Pizza Bagels are a fun, fast and family-friendly recipe that everyone will love! These 10-minute pizza bagels are super customizable and a hearty choice for lunch, dinner, or even snacks!

Graphic for post - easy bagel pizza - made in 10 minutes - freezer friendly - kid favorite. Image is of blue and teal kids plates filled with cut bagel pizzas, fruit and cut cucumbers.

Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Pizza Bagels

Want a dinner that will put a smile on your kids’ faces? I’m willing to bet that these toasty, tasty pizza bagels will do the trick (I mean, seriously, who frowns when you place pizza in front of them, especially when it looks this cute?).

I’ll even bet that adults will get a little hint of nostalgia eating these pizza bagels (does anyone remember pizza rolls?). Except with these easy homemade pizza bagels, you get the option to personalize your pizza, load it with veggies and other healthy toppings, AND they’re less expensive than buying store-bought pizza bagel bites or rolls.

Plus, these pizza bagels can be put together in 10 minutes! A quick snack, lunch, or dinner to the rescue!

Feeding kids can be tricky! But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! Here you can find 40 Family Dinner Ideas, over 100 Kid Snack Ideas, great Hidden-Veggie Recipes, 50 Cooking with Kids Recipes, and so much more! And for even more family-friendly recipes, check out my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.

Reasons to Love these Easy Pizzas

  • toddler, kid and adult-friendly
  • easy to make
  • hidden veggies
  • can customize with favorite fillings
  • great for packed school or at home lunches
  • healthy
  • freezer-friendly
  • great for lunches, snacks, or dinner
  • can be made gluten and dairy-free
ingredients spread out on a marble counter with labels on what foods are which.

Ingredients

  • Bagels: we are using bagels as a pizza base, and you can use whichever bagel or bagel flavor you prefer – whole wheat, regular, everything, poppy seed, gluten-free, etc.
  • Pizza Sauce: any store-bought pizza sauce or tomato sauce you prefer, or you can use this Hidden-Veggie Pizza Sauce, Veggie-Loaded Pasta Sauce, or this Spinach Basil Pesto.
  • Mozzarella: you can shred your own or use pre-shredded mozzarella from the store. I used pre-shredded cheese. You can also use an Italian cheese blend.
  • Parmesan: optional, but is great to sprinkle on top.
  • Toppings: you can use any topping you prefer. See below for lots of fun options and combinations.

Health Benefits of Bagel Pizza: Just because it’s pizza, doesn’t mean it’s not healthy! The bagels provide carbohydrates, an important macronutrient needed for energy. Pizza sauce is full of nutrients like vitamins A and C and potassium, and the cheese provides the calcium needed for healthy bones. Depending on what toppings you choose, you can boost the health factor even more with fiber and other nutrients from vegetables and protein from meats.

Allergy Substitutions

  • Gluten-Free: use a trusted brand of gluten-free bagels and gluten-free toppings.
  • Dairy-Free: vegan cheeses have come a long way in their replication of taste, texture, and behavior (Melty! Bubbly! Stretchy!) so try plant-based mozzarella or parmesan-style shreds. If that doesn’t appeal, you can absolutely still have delicious pizzas sans cheese!
Bagels cut open on a baking sheet against a marble backdrop.
Slice a bagel and place on a baking sheet. We like to pre-toast the bagels in the oven so they don’t get soggy, but this is optional.
Bagels with hidden veggie tomato sauce on a baking sheet against a marble backdrop.
Spoon sauce of choice on top of the bagels.
Pizza bagels with cheese and tomato sauce getting ready to go into the oven and bake.
Sprinkle on a little some cheese.
Showing how to load up a bagel pizza with different toppings.
Add whichever toppings you prefer.
Four bagel pizzas on a baking sheet on a marble countertop with different toppings.
Bake until the cheese is melted and the bagels are golden brown.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  • Toast Bagels: for a crispier crust, place the bagels in the oven for a few minutes before adding your toppings.
  • Spread Sauce: Spoon the bagels with the sauce of your choice.
  • Add the Cheese: Next, sprinkle on your cheese, avoiding clumps. Again, ‘even’ is the key. If you’re not using cheese, skip to your toppings.
  • Toppings: Scatter the toppings evenly on top of the cheese.
  • More Cheese: Sprinkle with a pinch of parmesan.
  • Bake: Pop the bagel pizzas into the oven and bake until golden.
  • Done: Serve warm or set aside to come down to room temp for freezing.
Bagel pizzas on a cutting board with Parmesan and basil getting ready to be cut for a kids meal.

Bagel Pizza Variations

Sauces

Toppings

  • Veggies: bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach
  • Cheese: mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, cheddar, “jack” cheeses, feta
  • Meats: pepperoni, ground sausage, chicken, bacon crumbles

Combos

  • Classic: Hidden Veggie Sauce + Pepperoni + Mozzarella
  • Veggie: Tomato Sauce + Bell Peppers+ Onions + Mushroom + Mozzarella
  • BBQ: Barbecue Sauce + Shredded Chicken + Cheddar Jack
  • Italian: Pesto + Ground Sausage + Bell Peppers + Provolone
  • Greek: Olive Oil + Tomato + Black Olives + Feta Cheese
Four bagel pizzas on a baking sheet on a marble countertop with different toppings.

Expert Tips

  • These pizza bagels are freezer friendly! Simply flash freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer for a couple of hours.
  • Make sure to toast and cut these pizza bagels into thin strips to make them easier to chew for toddlers closer to 12-18 months. Bagels have more soft, doughy areas compared to regular bread, so cutting into thinner strips will make it easier for younger eaters to manage.
  • Less is more, when it comes to toppings. Putting on too many toppings, especially sauce or ones with more water content, like tomatoes or pineapple, can create a soggy pizza bagel that’s tricky to pick up and eat.
  • If you’re watching sodium content for toddlers and younger kids, use cheese like fresh mozzarella, fresh ricotta, and goat cheese, as they contain less sodium than some traditional cheeses, like parmesan or pecorino romano. You might also want to serve ham, sausage, and pepperoni sparingly for toddlers, as these meats can be saltier.
  •  If you’ve got picky eaters, try setting up the toppings for these pizza bagels ‘buffet-style’ so that kids can create their own pizzas in a low-pressure setting.
  • Kids love to be creative and eat food that looks like something familiar – encourage them to use toppings to decorate their pizza with a smiley face, different shapes or letters, veggie rainbows, you name it!

Cooking with Kids

Both toddlers and kids will have a blast making these mini pizzas!

Toddlers

  • Can help spoon and spread on the sauce.
  • They can help sort and pour ingredients into smaller bowls for serving.
  • Can help wash and dry vegetables.
  • Toddlers love to sprinkle on the cheese and add their own toppings.

Kids

  • Kids can preheat the oven.
  • They can spoon and spread the sauce.
  • Kids love to sprinkle on the cheese and add their own toppings.
  • With an adult’s help, kids can place the baking sheet into the hot oven and set the timer.
Two blue kids plates full of bagel pizza is cut into different sizes with cucumbers and strawberries on a marble countertop.

How to Store and Freeze

You can store cooked pizza bagels in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for 2 months. Make sure to let them come down to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

To reheat, simply pop them into the microwave for 30-second intervals until warm (my microwave takes 90 seconds). Or place them on a baking sheet and warm them in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 8-10 minutes.

Cutting board with bagel pizzas Parmesan and basil cut into wedges.

Get the recipe: 10-Minute Easy Bagel Pizzas

5 stars (1 rating)
Pizza Bagels are a fun, fast and family-friendly recipe that everyone will love! These 10-minute pizza bagels are super customizable and a hearty choice for lunch, dinner, or even snacks!
Yield: 4 bagel pizzas
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients 

  • 2 bagels, cut in half
  • 1/2 cup pizza sauce, pasta sauce or pesto
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese, mozzarella or Italian blend cheese,
  • 1/3 cup toppings, chopped
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan

Instructions 

  • Prep: preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Place sliced bagels on a baking sheet.
  • Toast Bagels: optional – for a crispier crust, place the bagels in the oven for 3 minutes.
    Bagels cut open on a baking sheet against a marble backdrop.
  • Spread Sauce: spread the toasted bagels with the sauce of your choice.
    Bagels with hidden veggie tomato sauce on a baking sheet against a marble backdrop.
  • Add the Cheese: Next, sprinkle on your cheese, avoiding clumps.
    Pizza bagels with cheese and tomato sauce getting ready to go into the oven and bake.
  • Toppings: Scatter the toppings evenly on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with a pinch of parmesan.
    Showing how to load up a bagel pizza with different toppings.
  • Bake: Place the bagel pizzas into the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
    Four bagel pizzas on a baking sheet on a marble countertop with different toppings.
  • Done: Serve warm or set aside to come down to room temp for freezing.
    Two blue kids plates full of bagel pizza is cut into different sizes with cucumbers and strawberries on a marble countertop.

Notes

Age: 12+ months
Toppings:

Sauces

Toppings

  • Veggies: bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach
  • Cheese: mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, cheddar, “jack” cheeses, feta
  • Meats: pepperoni, ground sausage, chicken, bacon crumbles
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Combos

  • Classic: Hidden Veggie Sauce + Pepperoni + Mozzarella
  • Veggie: Tomato Sauce + Bell Peppers+ Onions + Mushroom + Mozzarella
  • BBQ: Barbecue Sauce + Shredded Chicken + Cheddar Jack
  • Italian: Pesto + Ground Sausage + Bell Peppers + Provolone
  • Greek: Olive Oil + Tomato + Black Olives + Feta Cheese
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Equipment

shop tools
Nordic Ware Baking Sheet
Measuring Cups
Bumkins Grip Plate

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