Description
These easy-to-make bagel bite pizza cups are crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and perfect for after-school snacks or quick meals. Customizable and family-approved, they come together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 plain or everything bagels, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup pepperoni slices (about 30 slices), optional
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice bagels in half horizontally to create two rounds per bagel.
- Toss bagel halves in olive oil and dried Italian seasoning in a mixing bowl until lightly coated.
- Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with silicone baking cups. Press each bagel half into a muffin cup, curving edges to form a cup shape.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon marinara sauce into the center of each bagel cup.
- Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce.
- Add 2-3 pepperoni slices on top of the cheese if using.
- Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and bagel edges are golden and crispy.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired.
- Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before carefully removing.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve warm.
Notes
[‘Use day-old bagels for better crispiness and shape retention.’, ‘Do not overload sauce to prevent sogginess; about 1 tablespoon per cup is ideal.’, ‘Press bagels firmly into the muffin tin to maintain cup shape during baking.’, ‘Freshly shredded cheese melts better than pre-shredded.’, ‘Customize toppings with veggies or different meats; pre-cook watery veggies to avoid sogginess.’, ‘Let pizza cups cool for 5 minutes before serving to set cheese and sauce.’, ‘For mini muffin tins, reduce baking time to 8-10 minutes.’, ‘Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.’, ‘Freezing before baking is not recommended as it affects texture.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pizza cup
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 360
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 3.5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 7
Keywords: bagel pizza cups, easy snack, after-school snack, kid-friendly, quick recipe, pizza bites, customizable pizza, bagel recipe