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Quick & Easy 10-Minute Pizza Bagel Bites
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Bring back your favorite childhood snack with a gourmet twist! These five-step Quick & Easy Pizza Bagel Bites combine toasty mini bagels, rich tomato sauce, and melty mozzarella for a nostalgic bite that’s perfect for after-school snacks, game days, or casual dinners. Whether you top them with classic pepperoni or fresh basil and cherry tomatoes, these bite-sized pizzas are fast, fun, and endlessly customizable. For more family-friendly and weeknight pizza recipes check out this St. Louis-style pizza (thin cracker crust) or my elevated burrata pizza.
Why You’ll Love his Recipe
- Nostalgic flavor, upgrade – Think of the freezer-aisle favorite—but fresher and better.
- Ready in 10 minutes – Quick broil time means you can have pizza perfection in a flash.
- Fun for everyone – Mix and match toppings to suit every taste or family preference.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Bagels – You can find mini bagels in the bread aisle of most larger grocery stores, but if you cannot find them you can always swap the mini bagels for regular size bagels. I prefer plain bagels so the flavor can be customized with the toppings.
- Sauce – I recommend making my simple 5 minute pizza sauce for the bagels. It’s made from canned crushed tomatoes enhanced with just a bit of olive oil and garlic. Store bought marinara works great and makes for a quick addition, though I prefer the flavor of simple homemade marinara.
- Mozzarella – Shredded part-skim mozzarella melts evenly over the bagel bites for a perfect cheese pull with every bite.
- Pepperoni – I recommend buying a pepperoni stick and slicing it into ¼” (6mm) slices so when it goes under the broiler, the edges curl up into pepperoni cups with crispy edges.
- Basil – Fresh basil leaves elevate the recipe and add a fresh element. Larger leaves can be overwhelming for the small bagels, so I recommend thinly slicing the leaves or chopping them.
- Cherry tomatoes – Halved cherry tomatoes add texture to each bite. I like to garnish half the bagel bites with basil and cherry tomatoes for a miniature take on Margherita pizza.
- Red pepper flakes – A sprinkle of red pepper flakes to garnish the pizza bagels adds just a hint of spice.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
For perfectly crisp edges and gooey cheese, toast the bagels before adding toppings—this prevents sogginess and gives you that irresistible crunch.
Swaps & Substitutions
- Mozzarella: Swap with provolone, Monterey Jack, or a shredded Italian blend.
- Bagels: Use regular bagels instead of minis; increase the broil time slightly.
- Sauce: Replace marinara or pizza sauce with pesto, spicy rigatoni sauce, or roasted red pepper spread.
- Toppings: Make it vegetarian by using sautéed mushrooms, peppers, or olives instead of pepperoni.
How to Make This in an Air Fryer
These elevated pizza bagels can easily be made in an air fryer! Assemble them according to the directions below, then heat the air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Add the assembled bagels to the basket of the air fryer and cook until the cheese is bubbly, about 5 minutes.
How to Make Quick and Easy Pizza Bagel Bites (Step-by-Step)
Heat oven to broil. Arrange bagels cut side up on a baking sheet. Broil until the bagels are toasted and golden brown, about 1 minute.
Spoon pizza sauce or marinara over the toasted bagels and top with mozzarella cheese.
Top half with pepperoni slices. Top the other half with basil leaves and cherry tomatoes.
Broil until the cheese has melted and the edges of the pepperoni are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese, oregano and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
How to Serve Pizza Bagel Bites
- Serve hot right from the oven as a party appetizer or after-school snack.
- Pair with a side salad or cup of soup for a quick lunch or light dinner.
- Cut larger bagels into quarters for bite-size servings at gatherings.
- Drizzle with hot honey or balsamic glaze for a gourmet touch.
How to Store Pizza Bagel Bites
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a toaster oven or air fryer at 350°F until cheese is melted again.
- Freeze: Assemble bagel bites (uncooked), freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag—bake directly from frozen when ready.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Try mushrooms, onions, sausage, olives, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat.
Yes—cook at 350ºF for about 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden.
roil the bagels for an extra minute before adding toppings, and avoid overloading with sauce.
Absolutely—store-bought marinara works great, but homemade sauce adds a fresh touch.
Other Recipes to Try
Got a picky eater? Check out my roundup of 20+ of the best recipes for kids. If you enjoy this pizza bagel bites recipe, give these a try:
Tried it? Loved it? Tweaked it? Leave a review below and tell me how it went – I’m all ears (and always hungry).
Quick & Easy Pizza Bagel Bites
Rate this Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 mini plain bagels, halved (or 2 regular bagels)
- ⅓ cup pizza sauce or marinara
- ¾ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 2 ounces pepperoni stick, sliced into ¼” (6mm) rounds
- Handful basil leaves, torn
- ⅓ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Heat oven to broil. Arrange bagels cut side up on a baking sheet. Broil until the bagels are toasted and golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Spoon pizza sauce or marinara over the toasted bagels and top with mozzarella cheese.
- Top half with pepperoni slices. Top the other half with basil leaves and cherry tomatoes.
- Broil until the cheese has melted and the edges of the pepperoni are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese, oregano and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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Always looking for good “snacks” – this recipe fills the bill!
This recipe is my family’s favorite thing EVER. I am so pleased to make my own version rather than constantly buying the premade options from the store. They taste great and my toddler loves to help me in the kitchen. (This is really the perfect recipe for little hands!). 10/10.
I am so happy to hear it! I love that your toddler loves to help you on this one, it’s perfect for the whole family!