Bagel

A bagel is a dense, chewy bread roll shaped into a ring. It originated among Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Poland, and the name comes from the Yiddish beygl, with roots linked to the idea of a ring. Bagels are distinguished by their shiny crust and a soft, compact interior, which results from boiling the dough before baking.

Most bagels are made from high‑protein wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt. Some recipes include barley malt or sugar in the dough, and the dough may be sweetened slightly. After shaping into rings, the dough is allowed to rise and then boiled briefly in water (often with malt or sugar in the bath) before being baked. This boil-and-bake process helps create the crust and chewy crumb characteristic of bagels.

There are several regional styles. New York–style bagels are typically large, very chewy, and glossy, often associated with deli culture. Montreal-style bagels are smaller, denser, and sweeter, traditionally boiled in honey-water and baked in a wood-fired oven. Bagels come in many varieties and toppings, including plain, sesame, poppy seed, onion, garlic, and the popular everything bagel, which combines seeds and seasonings.

In cuisine, bagels are commonly eaten at breakfast or lunch and popular for bagel-and-cream-cheese sandwiches, such as those with smoked fish or other spreads. They are widely available in bakeries and delis worldwide, and can be made with white or whole-grain flours, as well as other grain blends. Bagels are nutrient-dense relative to many other bread products due to their density.