Lox spread is a salmon and cream cheese spread that is often used as a bagel filling in cities like New York. It’s an easy recipe that will make any sandwich a culinary experience.
This is a spread with a ton of personality. It has strong flavors that work so well and harmoniously.
For one side we have the salmon that has a pungent flavor and that is the key ingredient. Then a drop of lemon juice and fresh chives to give freshness and finally a soft cream cheese to give the creamy body of a good lox spread.
What is lox?
Many people think that lox is a synonym for smoked salmon but that is not actually true.
A real lox is not smoked. It’s cured and brined with salt and other spices like dill.
The most “authentic” lox is the nordic gravlax that is cured with sugar, salt, dill, and juniper berry. The flavor is a lot different from regular smoked salmon. It’s less fishy and heavily spiced.
But, I’m not here to tell you that you have to go and get the most authentic lox on the market. The reality is that a good smoked salmon will work just fine.
The only thing is that if you want to use lox instead of regular smoked salmon, I will suggest you use 60 gr instead of 80 gr. Also, if you get a dill spiced salmon you can ditch the fresh chives.
If you desire the complete gastronomic experience, you can find in some big supermarket—in the international section—Norwegian lox or dill and herbs salmon. I just want you to get a ton of options when making this recipe.
Well, after that disclaimer about the salmon, let’s see ….
How to make lox spread?
My favorite part of this recipe is how easy it is to make. Basically, the food processor does all the hard job. This is especially good for quick breakfast where I don’t have the time and the energy — who has energy before the first coffee of the day? —- to make anything lightly complicate.
Basically, the first thing you need to do is to soften the cream cheese along with the mayo and the lemon juice in the food processor for about two minutes.
After that, I add the salmon, the fresh chives and the black pepper. I process it for a few seconds (about 20 secs). I want small pieces of salmon to peek through the cream cheese. The final result is not a homogeneous paste, but rather a chunky cream.
You can store this lox spread over 5 days in the fridge, but I warranty you that it will “magically” disappear soon.
Easy Lox Spread
Ingredients
- 80 gr lox or smoked salmon
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 1 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp fresh chives
- 1 lemon juice
- Pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Add the cream cheese, the mayo and the lemon juice to a food processor and process it for 1 – 2 minutes until it’s soft.
- Add the salmon, the chives and the black pepper. Process for a few seconds until the salmon is into tiny pieces. Avoid over-processing the lox spread into a homogeneous paste.
I’m Maria and I love cooking—and mostly EATING—food from all around the world. I’ve been sharing my abuela’s secret Latin-American recipes for the last 7 years with the world on this blog. I’ve been a full-time food blogger for many years and I’m always trying new delicious meals that don’t require a culinary degree or a Michelin-star chef. I also love traveling, cats, and knitting.