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Sourdough discard is the secret ingredient for the best chewy protein bagels recipe! With approximately 160 calories and 9 grams protein, you can top them with eggs or cottage cheese to bump up the protein even more. They’re a great breakfast to fuel busy mornings, and bonus, they’re freezer-friendly and perfect for meal prep!
Bagels are a breakfast staple, but because they’re so carb-heavy (and typically protein-light), they don’t do a great job of keeping you full until lunch. You’ve probably seen the viral protein bagels trend on social media, and this version is my sourdough discard spin on that. (Side Note: If you know who created the protein bagel trend, please let me know so I can credit them!) This higher-protein alternative is easy to make, incredibly satisfying, versatile enough for any meal of the day, and of course, deliciously chewy.
Whether you want to get more protein into your diet, use up some sourdough discard, or just love a good bagel, this one is worth a try.
What Are Protein Bagels?
Protein bagels are a higher-protein twist on traditional bagels. Instead of relying solely on refined flour, these bagels are made with ingredients that naturally boost the protein content, such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and/or protein powder. In their simplest form, these viral bagels contain just two ingredients, self-rising flour (which is all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt) and plain Greek yogurt. I’ve been dying to try them, but with my own spin: sourdough discard added to the mix!
These are soft and surprisingly chewy. (Full disclosure, don’t expect them to taste exactly like a regular bagel! However, for a healthier, higher-protein alternative that you can whip up in 30 minutes from start-to-finish, you’ll be surprised at how delicious they are. And yes, chewy!) These work well for breakfast sandwiches, a quick snack, or paired with your favorite schmear.
Why Make Your Own Protein Bagels?
Making protein bagels at home is easier than you might think. You can save money, control the ingredients, skip unnecessary additives, and customize them to your dietary and taste preferences. Here are a few benefits:
- Higher protein per serving, which is great for keeping you fuller longer. (TIP: Add high protein toppings like egg, cottage cheese, etc. to bump up the protein even more!) You can use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to make them. And they have about 160 calories per serving, which is quite a bit less than traditional bagels, so you can add delicious, nutrient-dense toppings to your heart’s content.
- Lower in carbs and sugar than classic bagels. And unlike store-bought low-carb and keto bagels, these don’t contain preservatives!
- If you keep sourdough starter on hand, you can add discard. It makes the bagels extra chewy and incorporates the benefits that come along with fermentation.
- They’re freezer-friendly, which makes them perfect for batch cooking and meal prep.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Flour – I wanted this recipe to use pantry staple ingredients that you most likely already have in your kitchen, so I developed and tested these bagels with all-purpose flour. Bread flour is another great option; it’s a bit higher in protein than all-purpose flour, so it’ll bump up the protein content and result in an even chewier bagel.
- Baking powder – The leavening agent.
- Salt – To season the bagels and make sure they aren’t bland.
- Plain nonfat Greek yogurt – Any kind of plain Greek yogurt will work, but nonfat is lower in calories and fat, and usually higher in protein than regular Greek yogurt.
- Sourdough discard – Sourdough discard enhances the flavor and helps create chewy bagels. Traditional bagels are quite a process; they’re made with yeasted dough (and of course all the accompanying rise times), boiled briefly, and then baked. This easy protein bagel recipe takes just 30 minutes to whip up from start-to-finish, so adding a touch of sourdough discard is a great way to help us achieve chewy and delicious results in a much shorter timeframe. (TIP: If you don’t have sourdough discard, bump up the Greek yogurt to 1 1/2 cups and keep everything else the same.)
- Olive oil – To oil your hands because the dough is a bit sticky. The olive oil will add a very subtle flavor (which I love), but you can use water to wet your hands if you prefer.
- Egg – We whisk an egg with a little water to make an egg wash to brush on top to help the bagels brown.
- Sesame seeds – For topping. Or you can use any bagel toppings you like, such as poppy seeds, everything but the bagel seasoning, dried minced onion, etc.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos to guide you through the process of making this recipe. For the recipe video, please see the recipe card below.
1: How to Make Protein Bagel Dough with Greek Yogurt
To prep, preheat the oven to 375F. Line a large baking tray with a piece of parchment paper.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the yogurt and sourdough to the bowl, and stir until it forms a shaggy dough.
- This is how the shaggy dough should look; trust the process and don’t be tempted to add anything! At this point, use your hands to knead a few times until it forms a smooth dough.
- The dough will be a bit tacky, but it should come together nicely and look like this.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
- Oil your hands or dip them in water. Roll each portion of dough into a ball; working with one ball at a time, insert a finger in the center, gently working it out to form the hole in the middle of each bagel.
- Another option to shape these bagels is to form each portion into a rope about 8 inches long and join the ends together to form a circle. Play around with it, and use whichever method is easiest for you!
2: How to Bake Protein Bagels
- Place the bagels spaced evenly apart on the prepared tray. Brush a little egg wash on top of each, and add any toppings you like.
- Bake until the bagels are puffed on top and golden on the bottom, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Cool 10 minutes, then slice and enjoy.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
After the first day, I like to reheat these for best flavor and texture. To do so, you can slice and toast them, or pop them whole into a 350F oven for 5 to 6 minutes or until warm.
Pro Tips for Perfect Protein Bagels
- Don’t over-knead the dough, just until smooth is enough.
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt for richer flavor, or non-fat Greek yogurt to reduce the fat and calories. Interestingly, non-fat Greek yogurt typically has a little bit more protein than regular Greek yogurt.
- To bump up the protein even more, serve these with toppings that are good sources of protein. Try egg, cream cheese, cottage cheese, nut butter, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Increase the Greek yogurt to 1 1/2 cups and keep everything else the same.
Yes! To do so, blend the same amount of cottage cheese and use that in place of the Greek yogurt. You might need to add a touch more flour if your cottage cheese was on the wetter side.
These bagels are delicious on their own, but toppings and fillings can take them to the next level. Here are a few nutritious ideas:
Cream cheese, smoked salmon, tomato, red onion, and capers.
Nut butter (go for no-sugar-added almond butter, peanut butter, etc.) and fresh berries or sliced banana.
Turkey, cheese, and greens.
Tuna and cheese (melted under the broiler to make a tuna melt!).
Chicken salad bagel sandwich with lettuce and tomato.
Egg, cheese, and avocado.
Hummus, cucumber, and tomato.
More Healthy Meal Prep Breakfast Ideas
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl
- High Protein Meal Prep Breakfast Sandwiches
- Apple Onion Chicken Breakfast Sausage
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
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Sourdough Discard Protein Bagels Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 300 grams plain nonfat Greek yogurt (about 1 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon)
- 6 tablespoons sourdough discard
- Olive oil for your hands (or water)
- 1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds or toppings of choice
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a large baking tray with a piece of parchment paper.
- Make the dough. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the yogurt and sourdough to the bowl, and stir until it forms a shaggy dough. At that point, use your hands to knead a few times until it forms a smooth dough. (The dough will be a bit tacky, but it should come together nicely.)
- Shape. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Oil your hands or dip them in water. Roll each portion of dough into a ball; working with one ball at a time, insert a finger in the center, gently working it out to form the hole in the middle of each bagel.
- Bake. Place the bagels spaced evenly apart on the prepared tray. Brush a little egg wash on top of each, and add any toppings you like. Bake until the bagels are puffed on top and golden on the bottom, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then slice and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: After the first day, I like to reheat these for best flavor and texture. To do so, you can slice and toast them, or pop them whole into a 350F oven for 5 to 6 minutes or until warm.
- If You Don’t Have Sourdough Discard: Increase the Greek yogurt to 1 1/2 cups and keep everything else the same.
- To Swap Out the Greek Yogurt For Cottage Cheese: Blend the same amount of cottage cheese and use that in place of the Greek yogurt. You might need to add a touch more flour if your cottage cheese was on the wetter side.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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