How to Make a Beautiful Bagel Board for a Crowd
A breakfast bagel board is a fun way to make hosting easy while incorporating the perfect mix of protein, carbs, and freshness. Hard-boiled eggs and bagels are the stars of this board, while the toppings and sides add fun and freshness!
I’m always looking for easy breakfast and brunch ideas when hosting friends and family, and what better way to do this than over a hearty breakfast charcuterie board?
WHAT IS A BREAKFAST BAGEL BOARD?
A breakfast bagel board is a shareable platter loaded with bagels and all the fixings. It includes a variety of spreads like cream cheese, butter, and jam, plus toppings like smoked salmon, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs. I also like to add fruit, micro greens (fancy!), homemade salsa macha, and hard-boiled eggs for extra protein. Perfect for gatherings, it lets everyone customize their ideal breakfast bite!
JUST A TIP: Remember to add some flavored butter and jams to your breakfast board! Guava butter and whipped vanilla butter are two of my favorites. Kumquat jam, pineapple jam, and guava jam are also delicious additions.
RECOMMENDED BY LOLA
Large Round Cutting Board
I actually use an extra large rustic pizza board for my bagel board, but this 16-inch round walnut cutting board is beautiful, too! I love how it has grooves around the edges to catch anything that might drip. VIEW PRODUCT
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO BUILD A BAGEL BOARD
1. Choose your board and select ingredients
- Start by selecting a board or platter that is large enough to accommodate all of your brunch items. A wooden board or slate platter work well for a rustic and natural look; a white porcelain platter gives a more elegant and modern vibe.
- Choose a mix of sweet and savory items for your brunch board.
2. Group items into sections
- Place all of the bread and hard-boiled eggs together.
- Add some freshness and color – use a mix of fresh and colorful items to add visual interest to your board. This could include grapes, fresh berries, microgreens, cucumbers, tomatoes, sliced lemon, and other vibrant veggies.
3. Fill in the gaps
- Once you have arranged your items, fill in any empty spaces with small items like nuts, salsas, olives, capers, and other garnishes. You can serve ingredients like these in small bowls, along with the cream cheese.
Be sure to check out my 50 Delicious Mexican Breakfast and Brunch Ideas if you’re looking for more delicious inspiration!
WHAT PAIRS WELL WITH BAGEL BOARDS?
Round out your brunch with a few different drink choices. Water, tea and coffee with a few creamer options and fancy homemade syrups are always a good idea.
- Drinks: I like having my drinks in a big pitcher or in individual mason jars with lids sitting on ice. A few faves include: jugo verde, chia shots, agua de melón, agua de limón y pepino, agua de naranja, naranjada, limonada, and agua de piña. Mexican hot chocolate, atole de guayaba, and atole blanco are perfect for when it’s chilly!
- Side salads: Fresh salads are great sides for bagel boards and add variety to the mix. Here are a few of my picks: ensalada de pepino y tomate, refreshing lentil salad, Mexican cactus salad, and Tijuana Caesar salad.
LOOKING FOR MORE BREAKFAST INSPIRATION?
- How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Baked Challah French Toast Casserole
- How to Build a DIY Breakfast Tostada Bar
- Tacos de Huevos a la Mexicana
- 10 Mexican-Inspired Brunch Ideas for Mother’s Day
- Vegan Coconut Granola (Granola de Coco Vegano)
- Kale and Mushroom Egg Bites
- Breakfast Molletes with Potatoes and Chorizo
HOW TO MAKE A BEAUTIFUL BAGEL BOARD FOR A CROWD
Equipment
- Large round cutting board (to display ingredients)
- Small pot (to make hard-boiled eggs)
Ingredients
PROTEIN
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Smoked salmon
- White fish spread
CARBS
- Bagels (my favorites: sesame, plain, egg, cinnamon raisin, asiago, and pumpernickel
FRESH FIXINGS & SIDES
- Cucumbers
- Red onion (pickled red onions would also work)
- Tomatoes
- Lemon slices
- Microgreens
- Avocado
- Radishes
- Watermelon radish (this adds such beautiful color!)
- Grapes
- Olives
- Capers
- Whipped cream cheese (aka schmear)
- Vanilla butter
- Guava butter
- Kumquat jam
- Guava jam
Instructions
- Choose your board and select ingredients. Start by selecting a board or platter that is large enough to accommodate all of your brunch items. A wooden board or slate platter work well for a rustic and natural look; a white porcelain platter gives a more elegant and modern vibe.Choose a mix of sweet and savory items for your brunch board.
- Group items into sections. Place all of the bread and hard-boiled eggs together.Add some freshness and color – use a mix of fresh and colorful items to add visual interest to your board. This could include grapes, fresh berries, microgreens, cucumbers, tomatoes, sliced lemon, and other vibrant veggies.
- Fill in the gaps. Once you have arranged your items, fill in any empty spaces with small items like nuts, salsas, olives, capers, and other garnishes. You can serve ingredients like these in small bowls, along with the cream cheese.
A Note from Lola
TIPS, TRICKS, AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- When building your board, place the largest items on the board first. Then, fill in the remaining areas with the smaller items. You can even use fresh flowers to fill in some areas and to emphasize the spring theme. Keep wet items away from bagels so they don’t get soggy.
- Replace the hard-boiled eggs with my Chipotle Deviled Eggs if you’re feeling extra ambitious.
- Make it vegetarian by simply omitting the salmon and fish.
- Make it vegan by using a variety of nuts for your protein options and use a vegan cream cheese.
Recipe originally published March 7, 2023 and updated with step-by-step instructions and photos on January 17, 2025.
Lola’s Cocina is a small business that earns various revenue streams. This includes sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from linked products, which I use and love. This commission is an agreement between Lola’s Cocina and retailers, with no extra cost to readers. This income helps sustains the site.
Photography + Styling: Cacey McReavy
Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
I absolutely loved this idea. We created a bagel board for my sister’s baby shower brunch and everyone loved it. So easy!
Great to hear, Candice. It’s such a great dish for large gatherings.