Step aside, famous NYC bagel joints, your secret is out. We’ve drooled over every cross-sectioned bagel we see while scrolling through our Instagram feeds, but your bagels aren’t always accessible. So now it’s time to make our own versions of these simple, yet life-changing sandwiches. How hard can it be?
After looking at countless avocado-stuffed, cheese-stuffed, chocolate-stuffed, and unicorn dust-stuffed bagels, I’ve realized there are three key components to a perfect, food porn-worthy bagel, better known as the 3 E’s:
Excess: Think you’ve smothered enough cream cheese? You haven’t, put more.
Extreme: The more fillings, the better. Bonus points if you can barely get a grip on it.
Eye-catching: It only counts if it makes everyone Insta-hungry.
So now that you know the secret to a bagel’s success, get some inspo from these bagel monsters. Think of them as your bagel journey starter pack: a bagel for everyone and every occasion.
For the One With the Sweet Tooth
Photo by Kennedy Taylor Choi
Ingredients:
Plain bagel
Nutella
All-natural Peanut butter
Crushed M&M’s
Why it works:
The key to this bagels success is the balance of sweetness. Since Nutella is super sweet, the peanut butter used is all-natural and without added sugar. This prevents the bagel from being sickeningly sweet, yet totally luxurious.
Version 2.0:
Speculoos Cookie Butter + Whipped cream + Dark chocolate chips
Game changer:
Cinnamon. Add this spice to your sugar and make everything nice.
For the Health-Conscious
Photo by Kennedy Taylor Choi
Ingredients:
Multi-grain bagel
Hummus
Baby spinach
Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes
Why it works:
What makes this bagel great is how refreshing it is – the water-loaded veggies fill you up without weighing you down. The equation is simple: more ingredients = more likes, but most importantly, more nutrients.
Version 2.0:
Baba Ganoush + Shredded carrot + Shredded purple cabbage + Kale
Game changer:
Chia seeds. Add a sprinkle to keep you full and in control of your cravings.
For the Breakfast Lovers
Photo by Kennedy Taylor Choi
Ingredients:
Plain bagel
Cheddar cheese
Swiss cheese
Kielbasa
Scrambled eggs
Why it works:
The savory ingredients are complementary but it’s the textures that make this bagel delish. We have the creamy gooeyness of the cheeses balancing the hearty sausage and fluffy eggs.
Version 2.0:
Smoked cheese + Fried egg + Bacon
Game changer:
Shredded hashbrowns. Add this to any breakfast bagel and become a legend.