By Justine Sterling |
Keto bagels don’t have to be crumbly rings of nothing. And they don’t have to be straight-up omelets with a hole in them, either. As I found out from this keto bagel taste test, they can taste like real, actual bagels! Further proof that science can do amazing things.
I am an ex-New Yorkers. And while my bagel snobbery makes me an extremely annoying person to brunch with outside of NYC, it’s why you can trust my opinion on the best keto bagel. Here’s what I was looking for while tasting through keto friendly, low carb bagels:
- Good chew. Bagels are not bread. They need to have a very specific, chewy texture. They should never be crumbly.
- Actual flavor. Diet-friendly breads and bagels are often bland at best and often taste like plastic. A good keto bagel should taste savory or sweet, depending on the flavor, with an underlying toasty dough flavor.
- Toastability. Bagels should be toasted. They should get a nice crust on the outside while remaining chewy on the inside. I tasted each keto bagel both untoasted and toasted in order to assess each one’s toastability.
I tasted eight different keto-friendly bagels and five hit all of my, again, extremely annoying bagel snob requirements. Here are the best keto bagels you can buy.
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- Sola Blu-berry
You need to toast Sola keto bagels. They’re a bit too eggy eaten cold. But once toasted, they have that great balance of chew and crust. The blueberry version balances sweet bursts of blueberries with a slightly salty bagel. It’s a different take on the blueberry bagel, but as a blueberry bagel lover, I was pretty pleased.
Credit: Merc / Sola
- Sola Sweet and Buttery
I loved that Sola did their own thing and created a new flavor for their line of keto bagels. There are little pockets of sweetness in this brioche-y bagel. The texture, after toasting, is soft and chewy. It’s very cozy. I’d have this with butter sprinkled with some cinnamon.
Credit: Merc / Sola
- Better Bagel Plain
Better Bagel keto bagels are HUGE. They are gigantic like a real NYC bagel deli bagel (told you I was insufferable). They’re fluffy, as well, so you can even enjoy them untoasted—although they are better toasted, for sure. The plain Better Bagel is a little sweet and a little doughy. And the texture is lighter than some of the others on this list—almost like angel food cake. Get some cream cheese on here and eat up.
Credit: Merc / DoorDash
- unBagel Everything
The unBagel is not only a keto-friendly bagel, it’s also a gluten-free bagel. And while its texture sufferers a bit from the lack of gluten (it’s quite airy), the flavor more than makes up for it. It’s salty and covered in tons of everything seasoning. You don’t need cream cheese or even butter to enjoy this ultra-flavorful keto bagel.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Better Bagel Everything
Another big boy from Better Bagel came in on top for me as the best keto bagel. The inside has such a great stretch—just like a fresh bagel. And that put it over the edge for me. I would have no problem serving this to both keto folks and non-keto people. I think it’d be great with butter or cream cheese—and a few slices of smoked salmon wouldn’t hurt either. Take it from me, that irksome NYC expat who won’t shut up about how the only good bagels are in New York.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
Best Blueberry
Rating:
8/10
Sporks
Best Sweet Treat
Rating:
8.5/10
Sporks
Best Plain
Rating:
9/10
Sporks
Best Everything
Rating:
9.5/10
Sporks
Best of the Best
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
Other keto bagels we tried: Carbonaut Gluten Free Plain, Carbonaut Garlic Herb, Sola Everything
Share your favorite keto bagels with us using #SporkedTasteTest for a chance to be featured on our social pages!
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About the Author
Justine Sterling
Justine Sterling is the editor-in-chief of Sporked. She has been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and is an avid at-home cook and snacker. Don’t worry, she’s not a food snob. Sure, she loves a fresh-shucked oyster. But she also will leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and loves a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or opinions, but I can provide you with information related to the concepts mentioned in this article. Let's dive into the different concepts discussed:
Keto Bagels
Keto bagels are a type of bagel specifically designed for people following a ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to put the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Traditional bagels are high in carbohydrates, which makes them unsuitable for a keto diet. Keto bagels are made using low-carb ingredients such as almond flour, coconut flour, and eggs. They are typically higher in fat and protein and contain fewer carbohydrates compared to regular bagels.
Taste and Texture Requirements
The article mentions several taste and texture requirements for a good keto bagel:
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Good Chew: Bagels should have a specific chewy texture and should not be crumbly. This texture is an important characteristic of traditional bagels, and keto bagels should strive to replicate it.
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Actual Flavor: Many diet-friendly breads and bagels can be bland or have an artificial taste. A good keto bagel should have a savory or sweet flavor, depending on the variety, with an underlying toasty dough flavor.
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Toastability: Bagels are often toasted before being eaten. Keto bagels should be able to achieve a nice crust on the outside while remaining chewy on the inside when toasted.
Best Keto Bagels
The article provides a list of the best keto bagels based on the author's taste test. Here are the top choices:
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Sola Blu-berry: Sola keto bagels in the blueberry flavor were praised for their balance of sweet bursts of blueberries with a slightly salty bagel. Toasting the bagel was recommended to enhance the flavor and texture.
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Sola Sweet and Buttery: Sola introduced a new flavor to their line of keto bagels called Sweet and Buttery. This brioche-like bagel had little pockets of sweetness and had a soft and chewy texture after toasting.
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Better Bagel Plain: Better Bagel keto bagels were described as huge and fluffy, resembling real New York City deli bagels. The plain flavor had a slight sweetness and a lighter texture, similar to angel food cake. Toasting was recommended but they could also be enjoyed untoasted.
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unBagel Everything: unBagel is a keto-friendly and gluten-free bagel. While the lack of gluten affected its texture, it made up for it with a salty flavor and a generous coating of everything seasoning. This bagel was considered flavorful enough to be enjoyed without cream cheese or butter.
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Better Bagel Everything: Another top choice from Better Bagel, this bagel had a great stretchy texture similar to a fresh bagel. It was recommended for both keto and non-keto individuals and was suggested to be enjoyed with butter, cream cheese, or even smoked salmon.
Other Mentioned Keto Bagels
The article briefly mentions two other keto bagels that were not included in the top choices:
- Carbonaut Gluten Free Plain
- Carbonaut Garlic Herb
- Sola Everything
These keto bagels were not ranked among the top choices but may still be worth trying for those looking for different flavors.
Additional Rankings
The article mentions additional rankings related to bagels and keto products. These include:
- Best Store Bought Bagels: The article mentions an updated ranking of the best store-bought bagels. This ranking might provide further information on bagel options beyond keto bagels.
- Best Tasting Keto Bars: Another ranking discussed in the article is about the best-tasting keto bars for people following a keto diet.
- Best Keto Bread: The article also mentions a ranking of the best-tasting keto bread options for those looking for low-carb alternatives to traditional bread.
About the Author
The article is written by Justine Sterling, who is the editor-in-chief of Sporked. Justine has been writing about food and beverages for over a decade and is described as an avid at-home cook and snacker. She has a diverse palate, appreciating both gourmet and popular snack food products.
Remember, I'm just providing information based on this article, and I have personal experiences or opinions.