Skip The Bagels And Put Smoked Salmon On This For A Crunchier Bite

Smoked salmon in the fridge, a bagel on the kitchen counter with a tub of cream cheese nearby, and already, breakfast is the best part of the day. Skipping out on a bagel is hardly an option many of us have considered, because why mess with perfection in the first place? Of course, if you're swapping it out for hash brown patties, that's a whole other story. Turn hash browns into the main course by topping them with smoked salmon, a breakfast staple.

Crunchy and thick with a chewy fluffiness inside, hash brown patties lay a beautiful contrast against the smoked salmon's silky smoothness, as well as the cream cheese's melty spread. You can build this dish from frozen hash browns, and it will still feel like a restaurant-worthy creation. A spread of cream cheese or crème fraîche, a pinch of fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon are all you need for an elegant start to the morning. Classic toppings like capers, red onion, or pickled red onion all work beautifully. Smoked salmon is, without a doubt, one of the best ingredients to add excitement to your hash browns. 

Much like with bagels or biscuits, you can also take your smoked salmon-topped hash brown up a notch with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, à la the classic eggs Benedict. Another breakfast staple that would pair beautifully with both hash browns and smoked salmon is avocado, which you can serve as slices drizzled with a bit of lemon juice. Alternatively, fresh produce, whether we're talking spinach or tomatoes, is always welcome on the plate if you want a lighter dish.

Another great thing about hash browns is that they come in more than just one form, even when they're paired with smoked salmon. If frozen patties aren't your thing, make a whole skillet potato-pancake-style, and top it off with smoked salmon. Or try making a classic latke recipe, or a perfectly crispy rösti.