Mini Pepperoni Pizza Bagels

# What You'll Need:

01 - 6 mini bagels, halved

02 - 120 ml pizza sauce

03 - 100 g shredded mozzarella cheese

04 - 36 to 48 mini pepperoni slices

05 - 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

06 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

07 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

08 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

02 - Place mini bagel halves cut side up on the prepared baking sheet.

03 - Apply approximately 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce evenly on each bagel half.

04 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauced bagel halves.

05 - Place 3 to 4 mini pepperoni slices on each bagel half.

06 - Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes if desired.

07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and bagels are crisp.

08 - Remove from oven, cool for 2 to 3 minutes, and garnish with chopped fresh basil if using. Serve warm.

01 -

Ready in under 25 minutes from pantry to table, no rising time or complicated techniques.
Your kids will actually want to help because watching cheese melt is basically free entertainment.
Freezer-friendly means you can make a batch on Sunday and reheat whenever hunger strikes.

02 -

Don't preheat your oven while the bagels are sitting on the sheet, or the bottoms will be brown and crusty before the toppings are even melted.
If you're using fresh tomato-based pizza sauce instead of jarred, squeeze out some of the moisture first or the bagels will become soggy instead of crispy.

03 -

Use a baking sheet with edges (rimmed sheet) instead of a flat cookie sheet so any sauce that escapes doesn't pool on your oven floor.
If your bagels are extra thick, slice them more carefully so they bake evenly and don't end up with raw, doughy interiors.