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A savory bagel that is stuffed with chopped sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and topped with parmesan cheese. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner – Caprese Bagels always hit the spot.

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Close up of a caprese bagel next to fresh basil and sundried tomatoes on the counter.

You’re going to obsess over these Caprese Bagels!

Inspired by our favorite Italian combo, these Caprese Bagels optimize the tomato + basil + cheese trinity in a mouthwatering way. Incredibly soft with the right amount of chew, this homemade bagel has everything you’re looking for in a savory bread. Use Caprese Bagels as the base for the avocado toast of your tastebud’s dreams or for an inspired sandwich.

Homemade bagels can sometimes get a bad rap as being too difficult, but I promise – you can make these! In just 1.5 hours, you can be sinking your teeth into a truly delicious and unique homemade bagel you won’t be able to quit thinking about.

Ingredients in Homemade Caprese Bagels

Warm water (105° F- 113° F) – This will help activate your yeast! Make sure the water is warm but not too hot and you’ll be set.
Dry active yeast
Brown sugar
Bread flour – The bread flour makes your bagels extremely soft.
Salt
Chopped sun dried tomatoes – Use any brand that you’d like!
Minced fresh basil
Parmesan cheese, shredded – Do not use the powdered parmesan cheese! You want the real stuff here.

How to Make Caprese Bagels

In a small bowl, add the warm water, dry active yeast and brown sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, salt, sun dried tomatoes, minced fresh basil and 1/2 cup of the shredded parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
After a few minutes, your yeast mixture should be bubbly and foamy. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, you will most likely need to add in a bit of extra flour to keep the dough workable but soft.
If mixing by hand, start by stirring the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough forms. At this point, pour the contents onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Add the extra 2-3 tbsp of bread flour as needed to keep the dough soft but workable. Knead by Pushing the dough, turning and folding it in half. Repeating this for 10 minutes.
Once the dough has finished kneading, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Shaping & Baking your Homemade Bagels

Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. (Cut the dough in half, then each half in half again and then once more)
Take each portion of dough and knead into a tight ball. Once in a ball, press your thumb into the center of the ball and gently squeeze and pull the dough while rotating it around your thumb to create the bagel shape. Place onto a parchment or silicone lined 3/4 cookie sheet (this is just a larger cookie sheet).
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and allow the bagels to rise for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F once the bagels have risen.
In a large pot, boil about 4 inches of water. Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully drop the risen bagels into the boiling water one by one. You may have to do this in a few batches. Boil the bagels for about 1 minute, flip over to the other side and boil for an additional minute.
Using a large slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the bagels and return to the lined cookie sheet.
Repeat with the remaining bagels. While the next batch of bagels are boiling, top the boiled ones with shredded cheese.
Once all of the bagels have boiled and are topped with shredded cheese, bake in the 425° F oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and enjoying.
Store in a zip top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy!

Image of a pile of caprese bagels, one sliced open.

How should I store my caprese bagels?

Once your bagels have cooled, store in a zip top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days! You can also freeze these for up to 3 months (if you can wait that long to eat them).

How can I serve my homemade bagels?

These caprese bagels embody everything delightful about the famous savory trio. With a rich Mediterranean flavor, these are the perfect building blocks for divine sandwiches anytime of the day. Or, simply toast and top with butter!

A pile of Caprese Bagels on the counter. Across the top it says "caprese bagels with sundried tomatoes, basil, and parm"

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Caprese Bagels

By: Karli Bitner

A savory bagel that is stuffed with chopped sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and topped with parmesan cheese. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner – Caprese Bagels always hit the spot.

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 15

Rise Time: 30

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small bowl, add the warm water, dry active yeast and brown sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, salt, sun dried tomatoes, minced fresh basil and 1/2 cup of the shredded parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
After a few minutes, your yeast mixture should be bubbly and foamy. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, you will most likely need to add in a bit of extra flour to keep the dough workable but soft.
If mixing by hand, start by stirring the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough forms. At this point, pour the contents onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Add the extra 2-3 tbsp of bread flour as needed to keep the dough soft but workable. Knead by Pushing the dough, turning and folding it in half. Repeating this for 10 minutes.
Once the dough has finished kneading, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. (Cut the dough in half, then each half in half again and then once more)
Take each portion of dough and knead into a tight ball. Once in a ball, press your thumb into the center of the ball and gently squeeze and pull the dough while rotating it around your thumb to create the bagel shape. Place onto a parchment or silicone lined 3/4 cookie sheet (this is just a larger cookie sheet).
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and allow the bagels to rise for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F once the bagels have risen.
In a large pot, boil about 4 inches of water. Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully drop the risen bagels into the boiling water one by one. You may have to do this in a few batches. Boil the bagels for about 1 minute, flip over to the other side and boil for an additional minute.
Using a large slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the bagels and return to the lined cookie sheet.
Repeat with the remaining bagels. While the next batch of bagels are boiling, top the boiled ones with shredded cheese.
Once all of the bagels have boiled and are topped with shredded cheese, bake in the 425° F oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and enjoying.
Store in a zip top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy!