There was a package of smoked salmon in the fridge for three days before I did anything with it. That’s my fault — I bought it with big plans and small evenings. Then one Tuesday around 7 p.m., I sliced some bread, spread a big spoonful of cottage cheese, and stacked the salmon on top. It tasted like lox and bagels. It just got a little bit smarter about it.
Lox and bagels will always be a classic at my house, but when I want something lighter, I make this high-protein smoked salmon toast instead. Hearty whole-grain bread instead of the bagel. Cottage cheese instead of cream cheese — same creamy, same salt, more protein. It’s 30 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber, and it works for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner. No cooking besides toasting the bread.
Real time: 10 minutes. Hands-on: 10 minutes. Effort: low — you’re slicing and assembling, not cooking.
What you’ll need
Everything here is what you’d get at a deli counter, minus the bagel. I’m honest about the brands I reach for — but anything comparable works.
- 2 slices whole-grain bread — I use Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced 21 Whole Grains and Seeds because it’s higher in protein and fiber (3 grams each) and lower in carbs than most loaves
- 1/2 cup (about 115 g) 2% cottage cheese — Good Culture is my tried-and-true favorite. It gives you the same creamy texture as cream cheese with fewer calories and more protein
- 1 1/2 oz (about 45 g) Nova lox, sliced. Nova lox is just cold-smoked salmon from Nova Scotia — buy whatever smoked salmon you can find
- 1/2 cup (about 100 g) Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 heirloom tomato, thinly sliced
- A few slivers of red onion
- Everything bagel seasoning, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- Optional: a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a few capers
How to make it
- Toast the bread until it’s properly crunchy. The more it toasts, the better it holds up under all that wet topping.
- Spread 1/4 cup (about 60 g) of the cottage cheese on each slice.
- Layer on the cucumbers, then the tomato, then the salmon, the onion slivers, a shake of everything bagel seasoning, and the dill.
- If you want, drizzle with olive oil and add a few capers.
That’s the whole recipe. If you’re serving guests for brunch or want to make it a full dinner, serve it alongside a salad or a bowl of soup — the toast holds up next to almost anything.
Make it yours
- Prefer a bagel? This works on a high-protein bagel with cottage cheese instead of toast.
- Not a fan of cottage cheese lumps? Whisk it in a mini food processor until smooth.
- Dairy-free? Skip the cottage cheese and spread mashed avocado on the toast instead.
- Veggie swaps: cherry tomatoes instead of heirloom, a regular cucumber, or pickled onions instead of raw red onion.
- Extra protein: top it with a soft-boiled or hard-boiled egg.
- No fresh dill? Dried dill or chives both work.
Storage
Smoked salmon lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge once opened. Store the toppings separately and assemble right before eating — the toast stays crisp if you don’t wet the bread ahead of time.
Happy cooking, Maya.