Vegan Bagel Recipe: Follow this easy step-by-step tutorial to make your own homemade vegan bagels. With a crisp outer crust, and a firm and chewy center, they are simply amazing!
Who doesn’t love bagels? It’s one of my kids’ favorite morning breakfasts! They would eat bagels all day and night if I let them!
I love to bake, but bread making has always been intimidating for me. I usually opt for quick breads like vegan muffins, or banana bread.
But after watching a friend make homemade bagels, I knew I had to give it a try! The first time I made these they came out perfect!
The process is simple! It’s not any more difficult than making any other kind of yeast bread.
This vegan bagel recipe is simple to follow and yields a soft and chewy dough with a crispy outer crust. They taste just like the ones you’d get fresh from your favorite bagel shop!
These are seasoned with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, but you can season them however you like! Consider sprinkling with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or sea salt!
Making your own delicious plain bagel is not only the best way to get fresh, light, and fluffy, bread, but it’s also super easy, and fun!
You’ll want to make your own fresh baked bagels all the time!
This is an easy to follow recipe! It only takes a couple of hours, not several days, like some recipes!
Some bagel recipes you’ll find will include non-vegan ingredients such as yogurt, or an egg wash.
This recipe is 100% vegan friendly, and uses only simple pantry ingredients that you can find at grocery stores everywhere.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Simple Step by Step Tutorial
- Best bagels made from scratch!
- Pantry Ingredients
- Crispy Outer Crust
- Chewy Center
- Add Your Own Flavor
- Vegan
- Dairy-Free
- Whole Grain
Ingredients and Notes
White Whole Wheat Flour: Using white whole wheat flour makes this recipe a bit healthier than others. It adds fiber as well as other essential vitamins and minerals such as selenium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, and folate. Bread flour is another good option to use as it is high in protein and yields a nice chewiness.
Active Dry Yeast: This essential ingredient is what helps your dough to rise. Be sure your active dry yeast is fresh, and not expired! “Active” refers to the type of yeast that needs to be activated prior to use.
Salt: Salt helps activate the yeast and contributes to a slow rise. In addition, it adds flavor, and strengthens the gluten structure of the dough.
Warm Water: Be sure the water is warm. Not hot or cold. The warm water helps to create a warm environment that activates the yeast and helps it to rise.
Organic Sugar: The sugar is necessary to activate the yeast, and also gives bagels a shiny outer crust.
Vegan Toppings: I went with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. It is a combination of sesame seeds, sea salt, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, black sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. You can opt for whatever topping you like!
Tools and Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Small Plate
- Spatula
- Damp Towel
- Dough Cutter
- Large Wide Pot
- Baking Sheet
Instructions
Activate Yeast: To activate the yeast, combine sugar, warm water, and active yeast in a small bowl. Cover with a small plate and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Yeast and water will be frothy when ready.
Combine Flour and Salt: While yeast is activating, combine the white whole wheat flour, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk together until combined.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the water and yeast into a large bowl. Slowly add the flour and salt mixture. Using a spatula or your hands, work the dough together until combined. If the dough is too wet or sticky, you can add a touch more flour to the mixture.
Knead Bagel Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Add a bit more flour on top. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes using the heel of your hands, or until the dough has become more elastic.
Allow Dough to Rise: Place the dough in a medium size bowl. Cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise for one hour.
Flatten Dough: After the dough has risen, remove from the bowl, and gently flatten it out with your hand to release any air bubbles.
Divide Dough: Cut the dough into 6 equal parts.
Roll into Ball and Proof: Roll each section of dough into a ball. Place on a baking sheet, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise an additional 15-20 minutes.
Prepare Water Bath: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add 4-5 cups of water and sugar to a large wide pot. Bring the large pot of water to a simmer.
Shape into Circles: When dough balls are ready, gently place a floured finger into the center of each ball to create a whole, and gently pull the dough around the edge from the center to create a 1 inch wide bagel shape.
Place in Water Bath: When water comes to a simmer, place the bagels in the water bath. You may need to do a few at a time. You don’t want them to be crowded. Cook for 1 minute, flip the bagels, and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place on a baking sheet.
Top with Seasoning: Brush each bagel with olive oil, and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning onto each one (or other seasoning of choice on top.)
Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until golden brown.
Cool: Allow to cool a few minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- The wetter the dough the crispier the bagel. If you like a chewier bagel, stick with the ¾ cup of water suggested. However, if you like a crispier bagel, add a bit more water to your dough.
- Use warm water to mix your dough. This activates the yeast more quickly.
- Allow the yeast to rest after you add it to the water. Don’t whisk it, just let it sit, and it will do it’s thing!
- Use a high gluten flour. Bagels require quite a bit of pulling, stretching, rolling, and boiling, so your dough needs to have a good amount of gluten to retain its chewiness.
- You don’t need anything fancy to allow your dough to rise. Just keep it at room temperature covered with a moist towel.
- For perfectly even bagels, weigh your dough. About 4 ounces each is a good estimate.
- It’s essential to boil your bagels before you bake them in the oven. Don’t skip this step! This step is what will give your bagels that crispy outer crust, and chewy center.
FAQS
There are a few main differences between bagels and regular bread. The obvious one being the shape. Bagels are round with a whole in the center, while bread is made into loaves. Bagels also have a distinctly chewy texture, with a shiny hard outer crust.
Bagels first originated in the Jewish communities of Poland. The first written mention of them comes from Krakow in 1610, and a similar bread known as obwarzenak is mentioned in written form as early as 1394. They were brought to the United States by Jewish immigrants, but didn’t become popular until the 1970s. New York bagels are perhaps the most popular in the United States and are known for their shiny crust, and chewy center.
The short answer is yes! Most bagels are vegan. They are made from a combination of flour, water, salt, sugar, and yeast which are all vegan ingredients. However, some recipes call for animal products such as yogurt, or an egg wash. In addition, you can run into problems with non-vegan ingredients when flavors are added. I’ve seen quite a few with chocolate chips, cheese, etc. If you’re out and about, and decide to pick up a bagel, just be sure to ask for the list of ingredients to ensure their recipe is vegan, and make an educated decision on the type/flavor you choose!
How to Serve
Vegan Cream Cheese: Every bagel needs cream cheese. My favorite non-dairy versions include Kite Hill and Miyoko’s.
Vegan Butter: A little bit of Earth’s Balance butter spread is absolutely delicious on a warm toasted everything bagel!
Hummus: Spread your favorite hummus on top and layer with some fresh greens!
Fresh Vegetables: Make a healthy sandwich and stack your favorite veggies between the two halves, and make a vegan egg salad to serve in between.
Avocado/Guacamole: Thinly slice avocado, or spread your favorite guacamole then sprinkle with a bit more everything but the bagel seasoning for a healthy and filling breakfast or lunch!
Peanut Butter: Spread with peanut butter or your favorite nut butter.
How to Store and Keep
Room Temperature: Store at room temperature in an airtight container or bag. They will keep for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Freeze: Place in a freezer safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer, transfer to the refrigerator and thaw overnight.
More bread recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Bagel Recipe
Ingredients
Bagel Dough
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour or bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Water Bath
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoon sugar
Topping
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 6 teaspoon Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
- To activate the yeast, combine sugar, warm water, and active yeast in a small bowl. Cover with a small plate and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Yeast and water will be frothy when ready.
- While yeast is activating, combine the white whole wheat flour, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk together until combined.
- Pour the water and yeast into a large bowl. Slowly add the flour and salt mixture. Using a spatula or your hands, work the dough together until combined. If the dough is too wet or sticky, you can add a touch more flour to the mixture.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Add a bit more flour on top. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes using the heel of your hands, or until the dough has become more elastic.
- Place the dough in a medium size bowl. Cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise for one hour.
- After the dough has risen, remove from the bowl, and gently flatten it out with your hand to release any air bubbles.
- Cut the dough into 6 equal parts.
- Roll into Ball and Proof: Roll each section of dough into a ball. Place on a baking sheet, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Add 4-5 cups of water and sugar to a large wide pot. Bring the large pot of water to a simmer.
- When dough balls are ready, gently place a floured finger into the center of each ball to create a whole, and gently pull the dough around the edge from the center to create a 1 inch wide bagel shape.
- When water comes to a simmer, place the bagels in the water bath. You may need to do a few at a time. You don’t want them to be crowded. Cook for 1 minute, flip the bagels, and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush each bagel with olive oil, and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning onto each one (or other seasoning of choice on top.)
- Bake for 15-20 minutes at 425 F, or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, until transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- The wetter the dough the crispier the bagel. If you like a chewier bagel, stick with the ¾ cup of water suggested. However, if you like a crispier bagel, add a bit more water to your dough.
- Use warm water to mix your dough. This activates the yeast more quickly.
- Allow the yeast to rest after you add it to the water. Don’t whisk it, just let it sit, and it will do it’s thing!
- Use a high gluten flour. Bagels require quite a bit of pulling, stretching, rolling, and boiling, so your dough needs to have a good amount of gluten to retain its chewiness.
- You don’t need anything fancy to allow your dough to rise. Just keep it at room temperature covered with a moist towel.
- For perfectly even bagels, weigh your dough. About 4 ounces each is a good estimate.
- It’s essential to boil your bagels before you bake them in the oven. Don’t skip this step! This step is what will give your bagels that crispy outer crust, and chewy center.
- Bagels will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up 7 days, and in the freezer for up 3 months.
- If frozen thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Caitlyn
I never would have guessed that these where vegan. The tasted wonderful and I loved them for breakfast.
Sharon
This bagel recipe makes vegan baking look so easy! Make a big batch for breakfast for the week.
Cyndy
Your directions were perfect and we had so much fun making these over the weekend. They turned out perfectly and I used the Everything Bagel seasoning too!
Traci
Bagel perfection! Love how easy these bagels are to make and I’m wondering why I haven’t been making them my entire adult life lol. Thanks!
Bianca
Absolutely love this recipe! You described everything so well that it makes it super easy to understand and prepare 😀