Description
Homemade Pizza Bagels are a quick, easy, and customizable snack featuring crispy bagel halves topped with tangy pizza sauce, melted mozzarella cheese, and your favorite toppings. Perfect for a kid-friendly treat or last-minute gatherings, they deliver that classic pizza flavor in a convenient bite-sized form with minimal prep and cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 4 plain or everything bagels, sliced horizontally
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing
Sauce
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings
- 20 pepperoni slices (optional; can substitute with sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, or olives)
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano and basil)
Instructions
- Prepare the Bagels: Slice your bagels horizontally to create the perfect pizza canvas. Lightly brush the cut sides with olive oil to ensure a crispy, golden finish when baked.
- Add the Sauce: Generously spread a spoonful of pizza sauce on each bagel half, making sure to cover the surface evenly but leaving a small border around the edges.
- Layer the Cheese: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce, allowing it to melt and bubble to perfection in the oven.
- Add Toppings and Herbs: Place your desired toppings, like pepperoni slices, on top of the cheese, then finish with a light sprinkle of dried Italian herbs for that signature pizza aroma.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bagels are crispy on the edges.
Notes
- Bagel choice matters: Opt for fresh bagels for the best texture; stale bagels won’t crisp up as well.
- Cheese distribution: Spread cheese evenly to avoid burnt spots and ensure every bite is cheesy goodness.
- Watch your oven: Keep an eye on baking time to prevent over-browning or dried out toppings.
- Use parchment paper: Line your baking sheet for easy cleanup and prevent bagels from sticking.
- Customize sauces: Experiment with homemade marinara or pesto for different flavor profiles.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bagel half
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 20mg