuce
- Roasted Peppers
- Pickles
More Sweet Toppings
If you fancy something a little sweeter in your bagel, try some of these. You can enjoy them for breakfast or for dessert.
- Jams
- Jelly
- Honey
- Lime Mascarpone Cream Mousse
- Lemon Ricotta Cream Mousse
- Apple Butter
- Nutella
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Whipped Cream
- Fresh Fruit and Berries
Bagel Flavors
As if there weren’t enough toppings and fillings under the sun, even bagels themselves come in so many flavors. Mix things up with some of these choices. Find them packaged at your local store, or see if you can get a fresh batch at a bakery.
- Plain
- Everything
- Sesame
- Poppy
- Pumpernickel
- Whole Wheat
- Marble Rye
- Multi-Grain
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cinnamon Raisin
Bagel Recipes
No doubt my list has already got you thinking about all the delicious bagel combos you could try. If you want some recipe inspiration, however, give these a try.
My ‘loaded’ bagel is aptly named – it contains so many yummy ingredients! Buttery scrambled egg, silky smoked salmon, herby cream cheese, and avocado in a soft bagel is a great way to start the day!
For a lunch or dinner bagel, take a look at my pesto chicken bagel. Here, I coat pan-fried chicken breast in a homemade pesto and serve it with creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fresh herbs in a bagel. It is as hearty as it is flavorful!
If you’ve got bagels on the mind and nothing else, I’ve done my job. I would love to know in the comments which of these fillings and toppings you tried and what your favorite was.
And remember, feel free to download my 60+ toppings and fillings list for free. Make it a fun food challenge, and see how many bagel flavors you can try!
