These red bean paste matcha bagels are the sum of all my favorite things. It’s colorful, gorgeous, and most of all–it’s stuffed with sweet red bean paste. The dough for this is made with bread flour, almond flour, yeast, sugar, yeast, matcha powder and unsweetened applesauce - the secret ingredient I use in my bagels to create a moist but chewy bagel texture that stays soft for days.
I love stuffed breads (and desserts).
Maybe it's the aesthetics of it all or the part that makes people go ooh and ahh when they see that there's more to the bread than they first thought. So when I first encountered a stuffed bagel at a bakery in Japan I was absolutely transfixed! For most of my life, I thought bagels were plain, boring, and required cream cheese - that it was a heavy chewy mass of dough that was pure carbs with not much nutrition.
But a stuffed bagel? That was game-changing. And the red bean paste stuffing that the bakery used was just lightly sweetened -- the bagel actually seemed healthy!
Fast forward to today. Here I am sharing my very first stuffed bagel recipe of my own.
This red bean paste stuffed matcha bagel is made with bread flour, almond flour, applesauce, yeast, salt, and matcha powder – it’s a bagel that’s lower in carbs and higher in fiber than most bagel recipes, but it’s also one that stays true to that glorious stuffed aesthetic and original flavor of what I had back in my trip.
If you’re interested, Tecona Bagel Works is the bakery I mentioned, and their Instagram page is here: @tecona_bagel_works . They also have their own cookbook (unfortunately, it's not available in English) which you can buy on Amazon!
Ingredients Used to Make Red Bean Paste Stuffed Matcha Bagels
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the baking aisle, or the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Bread Flour - Bread flour is highly recommended for this recipe for the best texture and structure. TIP: For the best texture and chew, use a higher protein bread flour like King Arthur Bread Flour. Please read the note in the substitution section below if using other flours.
- Almond Flour (optional)- I used blanched almond flour, but if you want, you can substitute the almond flour with half the amount of whole wheat flour, or bread flour (more details on the recipe card).
Why almond flour? Almond flour is not a traditional ingredient for bagels, but I like adding it for the extra boost in flavor and nutrition. It also produces more tender (less chewy) bagels that my family prefers.
- Instant Yeast - you can find instant yeast in the baking section near the flours. My favorite is SAF Instant Premium Yeast, which works quickly and consistently produces great results. I recommend using instant yeast over active yeast for this recipe since active yeast (unlike instant yeast) needs to be activated in water, which we don't add until the very end.
- Sugar - I used raw cane sugar, but you can use regular granulated white sugar, or healthier alternatives like coconut, date, or maple sugars. Sugar free sugar-free substitutes such as monk fruit sweetener or stevia powder can be used in the filling, but for what goes inside the bread, I would NOT RECOMMEND using sugar-free substitutes since they can cause the bread to not rise properly.
- Salt - Pink Himalayan salt is what I have at home, so it’s what I use, but you can use any kind for this recipe.
Matcha Powder – preferably ceremonial grade matcha powder for the best color, but any kind works. Sold in Asian grocery stores, or online, below:
- Applesauce - you can use any kind or any flavored applesauce. I used unsweetened.
Filling Ingredients
- Sweetened Red Bean Paste (a.k.a. Koshi An): Red bean paste (also called Koshi An) is a thick and smooth sweet paste made from cooked adzuki red beans that’s been pureed and then cooked down with sugar. The sweetened red bean paste has a sweet almost syrupy flavor with mild earthy notes. It has a creamy and hearty texture that pairs perfectly with East Asian dessert recipes, especially those made with rice flour. You can find Sweetened Red Bean paste in most Asian grocery stores, and online (Amazon).
More Applesauce Recipes (HERE)
Step by Step Guide
How to Make Red Bean Paste Stuffed Matcha Bagels
STEP 1
In a clean mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients: the bread flour, almond flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Also add the pumpkin spice powder here.
STEP 2
Add applesauce, using your hands or a danish dough whisk to incoporate it into the dry ingredients best you can.
STEP 3
*the bagel dough is supposed to be firm and somewhat stiff, since bagels require a lower water-to-flour-ratio. You can add additional 1-2 Tablespoons of water if there are still dry ingredients, but be sure to add one tablespoon at a time, so you don’t overhydrate the dough.
STEP 4
Loosely cover the dough with a clean wet towel or plastic wrap. Let rise, at a slightly warm place, for 60-90 minutes, until puffy.
STEP 5
After the first fermentation stage, choose ONE of two methods:
For no-knead (overnight) method: gently deflate the dough, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap loosely so that air can escape. Transfer the bowl to the fridge and chill overnight, at least for 8 hours and up to 48 hours.
For kneaded (quick) method: continue to knead the dough by hand or using a stand mixer, until the dough becomes smooth, supple, and pulls easily away from the bowl. The kneading should not take too long (about 3 minutes by hand) since we allowed the dough to relax and hydrate in the previous step.
STEP 6
Gently place the prepared dough onto a floured surface. If you chilled the dough in the fridge overnight, let the dough first come to room temperature (about 3-4 hours) before proceeding to the next step.
Shape the dough into a ball, and divide into 4 equal sized pieces
STEP 7
1. Use a rolling pin to roll out each piece of the bagel dough into a thin, 5 x 7 inch rectangle (thinner the better!)
2. Spread about 2-3 Tablespoons of the filling onto the bagel dough.
3-4. Roll the bagel dough over the filling.
5. Seal the ends by pinching the seams of the dough with wet fingers.
6. Bring together the two ends of the bagel dough by inserting one end of the rolled dough into the other end.
7. Pinch the seams together so that they won't fall apart during the boiling process.
8. Loosely cover the shaped bagels with plastic wrap or clean wet paper towel. Let rise for 40-60 minutes, until the bagels look slightly puffed up.
STEP 8
Bring a pot of water to boil. Bring the heat down to medium-hot so that it's gently boiling. Cook the bagel for just 30 seconds on each side.
TIP: If the bagel won't float up to the surface by the end of the 60 seconds, it probably means the bagel needs to proof longer.
STEP 9
Bake the boiled bagels in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are glossy and slightly browned.
STEP 10
Let the bagels cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
Here are some awesome ways you can make this bagel recipe your own 🙂
- Try a different flavor! Instead of matcha, you can also use mugwort powder - an earthy, sweet powder that's starting to become more popular in Asian dessert recipes. Also, you can add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to enhance the sweet flavor.
- Add more texture! Adding chopped nuts, seeds, or dried fruits or oats is a fantastic way to increase the nutrition and flavor in breads, including this one. If you're feeling indulgent, you can also add chocolate chips.
- Want to add more fiber? Substitute white whole wheat flour for up to half of the bread flour called for in this recipe. You'll need to add a few more tablespoons of water to adjust the hydration since whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour.
More Bagel Stuffing Ideas:
- Make these bagels healthier by adding a handful of nuts, seeds and old-fashioned oats to add texture and nutrition. Here are some ideas
- Nuts - chopped walnuts, pecans, cashews
- Seeds - poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds or chiaseeds
- Dried Fruit - chopped apricot, raisins, cranberries, dried cherries, candied ginger, citrus zests, etc.
Note on Substitutions
- Unfortunately, gluten-free flours cannot be substituted for bread flour in this recipe.
- If you don't have bread flour, you can also use All Purpose Flour instead. AP flour has less protein than bread flour, so they will yield softer bagels with less chew/ bite.
- The almond flour can be subbed with other nut flour like pecan, cashew and walnut flour.
How to Store Red Bean Paste Stuffed Matcha Bagels
- For unstuffed bagels, you can store these bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- For bagels with sweet red bean paste filling, these bagels can be out at room temperature for a maximum of 2 days. For longer storage, you can place the bagels in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, toast inside an air fryer or toaster with the filling side up.
Final Tips for Stuffed Bagels
- Weigh your flour for the best results. 1 cup of bread flour = 120 grams / 4.23 oz. This is recommended since scooping the flour directly from the bag can pack the flour into the measuring cup, and this means you'll end up with more flour than what's called for in the recipe. If you don't have a kitchen scale, you can measure the flour by spooning pre-sifted flour into the measuring cup, then using the straight end of the spoon to level the flour across the top to sweep off the excess.
Homemade Applesauce Matcha Bagels With Red Bean Paste Filling
Ingredients
Bagel Dough Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup bread flour 210 g
- ½ cup almond flour 54 g, or use ¼ cup of bread flour for traditional bagel texture. READ NOTES!*
- 1 ½ tsp instant yeast 6 g
- 2 Tbsp sugar 37 g
- ½ tsp salt 3 g
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- 6 oz unsweetened applesauce 170 g
Filling Ingredients
Instructions
Combine the Dough Ingredients
- In a clean mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients: the bread flour, almond flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add matcha powder.
- Add applesauce, using your hands or a danish dough whisk to incoporate it into the dry ingredients best you can.
- *the bagel dough is supposed to be firm and somewhat stiff, since bagels require a lower water-to-flour-ratio. You can add additional 1-2 Tablespoons of water if there are still dry ingredients, but be sure to add one tablespoon at a time, so you don’t overhydrate the dough.
- No kneading is required at this time. Loosely cover the dough with a clean wet towel or plastic wrap.
- Let rise, at a slightly warm place, for 60-90 minutes, until puffy.
After the First Rise,
- For no-knead (overnight) method: gently deflate the dough, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap loosely so that air can escape. Transfer the bowl to the fridge and chill overnight, at least for 8 hours and up to 48 hours.
- For kneaded (quick) method: continue to knead the dough by hand or using a stand mixer, until the dough becomes smooth, supple, and pulls easily away from the bowl. The kneading should not take too long (about 3 minutes by hand) since we allowed the dough to relax and hydrate in the previous step.
Shaping the Dough
- Gently place the prepared dough onto a floured surface. If you chilled the dough in the fridge overnight, let the dough first come to room temperature (about 3-4 hours) before proceeding to the next step.
- Shape the dough into a ball, and divide into 4 equal sized pieces
Filling the Bagel Dough
- In a clean mixing bowl, mix the filling ingredients. Set aside.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out each piece of the bagel dough into a thin, 5 x 7 inch rectangle (thinner the better!)
- Spoon about 2-3 Tablespoons of the filling onto the bagel dough.TIP: For a thick C-shape filling: place the filling towards one end of the rectangle. For a swirled effect (like this cream cheese pumpkin bagel), spread the filling onto the dough so that it is evenly distributed.
- Roll the bagel dough over the filling, and seal the ends by pinching the seams of the dough with wet fingers.
- Bring together the two ends of the bagel dough by inserting one end of the rolled dough into the other end and pinching the seams together so that it won't fall apart during the boiling process.
- Place the stuffed bagels on a parchment lined baking pan, and loosely cover with plastic wrap or clean wet paper towel.
- Let rise for 40-60 minutes, until the bagels look slightly puffed up.
Boil the Bagels
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Bring the heat down to medium-hot so that it's gently boiling.Also, preheat the oven to 350F
- Use a wide slotted spoon or spatula to gently transfer 1 bagel into the water.
- Cook the bagel for just 30 seconds on each side. TIP: If the bagel won't float up to the surface by the end of the 60 seconds, it probably means the bagel needs to proof longer.
- Take the bagel out of the boiling water using a wide slotted spoon or spatula and back to the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Repeat the boiling process for the rest of the bagels.
Bake the Bagels
- Bake the boiled bagels in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are glossy and slightly browned.
- Let cool to room temperature before serving. TIP: If slicing the bagels crosswise, you'll get the cleanest cut if the bagels (and the filling) are completely cooled.
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