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This Easy 3-Ingredient Bagel Recipe Is Higher in Protein, Lower in Carbs + Bakes Up Fast

Flex your home baking skills with this bagel recipe — no lengthy kneading or rise times required!

Do you ever feel sluggish after eating a bagel? The chewy breakfast favorite is carb heavy, meaning it can cause a blood sugar spike and then a drop in about an hour. (No wonder my favorite poppy seed and cream cheese bagel leaves me feeling sleepy mid-morning — a time when I need as much energy as I can get!) However, I am determined not to give up my favorite morning treat, and so I went digging online for low-carb recipes. That’s what led me to this easy, delicious recipe for baked bagels. The best part? One homemade bagel has about 30% less carbs than the store-bought kind. Keep reading to learn how to make low-carb bagels using just 3 pantry staples!

The ingredients in traditional bagels

Traditional bagels are made with a dough containing flour, yeast, salt, sugar and other ingredients. Unless they’re left plain, the bagels are topped with sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning or poppy seeds before baking. This creates a bagel with a soft and chewy interior and crunchy exterior. But it’s also high in carbs — which can lead to a slow metabolism and weight gain when consumed in excess. The good news: You don’t have to give your morning bagel entirely. Simply use 3 ingredients to make a batch of low-carb yet filling bagels!

Making 3-ingredient bagels

Unlike standard bagels, the low-carb kind only requires Greek yogurt, self-rising flour and an egg. The yogurt and flour are combined to form a dough, shaped into bagels, brushed with beaten egg and then baked. Before you know it, you’ll have soft and tangy bagels that require very little kneading and no lengthy rise times. Plus, a 3-ingredient bagel contains about 24 grams of carbs along with 10 grams of protein (another nutrient that supports a healthy metabolism). This is largely thanks to the yogurt, which goes through a straining process to develop its thick consistency and boost its nutritional content. By comparison, a small store-bought bagel provides 36 grams of carbs and 7 grams of protein. These homemade bagels are the clear winner as they’re pillow, nutritious and easy to make from scratch. (Click through to our story on protein bread for weight loss.)

How to make 3-ingredient protein bagels

Below, you can find this quick bagel recipe from the Best Recipe Box food blog. To make this bagel more filling, turn it into a sandwich by stuffing it with sliced turkey breast or thinly-sliced tofu and your favorite salad greens or condiments. You can also fill it with sautéed egg whites, spinach and cheese. Yum!

Easy Baked Bagels

Homemade 3-ingredient bagels on a plate
Jenna Cartusciello

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup self-rising flour + more
  • 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning or other coatings (optional)

Directions:

  • Yield: 4 bagels
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
  2. Combine flour and yogurt in bowl. Knead about 30 seconds. Dough should be slightly sticky. Add a few extra tsp. flour if too sticky. (Note: Don’t add too much flour, which will make bagels tough.)
  3. Split dough into 4 even-sized parts. Lightly flour hands. Roll each piece into ball. Lightly flour finger; poke hole through center. Gently stretch out the center to create 1-inch opening.
  4. Place bagels on prepared baking sheet. Let them rest and rise; 15 minutes. Brush bagel tops with beaten. Sprinkle seasonings on bagels, if desired.
  5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Rotate sheet pan halfway through bake. Once lightly browned, increase temperature to 400°F. Bake another 4 to 5 for deeply browned crust.
  6. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

My Taste Test

I have to admit it: I was a little skeptical that these bagels would taste good. I love an authentic boiled, chewy bagel, so I worried that mine wouldn’t have the right texture. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. Though they didn’t taste or look exactly like authentic bagels, they were pretty darn good — they came out incredibly soft and moist. The slight sourness from the yogurt and squishy texture reminded me of a British crumpet. Also, they look somewhat burned (they browned very quickly at the end!), but didn’t have a burned flavor. I even melted a slice of provolone cheese on one, which made for a delicious, savory option.

Unfortunately, the holes I created entirely disappeared when the dough rose in the oven; of course, this didn’t affect the taste at all! But if you want yours to resemble traditional bagels, make sure you really stretch out the center holes before baking. Overall, I’m so happy I discovered this recipe — I plan to make a couple trays of bagels in bulk and freeze them, so I always have some handy for a quick breakfast.


For more delicious and nutritious breakfast options, check out these dishes below!

These Egg White Frittata Bites Are a Tasty Protein-Packed Treat + Bake in 15 Minutes!

Whip up Valerie Bertinelli’s 10-Minute Healthy Breakfast Cookies (Yes, You Read That Right!)

Eating This “Lazy” Cake for Breakfast is Totally Healthy (And It’s Fast To Make, Too!)

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.

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