Protein Bagels with Cottage Cheese

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Whip up a batch of these quick and easy Protein Bagels with Cottage Cheese for breakfast or lunch in less than 30 minutes – they come out perfect!

Protein Bagels with Cottage Cheese

Remember my Greek yogurt bagels? They’re so last year! What’s new? Cottage cheese everything and anything! Cottage cheese is trending this year, and I’ve been using it in everything from my cottage cheese scrambled eggs, cottage cheese lasagna roll ups to savory cottage cheese bowls. These protein bagels are made with just 5 ingredients, plus toppings! You can make them in the oven or air fryer (my favorite way!). I basically swapped the yogurt in my bagel recipe for cottage cheese and it’s worked out beautifully. For extra protein, serve this with egg salad, chicken salad or turn it into a bacon egg and cheese breakfast bagel!

Why These Protein Bagels Work

Quick! No need to add yeast or wait for them to rise.
Easy! No fancy mixers needed, perfect for beginners.
Delicious! Nothing’s better than a warm, fresh baked bagel right out of the oven.
Can easily be made gluten-free! Just swap flour for Cup4Cup.
Make ahead and freeze! Let the bagels cool, then freeze wrapped tightly with foil. You can reheat in the oven or microwave.
Clean ingredients! No artificial ingredients added, just wholesome ingredients.

Protein Bagel Ingredients

Flour: This recipe works with unbleached all purpose flour, whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour mix such as Cup4Cup.
Baking Powder: For rising, make sure it’s not expired.
Kosher Salt: Also helps flour rise, I use kosher salt, if you use table salt you make have to cut in half.
Cottage Cheese: Use 1 cup 2% cottage cheese (I like Good Culture) and strain it in a mesh sieve so it’s thick.
Egg: 1 large egg or egg white, beaten (to help the toppings stick) If you can’t eat eggs, you can omit and just press them into the dough.
Optional toppings: If you like a plain bagel, no toppings needed. But if you like seasonings, try this with everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes, etc.

How To Make Protein Bagels

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well.
Strain Cottage Cheese so it’s Thick: Add the strained cottage cheese and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles. If you don’t strain it well, the dough will be sticky.
Knead: Using your clean hands, working in the bowl, knead the dough until it comes together and is smooth, tacky, but not sticky, about 2 minutes (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).
Form Into Bagels: Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form bagels. (or you can make a ball and poke a hole in the center then stretch it slightly)
Egg Wash: Brush with egg wash and sprinkle both sides with seasoning of your choice.
Air Fryer Method: Spray air fryer basket with oil. Transfer the bagels to the air fryer basket in batches without overcrowding and air fry 280F 15 to 16 minutes, or until golden. No need to turn. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting, this step is a must.
Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375F. Place parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet. If using parchment paper, spray with oil to avoid sticking.
Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting, this step is a must.

How Much Protein is in a Bagel?

The protein content of a bagel can vary depending on its size, ingredients, and preparation method. A plain, medium-sized protein bagel contains about 9 grams of protein. Specialty bagels with sesame seeds, poppy seed, or whole wheat, may contain a slightly higher protein content.

Air Fryer Must-Haves!

More Cottage Cheese Recipes:

Prep: 10

Cook: 12

rest time: 15

Total: 37

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 bagel

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour, or whole wheat or gluten-free mix like cup4cup, (5 oz total in weight)
▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder, make sure it’s not expired or it won’t rise
▢ 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, use less if using table salt
▢ 1 cup 2% cottage cheese, excess liquid strained well (I like Good Culture)
▢ 1 egg white, or 1 large egg, beaten
▢ optional: everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes

Instructions

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well. Add the strained cottage cheese and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles.
Using your clean hands, working in the bowl, knead the dough until it comes together and is smooth, tacky, but not sticky, about 2 minutes (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).
Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form bagels. (or you can make a ball and poke a hole in the center then stretch it slightly)
Top with egg wash and sprinkle both sides with seasoning of your choice.

Air Fryer Method:

Spray air fryer basket with oil. Transfer the bagels to the air fryer basket in batches without overcrowding and air fry 280F 15 to 16 minutes, or until golden. No need to turn.
Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting, this step is a must.

Oven Method:

Preheat oven to 375F. Place parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet. If using parchment paper, spray with oil to avoid sticking.
Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting, this step is a must.

Last Step:

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Notes

If the cottage cheese isn’t strained well, the dough may be sticky. If so, add a little more flour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bagel, Calories: 164 kcal, Carbohydrates: 28.5 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Sodium: 583 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g