Easy Homemade Vegan Bagels

Hands up if you love bagels! I know I do! This homemade vegan bagel recipe is easy to follow and will make your mouth water in anticipation of the fluffy bread that is about to come out of your oven. Bagels are typically vegan because they don't contain any dairy products or eggs - yay! They are perfect for an on the go breakfast, a quick lunch, or even a simple dinner.

The best part about this vegan bagel recipe is how easy to make it is and how many different ways it can be eaten! Customize your bagels with toppings like sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, or just keep it plain and simple!

Everything bagels are my absolute favorite!

I believe bagels are best enjoyed toasted. They can be eaten as is, with a vegan cream cheese spread, vegan butter, or even a homemade fruit jelly!

Make a bagel sandwich with all of your favorite veggies. The sky is the limit when it comes to fillings: vegan lox (made from carrots, seaweed, and liquid smoke), maybe some hummus and fresh garden vegetables - whatever you're craving!

You can even eat these bagels with a tofu scramble and vegan bacon.

Are you getting hungry yet?

Total Time

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 30 minutes
• Resting time: 1 hour
• Total: 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

• Dry yeast
• All purpose flour 
• Whole-wheat flour 
• Lukewarm water
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Sunflower oil
• Seeds to garnish

How to make vegan bagels

1. Dissolve 1 tsp of sugar into ½ cup of lukewarm water, add dry yeast and mix everything well. Cover a bowl with a towel and set aside for 10-15 mins, yeast will “wake up” and grow in size.
2. In a large bowl mix flour, salt and 1 tsp of sugar.
3. When the yeast is ready, add it into a bowl with flour. Add oil and remaining water, stir to combine and knead everything with a mixer, with a dough hook, or with your hands for about 10 mins, until a smooth dough forms.
4. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a slightly wet towel and set aside for 1 hour to rest.
5. The dough should grow 2 or even 3 times larger in size. 
6. Roll the dough and cut into 12 equal pieces. 
7. Shape each piece into a ball. With a finger make a small hole in the center, then stretch it with one more finger and spin around a few times.
8. Place all the dough rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
9. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to boil, add 1 tsp sugar in it. Then preheat the oven to 420F. 
10. Carefully place the bagels into a pot with boiling water, not too many, maybe 2-3 at a time. Simmer for 1 minute each side and remove with a sieve or slotted spoon.
11. Place the bagels on the baking sheet lined with paper and sprinkle with your favorite seeds. 
12. Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins. Then remove, let them cool a little, but not too much. Enjoy your warm homemade bagels!

What's the key to making great bagels? 

When you buy bagels at a bread store and take that first bite, it's so fulfilling to sink your teeth into that chewy, warm doughy goodness. 

Bagels are different from a regular loaf of bread or even buns though. They are something special. 

Have you ever wondered how bagels get their unique texture of a thicker outer crust and a chewy middle? 

The key to making bagels is easier than you might think and so fun to try! 

After making the dough, roll out balls and place them on a baking sheet. Next, place a couple in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes on each side. This is what creates that outer layer and seals in the chewy middle. 

Remove them from the water, sprinkle them with your favorite toppings, and then bake them for around 20 minutes. 

You get to have gorgeous, chewy bagels every time using this method! 

How do you shape bagels? 

There's no need to be intimidated by making the classic bagel shape. You don't need any special equipment or tools for this. 

The easiest way to get the hole in the middle of the bagels is to use the end of a wooden spoon to poke a hole in the dough. You can also use your finger or another small round object. 

You don't need to try to pull the dough apart with your hands since this will make the hole way bigger than it needs to be. 

Bagel toppings and fillings

The second best part of eating bagels, besides the texture, are the toppings and add-ins! Here are some yummy ideas to try. 

You can top bagels with: 

• Cinnamon sugar
• Poppy seeds 
• Everything seasoning 
• Sesame seeds 
• Dried onion 
• Dried garlic

You can also add in extras to your bagels: 

• Blueberries 
• Jalapeños  
• Apples 
• Green chiles 
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chocolate chips 
• Cinnamon 
• Cranberries 

Tips For Success

• If you want crispier bagels then add more water to the dough. For fluffy and chewy bagels, keep the water amount as is.
• After cutting your dough, you can use a kitchen scale to weigh it if you want them the same size.
• Make sure the water is boiling before you add in your bagels. This ensures that they rise enough.
• Try out a variety of different toppings! You can make your bagels plain, with toppings such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, jalapeño bits, garlic and onions, cinnamon and sugar, and more. Get creative with it!

Storage

• These homemade bagels should be eaten within 3 days. The longer that they stay out, they will harden and start to become stale.
• Store the bagels at room temperature in a sealed paper bag, ziplock bag or a covered container.
• Freeze bagels for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or container. Make sure to defrost at room temperature for a few hours when you're ready to eat it again. Once defrosted, just slice it and heat in the toaster.
• Do not refrigerate your bagels as this will cause them to go stale.

Equipment

• Large pot for boiling water
• Slotted spoon
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowls
• Mixer

FAQs

Are bagels naturally vegan? 

Yes! Bagels are not typically made with any animal products so they are naturally vegan! Double check any food labels to make sure or ask if you are eating out.

Are bagels bad for you?

It all depends on how it is made and what you eat it with. Homemade bagels are typically healthier as you can control the ingredients that go inside. For added nutrients, add some nuts and seeds as a topping and eat fresh vegetables with a light, healthy spread as your filling.

Why are my bagels lumpy? 

Bagels get lumpy or look stretched when the dough doesn't get worked enough or rise properly. You'll know when they are ready to cook when you poke the ball of dough and it doesn't pop back out immediately and when they're nice and puffy. 

How do you tell if a bagel has gone bad? 

Bagels can get stale pretty easily. It's important to keep them in an air-tight container after they cool. They can start to get moldy after a few days as well. So be sure to check them before eating one.

Easy Vegan Bagels

5 from 36 votes

Recipe by Anaiah Michelle Course: Breakfast, Brunch, LunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Yields

12

bagels

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

180

kcal

Resting time

1

minute

Total time

1

hour 

50

minutes

These delicious homemade vegan bagels are soft, chewy, and much healthier than store bought. You can make them with whatever toppings you want! They make the perfect breakfast idea for the week. Eat it as is, with some vegan cream cheese, butter, jelly, or as a veggie sandwich!

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour

• 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water

• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 teaspoon brown sugar

• 2 tablespoon sunflower oil

• seeds for garnish

Directions

• Dissolve 1 tsp of sugar into ½ cup of lukewarm water, add dry yeast and mix everything well. Cover a bowl with a towel and set aside for 10-15 mins, yeast will “wake up” and grow in size.
• In a large bowl mix flour, salt and 1 tsp of sugar.
• When the yeast is ready, add it into a bowl with flour. Add oil and remaining water, stir to combine and knead everything with a mixer, with a dough hook, or with your hands for about 10 mins, until a smooth dough forms.
• Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a slightly wet towel and set aside for 1 hour to rest.
• The dough should grow 2 or even 3 times larger in size.
• Roll the dough and cut into 12 equal pieces.
• Shape each piece into a ball. With a finger make a small hole in the center, then stretch it with one more finger and spin around a few times.
• Place all the dough rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• In the meantime, bring a pot of water to boil, add 1 tsp sugar in it. Then preheat the oven to 420F.
• Carefully place the bagels into a pot with boiling water, not too many, maybe 2-3 at a time. Simmer for 1 minute each side and remove with a sieve or slotted spoon.
• Place the bagels on the baking sheet lined with paper and sprinkle with your favorite seeds.
• Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins. Then remove, let them cool a little, but not too much. Enjoy your warm homemade bagels!

Notes

• These homemade bagels should be eaten within 3 days. The longer that they stay out, they will harden and start to become stale.
• Store the bagels at room temperature in a sealed paper bag, ziplock bag or a covered container.
• Freeze bagels for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or container. Make sure to defrost at room temperature for a few hours when you're ready to eat it again. Once defrosted, just slice it and heat in the toaster.
• Do not refrigerate your bagels as this will cause them to go stale.

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Nutritional Information

This nutrition card is calculated by a third party app and is only an estimate. The numbers will vary based on the specific ingredient amounts and brands you use in making this recipe.

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Anaiah Michelle

Hi! I'm the founder of Speak Veggie To Me, a fun health and food blog where I share my favorite mouthwatering vegan and vegetarian recipes.

www.speakveggietome.com/about