Za’atar & Olive Oil Sourdough Bagels

Ultimate Za’atar Sourdough Bagels

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These Za’atar & Olive Oil Sourdough Bagels are unbeatably tasty and flavorful. They have a chewy yet crispy crust with a soft, open, slightly irregular crumb. They are also reasonably easy to make, especially compared to some of my other sourdough recipes. So give them a try – I know you’ll love them!

Table of contents

Easy Sourdough Bagels

This recipe is a simplified version of my Homemade Sourdough Bagels recipe. There are no folds, and we are also doing the shaping after the fridge rest, as opposed to the previous recipe, where we placed the already-shaped bagels in the fridge on baking trays, resulting in fridge space issues for some.

Sourdough bagels will stay fresh for multiple days or up to a week if stored in a bag at room temperature. However, I recommend popping them in the toaster after day 1. I think they are almost as good toasted on day three as when they are freshly baked.

The dough itself is low-hydration and should be easy to handle and shape. Make sure to read through the whole recipe before you begin, and don’t forget to check out the baker’s schedule at the very end of this post to help plan your bake!

Recipe Run Through

Day one

1. Prepare the levain – All you have to do to prepare the levain is to mix active sourdough starter, water, and flour in a bowl. Either transfer the mixture to a starter jar or simply cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Next, place the levain in a warm spot, ideally at 78°F/26°C for 4 hours, or until the levain has doubled/tripled in size (reached peak.)

2. Mix up the main dough – Once the levain has peaked (doubled/tripled in size) – Add water, levain, and flour to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until just combined. Cover the bowl and autolyse/rest for 30 minutes
   
3. Add salt, malt, and olive oil – Sprinkle salt, barley malt extract, and olive oil on top of the autolysed dough and knead on low-medium speed for about 10 minutes. Until the dough lets go of the sides of the bowl and is strong and bouncy (should not stick to the fingers)

4. First proof – Oil a large baking bowl with a little bit of olive oil. Transfer the dough to the lightly oiled bowl. Proof for four hours at around 75°F/24°C. As always, especially during the winter months, I use my Brød and Taylor proofer to manage the temperature during proof.

5. Rest in the fridge / cold proof – Finally, place the dough in the fridge for 10-15 hours. This second rest stiffens up the dough, which makes it easier to handle during shaping. It also helps develop flavor and awesome texture in the finished bake. 

Day TWO

6. Shape – Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into ten equal pieces. Be careful not to use too much flour during this step. You actually want the dough to somewhat stick to the work surface to create enough tension to form a dough ball that will hold its shape. Next, hape all the pieces into seamless rounds. Then you want to press a finger through the center of each round and use your hands/fingers to widen the hole to 1,5 in/3,5cm.

7. Preparations for final proof – Line two baking trays with parchment paper and sprinkle rice flour or semolina on top. Rice flour has no gluten in it and won’t be absorbed by the dough in the same way as regular flour would. Rice flour therefore works as a barrier between the parchment and dough pieces – making the bagels easy to remove from the paper and into the boiling water later on. Arrange the shaped bagels on the trays.
   
8. Final proof – Proof for 1.5-3 hours (ideally at 75°F/24°C,) until the bagels have risen slightly, and is nicely puffed up and relaxed.

9. Boil the bagels – 30 minutes before you are ready to bake: preheat the oven to 430°F/220°C, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sugar and baking soda to the boiling water. Boil the bagels, 3-4 at a time, for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the bagels to a clean kitchen towel to drain and then place on a lined baking tray.

10. Sprinkle with olive oil and Za’atar seasoning – Brush each bagel generously with a good olive oil. Sprinkle za’atar seasoning on top.

11. Bake the bagels – Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Finally, transfer the bagels to a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

What is an active sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter, an alternative to commercial yeast like instant yeast, is responsible for the leavening process, whether it’s for bread or, in this instance, bagels.

Essentially, it’s a lively mix of good bacteria and wild yeast, nurtured by blending flour and water and allowing it to ferment. This duo creates the gas bubbles that give bread its airy texture and distinctive flavor.

For optimal performance, especially if your starter resides in the fridge, it’s best to give it a little love before diving into this recipe (or any sourdough recipe, for that matter). Simply take it out and feed it every 12 hours for 2-3 days beforehand. This ensures your starter is lively and ready to work its magic in your bagels.

What is Za’atar?

Za’atar (“zah-tahr“) is a Middle Eastern seasoning. And while the ingredients vary from country to country across the Middle East, it is typically made from a blend of savory dried herbs. It is super delicious, and there are endless ways you could put it to use!

How to make Za’atar seasoning

Ingredients
1,5 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried cumin
1 tbsp dried sumac
1 tbsp dried marjoram
1,5 tbsp toasted and crushed sesame seeds
1,5 tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions:

Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan and lightly crush them in a mortar and pestle to release the aromas. Add all the ingredients to a jar and shake to combine—store at room temperature for 3+ months.

You can also use store-bought Za’atar if you don’t feel like making it yourself.

Shop the Tools

Easy way to shape sourdough bagels

There are countless ways to shape bagels. However, I like this method because it is super easy and quick once you get the hang of it.

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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into ten equal pieces. Be careful not to use too much flour during this step. You actually want the dough to somewhat stick to the work surface to create enough tension to form a dough ball that will hold its shape. Next, shape all the pieces into seamless rounds. Then you want to press a finger through the center of each round and use your hands/fingers to widen the hole to 1,5 in/3,5cm.

bakers schedule

This recipe is A two-day process. Ready for brunch.