Move Over Chopped Sandwiches — Chopped Bagels Switch Up Your Breakfast
Food trends evolve quickly these days. You've probably already seen Tiktok's viral grinder sandwich that's basically a better salad, which evolved into the chopped sandwich craze, applying the same methodology to everything you might layer between two slices of bread — condiments, meats, cheeses, vegetables, and all. Well, surprising absolutely no one, the trend has evolved again — this time moving into the world of bagel breakfast sandwiches, like this stunner that invokes a classic lox bagel.
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For those who like their bagels spread with a thick layer of flavorful, decked-out cream cheese, but wish the ingredients of their thoughtfully assembled bagel sandwich were a bit less inclined to slide out, the chopped bagel sandwich might be the answer to your prayers. Although some prefer to leave their ingredients whole, this new spin on an old classic allows you to eat a well-rounded breakfast with only one hand while creating a texture and flavor profile perfectly suited to your palate. No matter your breakfast preferences, this sounds like a trend worth trying.
Why this trend works so well with bagel sandwiches
Though undoubtedly delicious, due to the size and density of a bagel, it can sometimes be hard to keep fillings inside when you use them to make a sandwich. Even if you opt for a scooped bagel or flagel (which are different), but share a more manageable — albeit controversial — carb to filling ratio, it can be hard to keep it all together. But by chopping together your condiments and toppings as you do when making this trending sandwich, the problem is significantly lessened. This is because the fillings are no longer fighting against each other and can comfortably intermingle as one harmonious unit. Say goodbye to tomatoes and cucumbers sliding right off your cream cheese!
Perhaps the most popular and pervasive recipe for the chopped bagel breakfast sandwich features the ingredients found accompanying a traditional lox bagel, like the one shown above. This makes sense, as you're essentially making a chunkier, more robust version of your usual flavored cream cheese. But that's just one possibility. The innovative filling-as-spread approach adheres more intently to your bagel and delivers a consistent serving of your chosen ingredients in every bite you take. Who can be mad about that?
Other chopped bagel combinations to try at home
Perhaps the best part about this chopped bagel sandwich is that there's no limit to what you can do with it, incorporating whichever ingredients speak to you on a given morning. And since we're already coloring outside the traditional parameters of sandwich making, you don't have to waste a minute worrying about breaking the rules or ruffling feathers.
Combine bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado to create a California BLT chopped bagel. Or swap out the bacon and cream cheese, and add cucumber, red onion, hummus, and sumac for a Middle Eastern-inspired variation that is vegan-friendly. You can also turn the classic bacon, egg, and cheese bagel into a chopped sandwich by following the same steps, or sub in hardboiled eggs for a satisfying swap for quicker egg sandwiches. Layer your chosen ingredients on a cutting board, garnish with chopped scallions, and drizzle with sriracha and a bit of mayo or cream cheese before chopping to create a spread-like consistency that will actually stay put in your bagel.