High Protein Bagels

These high protein bagels are vegan and an easy and healthy breakfast option made with 2 main ingredients that provide 12 grams of high quality plant based protein per bagel.

If you are in need of a make ahead breakfast option that is healthier and higher in protein, have you considered bagels? I know many wouldn’t think of bagels in a scenario like this, but these bagels use 2 ingredients that help hit these nutrition marks. No yeast is needed and no rising required. Just form the dough, boil for a few minutes and bake. It’s really that simple.

Why You’ll Love These Spelt Bagels

Easy to make. No yeast or rising time required. Just a handful of high quality ingredients are needed to make these bagels.

High in protein and fiber. Thanks to the combination of sprouted spelt flour and tofu used to make the dough, these bagels provide up to 12 grams of high quality protein.

Great to prep ahead. Make a batch and store to have them ready when you need them. Perfect to prep ahead for an easy grab and go breakfast option when you’re in a rush.

Wholesome ingredients. Not only are these bagels yummy, but they prioritize good quality ingredients like Sprouted Spelt Flour.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Water Bath
2 quarts of water
2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp brown sugar

Bagels
2 cups (283g) One Degree Organics Sprouted Spelt Flour
1 cup (245g) Silken Tofu
2 1/2 tsp (10g) baking powder
2 tsp (8g) brown sugar
3/4 tsp (3g) kosher salt
1 tbsp plant based milk or 2 tsp avocado oil
Everything Seasoning or Sesame Seeds for topping, Optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450F. Make the water bath by combining 2 quarts of water to a large pot along with the baking soda and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and prepare your dough.

To a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and whisk to combine. Add the tofu and start to mix everything together with a spatula. Once a rough dough forms, start mixing the dough together with clean hands. Transfer the dough to a well floured surface and knead the dough until it is nice and smooth.

Cut the dough evenly into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a round, smooth dough ball. Lightly flatten the dough and poke a hole through the center with your finger. Carefully pull the hole and use your hands to form the classic bagel shape. Repeat this with the remaining dough.

Place each bagel into the pot of boiling water. The bagels will sink at first, but should rise to the top after a few seconds of cooking. Cook the dough for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove the dough from the water and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush your bagel with plant based milk or a little oil. If adding toppings, sprinkle or dip the brushed side of the bagel in any toppings of your choice. Place the bagels on the baking tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before enjoying.

Expert Tips

Knead your dough until it is smooth. Kneading the dough helps to activate the gluten in the flour to give the dough more structure when it cooks. Making sure the dough is smooth will also help to prevent your dough from cracking when it is boiling and baking.

Add baking soda and brown sugar to your boiling water. This will impact the color, taste and texture of your bagels. Boiling the dough helps gelatinize the outside of your bagel, so when it bakes you get a chewier outside texture that also browns better. The brown sugar also helps to further flavor your bagel and acts as a substitute to malt that is generally used in commercial bagel preparation. That malt gives those bagels a more classic bagel flavor.

Make a big enough hole in your bagel dough. Your dough will puff up when it starts to cook. If the bagel hole is too small, it will close up when it cooks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you boil bagels?
Boiling your bagels helps to initiate the cooking process by gelatinizing the outside of the dough. Doing this initial step impacts the way the dough cooks once it is baked, giving it more of that shinier pretzel like outside that is commonly seen with commercial bagels. Adding the baking soda and brown sugar further impacts the look and feel of your bagels. You get a richer and darker browning on the outside of your bagel along with the more classic malted flavor associated with the bagels. For more on this bagel science, highly recommend this article.

Where is the protein in this bagel coming from?
Commercial bagels naturally contain a smaller amount of protein, so you need to add protein-rich foods to make them higher in protein. The benefit of combining the sprouted spelt flour along with tofu in this recipe is that you end up with a more protein and fiber rich dough. Having more protein and fiber in a meal helps to better manage blood sugars and keep you feeling more satisfied after a meal.

Can this be made soy free?
Yes. Swap the tofu for your favorite thick plain unsweetened plant based yogurt. Since the moisture of yogurt can vary, you may need to add more flour if the dough is too wet or more yogurt if the dough is too dry.

How long do these bagels last?
Once completely cooled, store your bagels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For long term use, cut the bagels in half and store in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Cutting the bagels in half before freezing will make it easier to toast up later without having to wait for a whole bagel to thaw.

How to Serve
Once they are safe to handle, cut your bagel and spread with your favorite toppings. For something savory, you can make your own vegan cream “cheese” spread and top it on an everything bagel with capers and pickled onions. I also love turning these into breakfast sandwiches using my favorite scramble and some avocado as well.

To make it sweet, use a plain or sesame topped bagel and spread with some peanut butter and your favorite jam or any of your favorite sliced fruit like bananas. You can also turn these sweet ideas into a sandwich and toast them up stuffed with a few chocolate chips if you want a super special treat.