Ways You Never Thought To Use Bagels

There's nothing better than French toast for a lazy weekend breakfast, but getting it right can be tricky. If you use the wrong bread it can turn into something not-so-beloved pretty quickly. Use bagels instead of more traditional bread slices and you'll find the chewy, dense texture is exactly what you need to capture all the flavor of French toast and not turn it into a soggy mess.

Averie Cooks has come up with a delicious version of bagel French toast that finishes it off in the oven for a super-easy meal. For fans of cinnamon raisin bagels, there's a version for you, too, from Heartbeet Kitchen. Their cinnamon raisin bagel French toast is coated with a creme fraiche that makes this one look much more complicated than it is, and it's sure to be a hit on any morning. And, if you're looking for something more traditional, try this recipe from Kim's Cravings. Whip up a batch of this with a hint of cinnamon, some amazing egg custard, and whatever fresh fruit is in season, and you'll never use bread again.

Even if you regularly make your own croutons, you might just start using bagels as your go-to bread after you try this recipe from Patch. Not only is it super-easy, but it only takes about 15 minutes. Add in the fact that the flavor of whatever bagel you choose is going to turn into the perfect salad garnish, and you have a winning recipe that puts regular bread to shame. After just a few minutes in the oven, your shredded bagel pieces will crisp up as they cool, and your Caesar salads will never be the same when they're topped with croutons that started out as a red onion or an everything bagel.

There's a bagel that's perfect for every salad, and there's one for every soup, too. If you're in doubt, check out this recipe from In My Bowl for smoked tomato soup with sesame bagel croutons, and see if you agree that not only does this tomato soup hit the spot, but that croutons made from a sesame seed bagel are the perfect accompaniment.

This brilliant concept comes from Recipe Girl, and she's completely re-envisioned how you think of not only bagels, but quiche. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want, and the basics are easy. Just slice off the top of a bagel, pull out the extra bread inside to leave just the crust, then fill with eggs and whatever other ingredients strike your fancy, then bake.

She adds things like chopped vegetables and a dash of cheese, but the sky's the limit for this one. Add cheddar and jalapenos with a handful of crumbled chorizo for something spicy, or make a tasty breakfast quiche from some sausage, ham, bacon, and peppers. From start to finish this is only going to take you about half an hour to make — including a 20 minute bake time — and that makes it perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or those afternoons when you find yourself craving a quick snack.

Breadcrumbs are a secret ingredient in so many dishes, and while you can definitely pick some up at the store, you can also use those aging bagels to make your own. Run Wiki found this to be a great way to make low-carb breadcrumbs, and it's a simple process. Just cut the bagels in half, bake (or toast) until they're starting to brown, then let them cool. A food processor will do the rest, and you'll not only have homemade breadcrumbs, but using everything or red onion bagels will give them a whole new flavor that you just can't get with breadcrumbs from the store.

There's no end to the use for these, either, especially if you use some of everyone's favorite everything bagels. With their unique flavor, they're perfect for adding a bit of extra depth to your meatloaf and meatballs, but don't stop there. Kitchen Konfidence found that everything bagel spice mix is great when those breadcrumbs are sprinkled over smoked salmon deviled eggs, and while they just mix the seasoning with breadcrumbs before adding to the eggs, there's no reason you can't skip the middle part and just use bagel breadcrumbs!

These go-to party finger foods are a great way to impress, and there are so many ways to serve them. While you might be tempted to use standard crackers, homemade bagel chips make the ideal base for canapes. They're crunchy, crispy, and firm, and not only does that mean they're not going to fall apart when you pick them up, but they're going to add a whole different level of texture to your one-bite appetizers.

Start by making your own bagel chips, then, go nuts! Remember, thicker bagel chips will hold up to the moisture of some canape ingredients, making them even more versatile than crackers. For a great example of a canape that might not work with a flimsy base, check out these beetroot and pineapple canapes from Healing Tomato. With rum-roasted pineapples, plenty of seasoning, and even some ice cream, these vegan canapes will please even the most steadfast meat-eater.

There's nothing quite like a hot bowl of soup on a cold, damp day, and if French onion soup is on your list of favorites, you know how important the bread is. Every cook knows just how important texture can be, and let's face it, the soggy, bread that's sometimes inevitable in French onion soup can be a turnoff for some. Yes, More Please has come up with a brilliant solution to that, and it's simply to cut your favorite bagel in half for a topping that's going to soak up all that onion flavor while staying slightly firm and just a little bit chewy. They chose pumpernickel bagels for their recipe, but it can be just as tasty with everything from a plain bagel to an onion bagel for an extra dose of flavor. As an added bonus, it's probably even the perfect size and shape for those stoneware crocks you keep just for French onion soup.

So, you picked up a package of bagels only to have them get pushed to the back of the cupboard and lost in the shuffle. They're stale beyond belief, well past their expiration date, and you just can't bring yourself to use them as croutons. There's no reason to throw them out, though, and the National Wildlife Federation recommends using them as part of a fun family project to feed someone outside your home: the birds.

Just smear the bagels with peanut butter, and roll them in bird seed. Thread some yarn or twine through the hole in the center, then hang from a nearby tree. When it comes to preparing meals, there's nothing that says your feathered friends outside need to be left out, and not only will they appreciate it — especially in the winter months — but it's a great way to help make sure nothing goes to waste.