Crisp Up Leftover Bagels With Olive Oil And Your Favorite Herbs

While most of us probably associate bagels with breakfast, the doughy delights have proven themselves to be versatile enough for any meal. You can stack them with deli meats at lunchtime, or top them with melty cheese and pepperoni to create the perfect (mess-free) pizza bagel for dinner. But, as we know all too well, bagels tend to have a short shelf life. Once a bagel has passed its prime, its fluffy center will start to harden and go stale, making it less than ideal to use in a sandwich or any other creation. Whether you've picked some up from one of the very best bagel shops in your state or tried your hand at making your own homemade sesame bagels, chances are you'd hate for any of those beautiful baked rings to go to waste. So, what's a bagel lover to do to save them from the trash?

Luckily, there's an easy way to extend the life of your leftover bagels: Simply turn them into bagel crisps! With the help of some olive oil and your favorite dried herbs, those day-old bagels can become crunchy, flavorful bites that serve as the perfect addition to soups, salads, dips, and more.

To transform your leftover bagels into crispy, herby bread bites, gather your rings and slice them lengthwise as you would normally. But instead of smearing on cream cheese or topping them with an egg, you'll want to brush them with a coating of olive oil on both the front and back sides. Then, you can sprinkle on just about any blend of your favorite herbs. Embrace some Italian flavor with a mix of oregano, garlic, and basil, or lean into the bright, peppery tastes of rosemary and thyme.

After topping the oiled bagels with your herbs of choice, place them on a baking rack and pop them in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour, or until they develop a golden brown crust. Once you remove them from the oven, your kitchen will be filled with the mouthwatering scent of baked bread and herbs, and your taste buds will be counting down the seconds 'til they can get a piece. To enjoy your herby bagel crisps, you can keep them whole as a creative accompaniment to thick dips (like this slow cooker spinach and artichoke dip, perhaps?) or crumble them up in soups and salads to use as a more robust alternative to traditional croutons. Either way, you'll be glad you saved those day-old bagels.