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Vegans avoid products that originate from animals, including meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and any other animal obtained foods or additives. However, it’s not always transparent, which foods are vegan, especially baked items that may contain ingredients that are not instantly recognizable.
Bagels are famous as doughnut-shaped bread that comes in a variety of flavorings, ranging from plain, sugary to exquisite. Plus, they can be filled with an almost infinite array of toppings.
This article explains how to determine whether a bagel is vegan or not.
Contents
Vegan vs. Non-Vegan Bagels
Bagels are usually made from a mere yeasted dough that is further shaped like a doughnut. They are boiled, dried, and then baked in an oven.
Depending on its ingredients and fillers, a bagel may or may not be vegan, let’s find out more about these ingredients.
Regular bagels are vegan!
A basic bagel holds the following vegan ingredients
- Body Ingredient: Wheat flour is commonly used, resulting in a strong, glutinous dough and dense, chewy texture.
- Rising Agent: Yeast ferments the sugar in the dough, releasing carbon dioxide and causing the dough to rise. (yeast still remains a controversial ingredient among many vegans, but many vegans consider yeast as a vegan. P.S vegan yeast is available in the market too!)
- Salt: This mineral aids toughen gluten strands, control the yeast, and supplement flavour.
- Moisture Maker: Traditionally, solely water is used to generate moisture and bind ingredients together.
- Sweetener: This can be from plain sugar, barley malt syrup, molasses, corn syrup, or even a malt extract.
- Fat: Few recipes call for vegetable oil to enhance the crumb of the glazed bagel.
- Additional Ingredients: To add flavour, colour, and texture, such as fruits, seeds, grains, nuts, vegetables, berries, herbs, and spices.
What makes a bagel non-vegan?
Some bagel recipes or market-bought products may constitute non-vegan ingredients, such as:
1. Honey: Several recipes use honey or honey powder by replacing sugar or malt.
2. Eggs: These are sometimes mixed with the dough for flavor and colour and to glaze a bagel for some shine.
3. Milk: In some recipes, milk is used in place of water.
4. L-cysteine: This amino acid and dough softener is seldom used in store-bought bagel products. It’s normally obtained from human hair or poultry feathers.
Additionally, many bagel fillings or toppings are not considered vegan, including:
1. Dairy products: cream cheese, hard cheese, whipped cream, etc.
2. Meats: beef, ham, turkey, chicken, etc.
3. Fish: smoked salmon, canned tuna, caviar, etc.
4. Eggs: including in sauces like hollandaise or mayonnaise
5. Basically, any ingredient that’s obtained from an animal will make a bagel inappropriate for vegans.
Make your own bagels
Many recipes for bagels are vegan-friendly, and by preparing them at home, you can control precisely what goes into them. Plus, many vegan ingredients can add flavor and character to your bagels.
Vegan Bagels Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g (1 cup) brown rice flour
- 100 g (4/5 cup) rice flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, but anything with apple cider tastes better!)
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) water
To decorate:
- :Poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning etc
Instructions
- Mix together all the ingredients for the bagels in a mixing bowl – add the water a little bit at a time until you get a firm dough that can be easily molded into shape (it’s better to add the water a bit at a time so that you don’t add too much)
- Divide the dough into six equal parts
- Use your hands to shape one part of the dough into a circular patty
- Place on a square of baking paper slightly bigger than the size of the patty and place on a plate
- Repeat for the rest of the dough
- Use a chopstick or your finger to make a small hole in the center of all the patties
- Sprinkle over seeds to decorate, if desired
- Preheat the oven to 180Degree C (350 degrees F)
- Place a small amount of water in the bottom of the wide-bottomed pan with a steaming colander inside it Bring the water to the boil
- Once the water is boiling, carefully place the bagels into the steaming colander (with the baking paper still underneath them)
- Place a lid over the pan and steam for 7 minutes – you might have to do this in two batches depending on the size of your steaming colander
- Transfer the steamed bagels onto a baking tray lined with baking paper – remove the squares from the bottom of the bagels before placing them on the baking tray
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the surface, has crisped up
- Leave to cool completely before slicing
- These bagels keep well covered in the fridge for a few days – best toasted before eating
Nutrition Facts
Gluten-Free Vegan Bagels
Amount Per Serving 1 nos.
| Calories | 164 Calories |
| Fat | 1 gm |
| Saturated Fat | 1 gm |
| Sodium | 149 mg |
| Potassium | 354 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 36 gm |
| Fiber | 2 gm |
| Sugar | 1 mg |
| Protein | 3 mg |
| Calcium | 118 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg |
You can use these bagels to make Vegan bagel sandwiches or have it just like that!
Read the label
If you’re purchasing bagels from the market, check the ingredient list for any non-vegan items. The most notable ones to look out for are eggs, honey, honey powder, L-cysteine, milk, and milk products like casein, lactose, and whey.
L-cysteine should be specified by name or with the number E920. However, it may not be clear from the label whether the source is vegan. If you’re in doubt about a particular brand, reach the manufacturer to confirm the product’s vegan status.
Check for Vegan Certification
Most countries don’t govern the labelling of vegan goods by law. Still, many independent businesses, such as Certified Vegan, offer vegan certification of goods.
If you get a bagel with such a certification, it’s a good approach to check out the specifications of that organization to see whether they meet your expectations.
Keep in mind that a product may be vegan, notwithstanding being labelled as such. Hence, it’s still a good plan to check the ingredient list when choosing whether the product is best for you.
“Are bagels vegan?”…answered!
Bagels are more usually vegan than not, but few may contain egg, milk, honey, or L. cysteine. Luckily, dodging these ingredients is easier than ever, with most maximum restaurant and grocery store chains selling plenty of various kinds of vegan-friendly bagels.
And remember, a plain bagel is really merely a blank culinary canvas expecting to be painted with the goodness of vegan ingredients. So don’t be hesitant to explore with different toppings and flavour combinations. Once you’ve found a champion, let me know in the comments section below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do Vegans eat bagels?
Yes, they do! Vegans love bagels that are made from vegan ingredients only.
Do bagels have eggs or milk in them?
Eggs are sometimes mixed with the dough for flavour and colour and to glaze a bagel for some shine. In some recipes, milk is used in place of water.
Which Bagel brands are vegan?
1. The Plain Bagel
2. Blueberry Bagel
3. Cranberry Walnut Bagel
4. Sesame Seed Bagel
Why are bagels not vegan?
Some bagel recipes or market-bought products may constitute non-vegan ingredients, such as:
● Honey
● Eggs
● Milk
● L-cysteine
● Additionally, many bagel fillings or toppings are not considered vegan, including:
Dairy products: cream cheese, hard cheese, whipped cream, etc.
Meats: beef, ham, turkey, chicken, etc.
Fish
She is a true vegan concept lover by heart. Over 5 years of experience she is a professional foodie and nutrition decoder. Her every writing is researched based and she strictly sticks to scientific facts and figures. Along with vegan food she is here to explain and change lifestyle into a true vegan! Her honest and to the point writing will make you carry away in her vegan world!
