Ingredients
2 plain bagels, halved
1 (16-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (8-oz.) ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
20 pieces pepperoni or chorizo, thinly sliced (optional)
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. hot honey (optional)
2 plain bagels, halved
3/4 c. whole-milk ricotta
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. whole-milk shredded mozzarella
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. spicy chili crisp or chili oil (optional)
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 375º. On a rimmed baking sheet, bake bagels until slightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450º.Step 2Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread 3 to 4 tablespoons sauce onto bagel halves. Top with mozzarella, pepperoni, if using, and basil.Step 3Bake until cheese melts, 10 to 12 minutes. Drizzle with hot honey, if using.
Step 1Preheat oven to 375º. On a rimmed baking sheet, bake bagels until slightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450º. Step 2In medium bowl, mix ricotta, oil, and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper.Step 3Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread 3 to 4 tablespoons ricotta mixture onto bagel halves. Top with mozzarella and basil.Step 4Bake until cheese melts, 12 to 14 minutes. Drizzle with chili crisp, if using.
With this recipe, I’ve re-imagined what a pizza bagel means to me. My family likes to order a tomato pie and a white pie whenever we have pizza night, so I mimicked the two versions with a margarita-style and ricotta “white” pie. The margarita version starts with tomato sauce spooned onto the bagels and topped with fresh mozzarella. It’s up to you if you prefer chorizo, pepperoni, or a vegetarian version, but make sure to drizzle on that hot honey; it’s so darn good. For the white version, whole-milk ricotta is mixed with olive oil and garlic powder and spooned over the toasty bagel. Top with shredded mozzarella and dried basil and bake away. Again, the hot chili crisp is a winning condiment after toasting. How did the pizza bagel come to be? A few sources say there is a debate over who invented the pizza bagel. A man from California named Bruce Treitman claims to have created it in a Western Bagel location. In Massachusetts, owner of Katz Bagel Bakery Richard Katz says it was his idea. And somehow in between, we find gnarly bagel bites and English muffin-style “pizza bagels.” So it’s hard to say! What if I can’t find spicy chili crisp or hot honey? If you don’t feel like hunting down these condiments, no worries. Try our chili crisp recipe with sesame seeds or peanuts. As for the hot honey, simply combine honey with your favorite hot sauce, adjusting the ratios depending on how hot or sweet you want it to be. But we also have a recipe here. What can you put on a pizza bagel? Envision what you would want your pizza to have on it, then make that come to life on a bagel. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out our flatbread pizza, Buffalo chicken pizza, Tex-Mex pizza, or ham, egg, and cheese breakfast pizza.
