English Muffin vs Bagel: What Are the Differences?

Did you know that millions of bagels are sold every day in the United States? This popular breakfast staple, along with English muffins, can make for a filling and nutritious start to your day.

Have you ever wondered about English muffin vs bagel and how the two are different? Here is a brief bagel guide and English muffin guide to help you learn more.

History

What is a bagel? A bagel is a Jewish staple, invented in Poland and brought into the United States during the nineteenth century. It has a rich history, particularly in New York Jewish communities.

They have an iconic hole in the center, which was used to sell them by street vendors. Although many say that the best bagels are found on the East Coast, you can find a delicious bagel guide almost anywhere you visit.

What is an English muffin? English muffins originated in Wales, a country in Great Britain, around the tenth century. However, they did not emerge in the United States until only a couple hundred years ago.

Now, English muffins are one of the most popular bases for breakfast sandwiches, such as the iconic McDonald’s offering of the Egg McMuffin.

Ingredients

Bagels are a breadlike consistency, meaning that they are prepared with more of a traditional dough. Flour, water, sugar, salt, and yeast are all the ingredients you need to prepare a fantastic bagel.

A bagel also tends to be denser than other forms of bread, meaning that they are often higher in calories. However, they can be filling with the right toppings.

Unlike bagels, English muffins are more of a cake texture than bready. Visually, the most obvious difference is that they do not have the classic hole in the middle that bagels do.

English muffins are lighter in texture and have a bit of a tangy, sour taste as well. A typical English muffin recipe calls for staple ingredients like milk, salt, butter, yeast, flour, and eggs.

Toppings

When you think of bagels, you automatically think of cream cheese, which is by far the most popular topping for these delicious treats. However, you can put virtually anything on a bagel. Many combinations with cream cheese include chives, lox, and avocado.

Similar to bagels, you can put almost anything on top of an English muffin for a balanced meal or a snack. However, cream cheese is not a popular topping for this type of bread product.

Many people put guacamole or avocados, proteins such as salmon or tuna, or even just butter and jam on their English muffins.

English Muffin vs Bagel

If you love all things breakfast, then you should not have to choose between an English muffin vs bagel. With this guide, you can have both and customize them to your heart’s content.

Want to learn more about how to prepare amazing food in your kitchen? Take a look around our site for more recipes to try.

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