Bagels are my number one grab-and-go choice when it comes to breakfast food. It has the perfect combination of soft, crispy, and chewy – all the things I love about bread.

But no matter how wonderful it is, a bagel is only as good as its toppings. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today.

From traditional toppings to more experimental combinations, here are 13 of the tastiest bagel combos for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

And now, the best topping ideas for your next bagel!

Cream Cheese

Let’s get the party started with this traditional topping. There’s a reason bagels and cream cheese are such a classic combination. They taste incredible together and should never be apart.

If you’re bored of the usual plain spread, you can easily make things more interesting by infusing your cream cheese with other flavors.

Whether you add some cinnamon and brown sugar, chopped onions and garlic, strawberries, blackberries, or pumpkin Purée to your cream cheese, every combination is sure to delight your taste buds.

Butter

Because just like everything else in the world, your bagel deserves butter. No further explanation needed.

Peanut Butter, Banana, and More

Peanut butter is one of the greatest spreads of all time. It’s rich, creamy, and has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Slather it generously on top of a bagel, and you get a simple yet wonderful breakfast.

But you know what makes a bagel with peanut butter even better? Bananas! The combination of flavors and textures is just to die for.

Oh wait, here’s another addition that will make your breakfast even more heavenly: bacon. With this stunning trio, you get sweet, salty, smoky, crisp, soft, and chewy all in one dish. No wonder Elvis loved it so much!

Smoked Salmon

Also known as lox, smoked salmon makes a fantastic bagel topping. It’s so good, it’s like it is made solely for the purpose of topping bagels. Oh, wait, it is!

Spread a layer of cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers onto your bagel and you’ve got the perfect lunch or mid-day snack.

Avocado and Fried Egg

If you’re a fan of avocado toast, then you have to try avocado slices with a fried (or poached) egg on your bagel. Avocados are just as rich and creamy as cream cheese, so they’re the perfect substitute!

And of course you can never go wrong with a perfectly cooked egg to go with your bagel.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese

Speaking of eggs, here’s another combination that will delight your palate. The classic trifecta of crisp bacon, rich egg, and melted cheese make such a wonderful combination, especially when sandwiched between two bagel halves.

No need to go through the McDonald’s drive-through, this sandwich has everything you need for a hearty and satisfying breakfast.

Ham and Cheese

Aside from bacon, egg, and cheese, another classic combo is the good ol’ ham and cheese. Make sure to melt the cheddar cheese for that ooey-gooey bagel filling!

Pizza Bagel

Sometimes I like to think of my bagel as a blank canvas for pizza. I try to get as many pizza toppings as I can!

I’m talking pepperoni, ham, sausage, bell peppers, onions, and mozzarella cheese. I even spread some marinara sauce on to complete the theme. It truly is the breakfast of champions!

And if you want a lighter but still flavorful pizza bagel, how about a Caprese-style bagel with tomato slices, mozzarella cheese, and pesto sauce? Yum.

Burger Bagel

A burger bagel is a perfect breakfast when you need extra energy to last you through the day.

The idea is simple – instead of buns, use two halves of a bagel to sandwich your patty and other burger fixings. If you’ve got some Asiago bagels on hand – that’s even better! It will make your power breakfast even cheesier.

Turkey and Swiss

Turkey and Swiss cheese is another classic sandwich filling, so why not put it in between bagel halves? It will give the duo a nice chewiness that you won’t get in any regular white bread!

You can also make the flavors and textures more interesting by adding some mustard and alfalfa sprouts in there.

Tuna Salad

This may not be the most popular spread, but I love me some tuna salad. Chunks of briny tuna and creamy mayo seasoned with salt and pepper – what’s not to like?

And when it goes between sesame bagel halves, it becomes even more delightful. Toss in some lettuce in there to give your breakfast a nice crunch.

Egg Salad

Hard-boiled eggs in mayo dressing on bagels? Yes please! The classic egg salad works great not only with white bread but with bagels as well!

So go ahead and fill your bagel with this creamy and savory spread for a hearty and delicious breakfast. You’re welcome.

Pastrami

If you’re a meat-lover, you’ll love this cold cut. Pastrami is a thin slice of meat, usually beef, that is brined, flavored with herbs and spices, and smoked to perfection.

It is salty, savory, and smoky, and needs the likes of a bagel to temper its bold flavors. It also wouldn’t hurt to add some sauerkraut and mustard for even more goodness on your sandwich.

Apple Butter

Apple butter may not have butter in it, but it’s so creamy, it might as well have! That’s why it goes so incredibly with bagels.

It’s got the stunning flavors of fresh and sweet apples and the smooth and silky qualities of butter. It’s the perfect combination.

Nutella

Now this one is for all you dessert-for-breakfast fans out there. Sometimes all your bagel needs is something sweet and nutty. And a spoonful of Nutella or your favorite hazelnut spread is more than enough to make your ordinary bagel extraordinary.

Jam or Jelly

Whether it’s strawberry, pineapple, mango, or grape; whether you use jams, jellies, preserves, or marmalades, all these sweet spreads sure taste incredible on top of a bagel.

They’re fantastic on their own, but you can add another depth of flavor by combining it with cream cheese or peanut butter. Yum.