How to Toast a Bagel Without a Toaster Easily (With Video Recipe)

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Just like bread, bagels are best when consumed a few minutes after baking them. Storing them longer, say two hours or more, the bagels start to turn stale. But did you know that you can turn the spark back on? Well, that’s what a toaster does to a stale bagel.

But what if you do not have a toaster? A good question and we’re going to answer it today. This article will teach you how to toast a bagel without a toaster. It’s actually not a single method, but four. Follow through to see which method suits your kitchen best.

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Methods of toasting a bagel without a toaster

You may use any of the following methods to revitalize that bagel. They’re all pretty easy to follow through.

1. With a pan on the stovetop

You must have thought of this method. Not surprising that it’s one of the oldest toasting workarounds. For simplicity, some people will often use this method regardless of having a toaster.

You only need a non-stick pan! Guess you’re already beginning to like it. This is how you do it:

Place the pan on the stovetop and turn the flame on. Ensure you do not cook on a high flame as the aim is to preheat the pan in about a minute. Keep the flame in check, especially if the burner regulator keeps on adjusting itself (you should change it, by the way).

As the pan heats up, slice your bagels in halves. If you like, you can smear some butter before placing the bagel on the pan. If you want to include any toppings, sprinkle them on the buttered surface, which means, buttered side goes up. If no toppings are to be added, let the buttered side down. This way, the butter seeps into the bread more efficiently. A pan lid would be an added advantage to ensuring even heating.

Let the bagel toast for two minutes and flip it. It should have turned crispy brown by now, but if not yet, keep on flipping till it’s golden brown.

2. With a broiler on the oven

Honestly, this idea sounds unconventional to most of us, but it’s still a practical one. The biggest risk is that the perfectly baked bagel may burn in a too hot enclosed space. Let’s see how the intricacy of this method can bring out a perfectly toasted bagel.

Begin by getting the broiler grill ready and placing the bagel on it. Ensure you use the topmost rack for better dispersion of heat. If the bagel gets too hot, you might end up with charcoal-black dust from your tasty treat.

Before toasting, you’ll need to preheat the oven for at least five minutes.

To get it right, you may use these tips:

• Place a baking sheet under the bagels as if baking some cookies, but don’t apply any grease as it may change the flavor of the bagel(s).
• Do not use heat higher than 350F.
• Don’t leave the kitchen even at one moment- keep a close watch on the bagel.
• Check the bagel after two minutes.

If it, however, sounds overwhelming, remember there are two more methods to get the job done.

3. Slow roasting in the oven

This is almost like the above method, where you need to preset the oven heat to 350F. You may also set the temperature a bit low to allow the bagel more toasting time.

Although we’re essentially using the oven’s slow roasting setting, keep an eye on the bagel. You can also add an extra precaution by placing a baking sheet under the bagels on the rack. Place the bagels on a middle rack.

The toasting process takes about 10 minutes. As you can differentiate from broiling in an oven, you have more time here. You could hop into a phone call, grab something upstairs, and still toast the bagel perfectly.

Also, given the amount of time, you’ll have a greater degree of control over the toasting process.

4. Toasting over a campfire

Quite unconventional, uh? But wouldn’t you like a taste of crusty bagels as you stare into the wilderness on your camping chair? This toasting method is the most fulfilling among the four for someone on a camping getaway- besides, no one would want a big bulky oven in their camper van.

Here, you begin by setting a campfire. You should ensure the grass is cut from the areas where the fire is to be lit. Also, ensure the ground is plain soil to avoid infusing funny odors in your bagel.

Once the flame has stabilized, place a grill over the flame. You’ll toast over the grill, but if you maybe have a skillet, you could even butter your bagels.

The delicate thing about this method is that you do not have instantaneous control over the flame. The way to stay safe here is by flipping the bagels as often as possible, so you don’t burn them. You also need a timer, perhaps from your phone, if you can’t estimate time properly.

Generally, the bagels will be ready in 5-10 minutes.

Video: How to Toast a Bagel Without a Toaster

Wrap up

Toasting your bagels is now not dependent on a toaster. You can test all of the above methods to see which works best for you. For those who like to campfire at home, toasting bagels over the campfire might become a new hobby.