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
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon 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 teaspoon 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 teaspoon 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!
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
Ingredients
- 3 ½ teaspoon dry yeast
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 ⅓ cups lukewarm water
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon sunflower oil
- seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon 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 teaspoon 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 teaspoon 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
Nutrition
* 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.
Did you try this?
Please let me know how these Easy Homemade Vegan Bagels turned out for you! Leave a comment and rating below and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter if you want to receive recipes, meal plans, and special offers in your inbox.
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.
mihaela
I didn't know the method for making bagels; thanks for explaining the steps in detail!
Lucy
These bagels are so easy to make! They're delicious with such a soft light texture. So much better and healthier than store bought, I'll always make my own from now on with your great recipe! I love how they can be customised in so many different ways. Thank you for sharing.
Alyssa Hixenbaugh
I love making homemade bagels! Your recipe looks so simple and delicious. 🙂
abhi
So tempting! I can't wait to try this recipe!
Addie
Can’t believe how good these were!!!
Nora
I love bagels! Until now, I always bought them at our bakery, but from now on I make them myself, thanks to your recipe! Thank you so much!
Gregory Halpen
These look incredible and look like bakery fresh bagels! I love how your recipe is easy to understand too.
Michael
Bagels are one of my favorites and my wife made this recipe this weekend and it has been the perfect breakfast all week! I can't get enough!
Sue
My hand is up high because I LOVE bagels! I've never made my own - need to try this for sure!!
Freya
These turned out so perfectly and tasted much nicer than shop bought ones. I loved the toppings options too!
Holly
I love bagels and eat them almost daily for breakfast! Thank you for providing such detailed and easy-to-follow instructions!
Kayla DiMaggio
I'm pretty sure that my blood is fueled by bagels, I eat them every morning! This was so tasty and delicious but best of all, simple to make! I love that I can make these on a weekend and have fresh, non processed bagels all week long!
Daniela Weiner
such an easy bagel recipe! thank you for all the details
Gus
I will definitely make these soon! I love all kinds of bagels, and the ingredients here look like the deal to me!
Choclette
Homemade bagels really are the best. I haven't made any in such a long time and now you've inspired me to bake up a batch. Love all your different toppings.
Julia Y
Love bagels! You make it sound so easy. I love that you can add so many different toppings, which would help in my house as everyone seems to have a different favourite.
Beth
My daughter is going to love helping me make these bagels! So fun and looks so delicious! Very excited!
Michele
These were so good. We will be making these again!
Jill
These look fantastic, especially with all the topping variations. Now I'm craving a bagel! Looking forward to trying your recipe.
Biana
Thank you for step by step process for making bagels! They look amazing, love that they are simple to make, too.
Kechi
Oh, wow! I never knew making bagels is this easy; am definitely trying this! Thanks so much for sharing!
Marinela
So fluffy and they smell like home! Love this bagels recipe!