The Second Best Way To Enjoy Your Favorite Bagel Toppings

From peppery everything bagel seasoning to sweet, smoked salmon, there are loads of delicious toppings we've come to associate with bagels. The ingredients are always spectacular on the breakfast sandwich, but they're too good to consume simply on two spherical slices of bread. To enjoy bagel toppings in a different way, transform them into a salad.

Sure, traditional bagel toppings are superior on bagels themselves, but adding them to salads is a creative, delicious way to use them up. On a bed of greens, you can mix and match unlimited toppings in one central meal, something that a singular bagel sandwich doesn't always have the space for. Bulked up with lettuce or spinach, the deconstructed bagel salad allows you to play around with how the various flavors interact for a more adventurous meal. As a breakfast salad, it can also be a healthier way to start the day that doesn't sacrifice the ingredients you love.

To make your own version, take toppings from a traditional breakfast sandwich that would taste good on a bed of mixed greens. Smoked salmon or lox are both solid choices, and they're always made better by crisp red onions. Throw in some cherry tomatoes, capers, and balls of mozzarella. Finish the salad off with an apple cider vinaigrette or double up on the dairy with a dressing of cream cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and DIY everything bagel seasoning.

There are plenty of bagel toppings that can be used to whip up a salad, so your options are truly endless. To really emphasize the breakfast feel, create a salad with eggs, bacon, and avocado. The ingredients aren't alien to salads at all, but together, it definitely tastes like something you can start your morning with. Add sunny-side eggs to the salad, or boil and chop them up into smaller pieces. Fry up applewood bacon for a sweet, smoky touch, and top things off with slices of buttery avocado and a roasted tomato vinaigrette.

No bagel salad is complete without the bread itself. Tear up slices of your favorite bagels and heat them in the oven for around 10 minutes to make a batch of bagel croutons. From there, you can center the salad ingredients around the flavor of the bagel. Homemade cranberry bagels feature tangy berries along with brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. For the salad, balance out the sweetness with strips of roast turkey and earthy toasted pecans. Toss in some minced red onions and caramelized mushrooms, and toss the ingredients together on a bed of kale. Finish the salad with a creamy goat cheese dressing made with cracked black pepper, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar.