Name: Red Lentil Bagels
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2/3 cup dry red lentils (150 grams); 1 ¼ cup boiling water to soak lentils (300 ml); 1 tbsp white vinegar, lemon juice or yogurt to soak lentils; scant ¼ cup psyllium husk (20 grams); 2 tbsp olive oil (20 grams); 1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml); ¼ cup almond meal/almond flour/whole grain flour (30 grams) ( OPTIONAL); 1/3 to 1/2 cup water for the dough (120 ml); ¼ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ cup mixed seeds ( pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)

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These gluten-free red lentil bagels are a delicious, healthier twist on the classic bagel, blending the rich, nutty flavor of red lentils with a chewy texture. I love them so much that I usually double the recipe; thankfully, they freeze well and are perfect for nutrient-dense meals and snacks.

A light blue plate with baked bagel topped with seeds.

GLUTEN-FREE RECIPE FOR RED LENTIL BAGELS

These legume gluten-free bagels have been a significant, welcomed change to my daily eats. I enjoy red lentil or chickpea bagels about 4 times a week. Sometimes in the morning and other days in the evening. In the short time since June 2024, they have become a staple in my freezer. I love that they freeze well, and I can enjoy them anytime. They offer a flexible blank canvas for a variety of sweet and savory toppings – more about the serving suggestions at the bottom of this post.

Baking sheet
Parchment or Silicone Baking Mat
Food Processor
Mesh Sieve

A place with baked bagels, one of them sliced open, showing texture inside.

LEGUME BAGEL INGREDIENTS

Dry Red Lentils (can be substituted with dry chickpeas and black beans)
Hot Water to soak lentils
Psyllium Husk
Almond Flour/Almond Meal (optional)
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed or lime juice can be used as a substitute)
Water (to make the dough)
Salt
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Seeds (for example, pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds)

Bowls with ingredients for gluten-free bagels.

SOAK

This recipe requires that legumes, in this case red lentils, be soaked in water with a little vinegar or lemon juice for 8-12 hours and up to 24 hours. I add vinegar/lemon juice to the soaking water to neutralize phytic acid.

It’s very important to rinse soaked red lentils under running water.

Legumes in a sieve, water running through them.

DOUGH

You’ll need a food processor to make the dough. 1st, I blend the lentils with about 3/4 of the water listed for the dough in the recipe. Give it a good minute or two until you have a paste-like texture (steps 1-2). Then add the remaining ingredients, except baking powder and baking soda, and blend or pulse until a somewhat sticky dough forms (steps 3-6). Lastly, add both leavening agents (baking soda and baking powder) and give the legume dough about 10 quick pulses to blend (steps 7-8).

SHAPE THE BAGELS

Scrape out the dough onto a large plate, wet your hand, and shape it into a disk (steps 1-4). Divide the dough into four equal parts and shape them into buns (steps 5-6).

COAT BAGELS IN SEED TOPPINGS

The choice of toppings is up to you. I use a mix of pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds.

A plate with pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds.

Dip shaped buns in the seed mix from both sides (steps 1-4).

A white plate with seeds, a hand holding a bagel dipped in seeds.

To make a hole in the middle, you can use your finger or the end of the wooden spoon. It’s better to make the hole larger, as bagels will spread slightly in the oven. Place bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment (steps 1-4). Or you can make these without the hole and make them as buns instead of bagels.

A hand holding a wooden spoon, making a hole in a bagel.

Unbaked bagels dipped in seeds on a parchment paper lined baking sheets.

BAKE BAGELS

Bake bagels in the preheated oven at 375F (190C) for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Baked bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

WHAT IS THE TEXTURE LIKE?

Red lentil bagels have a dense yet soft, chewy texture with a crusty exterior and a slightly nutty flavor.

A hand holding a sliced bagel, showing the texture.

CAN I USE CHICKPEAS TO MAKE THE BAGELS?

Yes, chickpeas make a good substitute for red lentils. The dough is lighter in color, and baked bagels are more brown than red, like red lentil ones (steps 1-3).

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

One red lentil bagel contains (approximate values)
10.5 grams of protein
6.8 grams of dietary fiber

A detail, showing texture of sliced bagel. — Chickpea Bagel

BAGEL SERVING SUGGESTIONS

I’ve been making these since June 2024. I’ve tried them savory and sweet. My favorite way to eat these is to top them with creamy avocado, fresh chopped chives, and coarse Himalayan salt.

Serve bagels drizzled with olive oil, avocado, grilled veggies, and soft-boiled eggs.
Bagels are delicious, with canned tuna mixed with cottage cheese and chives.
Use my spinach pesto and spread some underneath the tomatoes or tuna.
Topped a sliced bagel with cottage cheese mixed with chives.
Drizzle the sliced bagel with good-quality olive oil, then spread creamed honey, melted chocolate, or nut butter over it. It’s a perfect sweet snack.

Plates with sliced bagels topped with tuna spread, avocado and chives with roasted vegetable on the side. — Bagel with avocado/ tuna, cottage cheese, onion, and chives.

Sliced bagel topped with sliced cherry tomatoes, avocado and chives. — Red lentil bagels drizzled with olive oil, cherry tomatoes/ avocado, chives, and coarse salt.

Bagels sliced and topped with pesto, and canned tuna with chives, and avocado and chives with coarse salt. — Bagels with spinach pesto, tuna, chives, and tomatoes.

A white plate with a sliced bagel topped with cottage cheese and chives, and olive oil with honey. — Bagels with cottage cheese/drizzled with olive oil and creamed honey.

MORE GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES

Gluten Free Cut out Cookie Recipe
Bread Recipe that is Gluten-Free (via The Loopy Whisk)
Almond Flour Cut-Out Cookies

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5 from 1 vote

Red Lentil Bagels

This recipe makes 4 red lentil bagels. Gabanzo beans, or black beans can be sustituted.

1 bagel=1 serving

Course Appetizer, bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword garbanzo bagels, gluten free, lentil bread, protein bread, red lentils bagels

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Legume Soaking Time 12

Servings 4 servings

Author Hani

Ingredients

2/3 cup dry red lentils (150 grams)
1 ¼ cup boiling water to soak lentils (300 ml)
1 tbsp white vinegar, lemon juice or yogurt to soak lentils
scant ¼ cup psyllium husk (20 grams)
2 tbsp olive oil (20 grams)
1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml)
¼ cup almond meal/almond flour/whole grain flour (30 grams) OPTIONAL
1/3 to 1/2 cup water for the dough (120 ml)
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup mixed seeds ( pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)

Instructions

Soak

Pour 1¼ cup( 300 ml) boiling water over red lentils, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, yogurt, or vinegar, stir it and soak for 12 hours. Rinse soaked red lentils well under running water.

Dough

Into the food processor add rinsed, soaked red lentils, about 1/3 cup of water for the dough (reserve the rest if needed). Blend for about a minute or two, until lentils are broken up into a somewhat runny paste.
Into the blended red lentils add scant 1/4 cup (20 grams) psyllium husk, 1/4 cup (30 grams) almond meal/flour (optional), 1 tablespoon (15ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons (20 grams) olive oil and 1 teaspoon table salt. Blend until well combined and thick, somewhat sticky dough forms.
If the dough is too dry add a little more water.
Lastly add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, give it about 5-10 pulses.

Shape Bagels

Invert the slightly sticky dough onto the work on a plate. Lightly wet your hands and shape the dough into a ball, flatten it slightly. Cut it into 4 equal parts.
Shape each piece into a ball, flatten slightly, dip both sides into the seeds and place buns onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat.
Make a hole in the middle of each bun. Use a back of a wooden spoon. Make the hole bigger than you think it should be, dough will spread a little in the oven.
Bake red lentil bagels at 375F (190C) for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool before serving.

Video

Notes

Can I double this recipe? Yes, the recipe can be successfully doubled.
I want to freeze these lentil bagels. Can I do that? These bagels freeze well. Allow to defrost before serving. They can be reheated slightly in the microwave.
What to serve with red lentil bagels? The possibilities are endless. I love them with avocado, drizzled with olive oil, and creamed honey, tuna and chives with apples. Cottage cheese, spinach pesto, eggs. Please check my serving suggestions in the recipe post. Enjoy.
Can I use other legumes? I’ve made these with black beans and garbanzo beans, and they both were terrific.
This recipe is adapted from Dominique Ludwig