Description
These Homemade Mini Pizza Bagel Bites are a fun and easy appetizer or snack, combining toasted mini bagels topped with marinara sauce, fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and bubbling mozzarella cheese. Perfectly seasoned with garlic butter and Italian herbs, these bite-sized pizzas are baked to golden perfection and ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Bagel Bases and Toppings
- 8 mini bagels, split in half
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced (about 16 slices)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 24 fresh basil leaves
Butter Mixture
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Additional Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Butter Mixture: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese to create a flavorful butter dipping mixture for the bagels.
- Toast the Bagels: Dip the cut sides of each mini bagel half into the butter mixture, ensuring they are well-coated. Place the bagels cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast them in the preheated oven for 5 minutes until lightly golden.
- Prepare Cherry Tomatoes: While the bagels are toasting, toss the halved cherry tomatoes with the extra virgin olive oil and the remaining teaspoon of Italian seasoning. This will enhance their flavor and softness when added to the bagels.
- Assemble the Mini Pizza Bagel Bites: Spread a spoonful of marinara sauce evenly on half of the toasted bagel halves. Top all the bagels (both sauced and plain) with slices of mozzarella cheese. For the bagels without marinara sauce, add half of the fresh basil leaves and the seasoned cherry tomatoes on top. Then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over all the bagels for added richness.
- Bake Until Bubbly: Place the assembled bagel bites back into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese has melted thoroughly and is bubbly and golden around the edges.
- Add Final Garnishes and Serve: Remove the bagels from the oven and top the basil and tomato bites with the remaining fresh basil leaves. Optionally, garnish all bagels with chopped fresh parsley and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. Serve warm for the best taste experience.
Notes
- For crispier bagels, broil for an additional 1–2 minutes at the end of baking, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Feel free to substitute cherry tomatoes with sun-dried tomatoes for a different flavor profile.
- Use gluten-free mini bagels to make this recipe gluten-free.
- These bagel bites can be prepared ahead up to the assembly step and refrigerated before baking.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes according to your heat preference.
