Topped with smoked salmon, red onion, capers, and everything bagel seasoning, this Smoked Salmon Toast with cottage cheese has all the flavors of a traditional lox bagel with over 30 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. It’s quick, satisfying, and perfect for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner.
Smoked Salmon Toast with Cottage Cheese
Lox and bagels will always be a classic for me, but when I want something lighter and more balanced, this High-Protein Smoked Salmon Toast is my go-to. Instead of a bagel, I use hearty, high-fiber whole-grain bread and swap the cream cheese for cottage cheese to boost the protein while keeping that creamy texture I love. If you’ve been enjoying my cottage cheese recipes lately, this is another easy way to use it beyond sweet bowls and dips.
Why This Smoked Salmon Toast Works
I love this easy high-protein breakfast recipe when I’m short on time but still want something fresh, healthy, and delicious.
- Protein-packed: The bread, smoked salmon, and cottage cheese deliver 30+ grams of protein.
- No cooking required besides toasting the bread. Just slice the veggies and assemble.
- Eat any time of day–breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Although we’re changing the bread and cream cheese, everything else is the same as what you’d get when ordering lox and bagels. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Whole-grain bread: I like Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced 21 Whole Grains and Seeds bread because it’s higher in protein and fiber (3 grams each) and lower in carbs and calories than most other brands.
- 2% cottage cheese provides the same creamy texture as cream cheese but with fewer calories and more protein. Good Culture remains my tried- and-true favorite.
- Nova lox is a “cold-smoked salmon from Nova Scotia.” Buy whatever kind of lox or smoked salmon you can find.
- Vegetables: Thinly sliced Persian cucumbers, heirloom tomato, and red onions
- Seasoning: Everything bagel seasoning and fresh dill are classic choices on lox and bagels.
- Optional ingredients: Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and add capers if you like.
How to Make High-Protein Smoked Salmon Toast
Just toast your bread, slice the vegetables, and assemble for a quick, satisfying meal. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Toast the bread in a toaster or oven. The more toasted the bread, the better it’ll hold up under all the toppings.
- Assemble the toast: Spread each piece of bread with cucumbers, tomatoes, lox, red onion, bagel seasoning, and dill. Drizzle with oil and top with capers if desired.
Customize Your Lox Toast
- Bread options: This toast would also be delicious on sourdough. And if you prefer bagels, try my high-protein bagels with cottage cheese.
- Not sure about cottage cheese because of its texture? Blend it in a mini food processor until smooth if you don’t like the lumps.
- Dairy-free: Spread mashed avocado on the toast.
- Vegetables: Swap the heirloom tomato for cherry tomatoes, use a regular cucumber, or try it with pickled onions.
- Extra protein: Add a soft-boiled egg or a hard-boiled egg.
- Herbs: If you don’t have fresh dill, dried dill will work, or you can use chives.
Serving Suggestions
Below are some recipe ideas if you’re serving this healthy smoked salmon toast to guests at brunch or for an easy weeknight dinner that you want to make more filling.
Serve it for brunch
Make it a complete dinner
Storage
Once opened, smoked salmon will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Store all the components separately and assemble right before eating.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
- Whipped Cottage Cheese Bowls
- Skillet Lasagna
- High-Protein Scrambled Eggs with Cottage Cheese
- High-Protein Waffles
- Whipped Avocado Cottage Cheese Dip
More High-Protein Breakfasts You’ll Love
- Lox and Eggs with Onions
- Tropical Chia Pudding Breakfast Bowl
- Crustless Sausage and Spinach Quiche
- Banana Nut Protein Oats
- Breakfast Burritos
Smoked Salmon Toast
Ingredients
- 2 slices whole grain bread, such as Daves Killer Thin Sliced 21 Whole Grains and Seeds
- ½ cup 2% cottage cheese, I like Good Culture
- 1 ½ ounces Nova Lox, sliced
- ½ cup Persian cucumbers, thin sliced
- ½ heirloom tomato, sliced thin
- red onion, a few slivers
- everything bagel seasoning, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- Optional, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and capers
Instructions
- Toast the bread.
- Spread ¼ cup of the cottage cheese onto each slice toast, then top each half with sliced cucumbers, then the tomato, lox, red onion slivers, everything bagel seasoning and fresh dill.
- If desired, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and add a few capers.