Red Meat Allergy Friendly Classic Bagels
Chewy, golden, and deeply satisfying, these homemade bagels are the kind of bake that makes you wonder why you ever bought them from a store. The dough comes together with just yeast, bread flour, salt, sugar, and water — a beautifully simple lineup that happens to be completely free of red meat and any hidden animal-derived additives that can sneak into commercial versions. The real magic happens in the boiling step, where barley malt syrup, baking soda, and sugar give each bagel that signature glossy crust and pleasantly dense, chewy crumb you just can't fake. A brush of egg white before baking locks in a beautiful shine, and a shower of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning takes them over the top. For anyone navigating a red meat allergy, these are a genuinely safe and satisfying option — every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify. Pull them from the oven when they're deep golden brown, let them cool just long enough to slice cleanly, and get ready to ruin store-bought bagels for yourself forever.
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Learn more →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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