Pescatarian Classic Bagels

Total time2 hr 20 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time25 min

5.0

(15)

Few things hit quite like a freshly baked bagel still warm from the oven, and making them from scratch at home is more achievable than most people think. The dough comes together with just five pantry staples — bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and water — so there's nothing complicated standing between you and a genuinely great result. What sets a real bagel apart from a dinner roll with a hole is the boiling step: a quick bath in water spiked with barley malt syrup, baking soda, and sugar gives each one that signature chewy crust and subtle sheen before it ever sees the oven. A brush of egg white and a shower of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning takes them from homemade to bakery-worthy in about thirty seconds. These are completely meat-free by nature — built entirely on flour, water, and a handful of pantry staples — so they fit a pescatarian table without any substitutions or workarounds. Pull them out of the oven when they're a deep, burnished gold and try to wait the full fifteen minutes before slicing. You probably won't make it.

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough

1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½ tsp fine salt

For the boiling water

2 tbsp barley malt syrup
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp granulated sugar

For topping

1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tbsp sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning (optional)

Instructions

1
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir briefly and let stand for 5–8 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.
2
Add the bread flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes to bring the dough together, then increase to medium speed and knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, stiff, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should feel firm and not tacky — stiffer than a typical bread dough.

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