Lowkey Chef
SearchSaved
Four pizza bagel halves with melted, browned mozzarella and torn basil on a wooden board on a blue background.
Lunch · American

Pizza Bagels

A bagel is a pizza crust that's already baked, so there's no dough to make and no delivery fee. Toasting the halves before the sauce goes on crisps the cut sides, so they stay firm under the sauce instead of going soggy, and a toaster oven or air fryer melts the cheese in about the time it takes to find a plate.

Quick facts

19 min(3 prep, 8 cook)

2 servings

  • Vegetarian

Contains: Wheat, Milk

Step 0

Get it all out

Tick things off as they hit the counter.

  • 2 plain bagels, sliced in half
  • ¼ cup pizza sauce
  • 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  • ¼ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakesoptional
  • 4 fresh basil leaves, tornoptional
Then

Let 'em cook

Tap Done as you go. Each step lists what goes in.

  1. 1

    Use a toaster oven that fits 4 slices of toast or an air fryer with a basket of 5 quarts or more, so all 4 bagel halves fit in one layer. Set the toaster oven to 400°F or the air fryer to 375°F and let it heat until it signals it's ready, about 5 minutes for a toaster oven or 3 minutes for an air fryer.

  2. 2

    Lay the 4 bagel halves cut side up in one layer on the toaster oven tray or in the air fryer basket. Toast until the cut sides look dry and matte and the edges are pale gold, about 3 minutes.

    • 2 plain bagels
  3. 3

    Pull out the tray or basket and set it on a heatproof surface. Spoon 1 tbsp of pizza sauce onto the cut side of each bagel half and spread it out with the back of the spoon, leaving a thin bare rim around the edge.

    • 2 plain bagels
    • ¼ cup pizza sauce
  4. 4

    Sprinkle ¼ cup of mozzarella over each bagel half, covering the sauce all the way to the edge. Sprinkle the oregano over the top.

    • 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
    • ¼ tsp dried oregano
  5. 5

    Put the tray or basket back in. Cook until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling and browned in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.

    • 2 plain bagels
    • 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  6. 6

    Lift the pizza bagels onto a plate with a spatula and let them sit for 1 minute so the cheese firms up a little. Sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes and the torn basil over the top, if using.

    • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
    • 4 fresh basil leaves