Bagels are arguably the best breakfast dish there is. They are warm, soft, delicious and a convenient way to fuel you up in the morning without any hassle. They also are most likely to go to waste when you don’t end up finishing them in one sitting.
This isn’t just sad for the bagel that patiently waits on the counter until someone decides that it is past its prime time and tosses it away, but it is also very wasteful.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some simple ways you can reheat bagels the next day without letting them go stale.
How to Store Bagels
You may think that throwing leftover bagels in the fridge is a good idea, but it really isn’t. The fact is that baked goods like bagels actually stale faster when refrigerated.
Instead, store them in an air tight container at room temperature. And they will last up to 2 to 3 days before going stale.
Whereas, if you freeze fresh bagels, they will stay good for up to 4 months. Slice the bagels all the way through, put them in an airtight container or a bag, and store them in the freezer. Slicing them beforehand makes it more convenient to reheat bagels, since you don’t need to thaw them before toasting.
How to Reheat Bagels
There are three main ways you can reheat bagels while restoring their texture and freshness. All of these methods have slightly different results, so you may want to choose which one you like best accordingly.
· Toaster Oven
This method is fairly simple, and assuming that you stored your bagels properly, this will reverse the stalling process nicely. This will result in a standard toasted bagel.
Whether you have room temperature bagels, or frozen ones, all you have to do is place them in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes. You will have to keep an eye on the bagels, as there is no hard and fast rule about the timing, and it will depend on the temperature of your toaster and how long the bagel has been stored.
If you did end up with dried up bagels that weren’t stored properly, run them under hot water for about 30 seconds before putting them in the toaster oven to restore some freshness.
· Oven
This method requires a little extra work, but can basically revive a dead bagel back to life. This method works better with whole bagels, but will also work with frozen sliced bagels.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and place the bagels on a baking sheet. Gently sprinkle with some water, but don’t let them soak. Bake them for about 5 minutes; give an additional 3 to 4 minutes for frozen bagels.
When you remove the bagels from the oven, they should look noticeably puffier. The results you get with this method are the next best thing after fresh bagels.
· Microwave
This is the easiest and most convenient way to reheat bagels, and gives good enough results if you are in a hurry.
Just slice the bagels in half, and place them on a microwave-safe plate with cut sides facing upwards. You can also add butter or cream cheese on the bagels for extra flavor. Place the dish in the microwave for 10 seconds on medium setting. For frozen bagels, you will have to give an additional 20 seconds. If the frozen bagel is still cold, give it 15 more seconds.
Remove it from the microwave and let it cool for a few seconds before serving.
There you have it – by following these simple reheating methods, you will never have toss leftover bagels again.