Chopped Bagels are the Breakfast the Internet Can't Stop Making
And we can see why.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Americans tend to have strong feelings about bagels. Remember the bagel emoji controversy? Or how about Cynthia Nixon’s bagel order—a cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese, lox, red onion, capers, and tomatoes—that was quickly declared a “crime against humanity,” and the “strangest bagel of all time” by some media outlets. Even Ina Garten, one of the most beloved people on the internet, caught some flack for her controversial bagel-slicing technique earlier this month.
The latest viral bagel trend does have its detractors, including some who claim you’re sacrificing sandwich integrity for the sake of virality. However, the chopped bagel trend seems to have far more fans than haters, as evidenced by the thousands of popular chopped bagel ideas swirling around on TikTok—and the traffic to our own Allrecipes riffs: the California BLT Chopped Bagel (which has 2.8 million views on Instagram) and Fruit Pizza Chopped Bagel.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
What Are Chopped Bagels?
Before we dive into how to make chopped bagels and the best flavor combos to consider, let’s take a walk down memory lane.
Chopped bagels appear to be a grandchild of the chopped salad trend that blew up after the owner of the bakery Baked by Melissa, Melissa Ben-Ishay, popularized the concept on social media back in 2022. (Who remembers the TikTok Green Goddess Salad?) In case you missed it, the ultra-chopped salad is so, well, chopped, that’s practically toeing the line between salad and dip. Ben-Ishay herself recommends eating it “with a chip, a fork, on tacos, or on toast.”
On the heels of that salad and several other chopped-to-the-nines bowls came the wildly-popular hoagie dip and chopped sandwiches that were designed “to get the perfect bite,” according to fans of the concept. And hey, the chopped cheese (ground beef, onions, and cheese all chopped up and piled inside a roll) has been a staple in New York City for decades for good reason!
The successor of those salads and sandwiches, the chopped bagel, blew up after videos from @sezzy.brown, @cheatdayeats, and @aintooproudtomeg started gaining steam…and views.
The beauty of the chopped bagel concept is that you’re pretty much guaranteed some of every element of your bagel sandwich in each bite—without having to unhinge your jaw or take the largest-ever bite to do the same. Chopped bagels and sandwiches also earn bonus points for allowing us to take a balanced bite without having a certain component, such as a slice of smoked salmon, slide entirely out while the rest of the fixings stay put.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
How to Make Chopped Bagels
It takes 10 minutes max to make most chopped bagel recipes. Start by selecting your bagel. As that toasts, top a clean cutting board with cream cheese and your desired bagel toppings. Using a chef’s knife, chop and mix the ingredients until everything is well incorporated and schmear-able.
Employing a spatula or bench scraper, gather that mixture together, then spread it on the bottom half of the toasted bagel. Top with the toasted top half, slice in half, if desired, and dive in.
As far as the fillings go, the only limit is your imagination—and what you think isn’t a “criminal” choice of bagel accessories. If you’re feeling inspired to chop to it, here are a few combinations that have caught our eyes (or earned rave reviews from Allrecipes fans already!):
California BLT Chopped Bagel: Everything bagel + chive and onion cream cheese + cooked bacon + romaine lettuce + tomato + avocado
Fruit Pizza Chopped Bagel: Plain bagel + cream cheese + confectioner’s sugar + mixed fruit
Bagel with Lox: Sourdough bagel + plain whipped cream cheese + tomato + cucumber + lox + chives + fresh dill + red onion + everything bagel seasoning
Caesar Salad Bagel: Plain bagel + leftover or rotisserie chicken + cooked bacon + mayonnaise + Caesar salad dressing + Parmesan cheese + fresh lemon juice + croutons
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel: Everything bagel + scrambled eggs + cheese + cooked bacon + cooked hashbrown patty + spicy mayo
Sweet Breakfast Bagel: Cinnamon bagel + whipped cream cheese + nut butter + sliced banana + hulled strawberries + granola + maple syrup
Read the original article on All Recipes.
