Need to use up cream cheese and bagels? This super easy BLT bagel is bursting with flavor and texture. It's the perfect sandwich any time of the day.
Table of contents
How will it make your life easier?
If you bought bagels and have a couple left, but are tired of plain bagels & cream cheese, turn your bagel into a BLT bagel. It takes just about 15 minutes to make, is super easy, and well, it has bacon on it. So is there anything better? Probably not.
Want other sandwich recipes? Here are a couple easy ones: Grilled Turkey & Brie Sandwich with Blueberry Mustard, Chicken Salad Pita Sandwich, or a Brisket Grilled Cheese.
What makes it so good?
How do I make it?
Start to make your BLT Bagel by cooking the bacon-lay out 3 slices on a large sautee pan. Cook until bacon shrinks in size and looks darker in color, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches your desired crispiness.
Remove bacon and place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up excess grease. Set aside to continue to make your BLT Bagel. Pour the bacon grease into a glass or heat proof bowl to use in other recipes, you can cook lots of foods in it like eggs, vegetables, and waffles.
While bacon is cooking, slice 1-2 slices of tomato into about ¼ thick slices, wash 1-2 leaves of lettuce and set aside. Slice your bagel in half and toast to your preference. Smear about 1 ounce of cream cheese on one or both bagel slices. Place 3 slices of bacon on bottom side of the bagel, breaking off bacon if it extends off the bagel, and place that piece back in the middle of the bagel.
Fold lettuce over in half to better fit on bagel, or cut it in half down the middle. Top bacon with lettuce. Then place 1-2 slices of tomato on top of lettuce. Slice bagel down center and eat immediately. Serve your BLT Bagel with a green salad or fresh fruit- whatever you'd like!
Expert Tips
- Cook eggs, pancakes, chard/beet greens, or other veggies in your bacon grease.
- Use romaine, iceberg, green leaf, or red leaf lettuce in your BLT Bagel recipe.
- I usually buy Neufchatel cheese instead of regular cream cheese. It has less fat than regular, and tastes just the same to me. It may also be marketed as ⅓ fat cream cheese.
- Everything, onion, plain, and cheese bagels are great for BLT Bagels.
FAQ
Some say iceberg lettuce is the only good lettuce for a BLT or BLT Bagel which I get because it's super crunchy and crispy! While iceberg is great, so is romaine lettuce and red leaf lettuce. Honestly, use what you have on hand. But lettuces with large leaves are easier to eat and less messy if that matters to you.
Toasting your bagel to make a BLT Bagel or toasting your bread really is the best. It helps your bread/bagel not get soggy from the lettuce and tomato. Plus it adds a great crunch.
A good BLT or BLT Bagel has bacon, lettuce, mayo and tomato on it, but that doesn't mean those are the only ingredients you can put on your sandwich. Avocado is a great addition, so is cream cheese. You can use cream cheese + mayo or just cream cheese. You can also add other cheese, I'd recommend cheddar or even goat cheese to your BLT Bagel.
What can I make with leftover ingredients?
- Bacon: Chicken Bacon Sheetpan Dinner or Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches.
- Lettuce: Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Dressing (just swap the spinach for this leftover lettuce) or Chicken Salad Pitas.
- Tomato: Cucumber & Tomato Salad, No-Mayo Potato Salad, or Pan Fried Salmon with Summer Salad
- Cream Cheese: Use in a veggie sandwich or add to whipped cream, like in this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- Bacon Grease: Cook eggs, pancakes, chard/beet greens, or other veggies in your bacon grease.
Did you make this BLT Bagel? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
BLT Bagel
Equipment
- Toaster
- knife
- cutting board
- Large sautee pan
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- 1-2 thick slices tomato
- 1-2 leaves lettuce romaine or red leaf
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 1 bagel everything, onion, plain, or cheese bagels are best
Instructions
- Cook bacon by laying out 3 slices on a large sautee pan. Cook until bacon shrinks in size and looks darker in color, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches your desired crispiness.
- Remove bacon and place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up excess grease. Set aside
- While bacon is cooking, slice 1-2 slices of tomato into about ¼ thick slices, wash 1-2 leaves of lettuce and set aside. Slice bagel in half and toast to your preference. Smear about 1 ounce of cream cheese on one or both bagel slices. Place 3 slices of bacon on bottom side of the bagel, breaking off bacon if it extends off the bagel, and place that piece back in the middle of the bagel.
- Fold lettuce over in half to better fit on bagel, or cut it in half down the middle. Top bacon with lettuce. Then place 1-2 slices of tomato on top of lettuce. Slice bagel down center and eat immediately. Serve with green salad or fresh fruit if desired.
Video
Notes
- Cook eggs, pancakes, chard/beet greens, or other veggies in your bacon grease.
- Use romaine, iceberg, green leaf, or red leaf lettuce in this recipe.
- I usually buy Neufchatel cheese instead of regular cream cheese. It has less fat than regular, and tastes just the same to me. It may also be marketed as ⅓ fat cream cheese.
- Everything, onion, plain, and cheese bagels are great in this recipe.
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Vicky says
Mouth watering recipe! This is amazing!
Rebecca says
totally! thanks
Anita says
I love a good BLT sandwich, so I immediately love it in a bagel form too. 🙂
Rebecca says
haha right?! bagels make them so much better!
Christian Guzman says
This was perfect for lunch today! I picked an heirloom tomato from the garden just this morning. I snipped off two big lettuce leaves from the indoor garden and so tasty on a toasty bagel. Yum!
Rebecca says
that's a dream of a homegrown lunch! YUM!
Anjali says
Love this twist on a traditional bagel sandwich! Super easy to make and great for lunch!
Rebecca says
oh ya it totally is!
Jill says
Now I need to go out and buy some bagels so I can make one of these!
Rebecca says
do it!!!