Last Saturday Ben and I were on a romantic lunch date at Costco, eating samples and looking at tents hanging from the ceiling, when we turned a corner past the hummus tubs and both let out a tiny gasp.
Bagel Bites! we whispered in unison, both way too excited about the bite-sized frozen pizzas on wee bagels that were being demo’d in front of the freezer aisles.
“I seriously ate bagel bites like, everysingleday when I was a kid.” Ben confessed.
“Um, me too! So much better than pizza…not on a bagel!”
“Dang, that guy just took the last sample. Should we wait for the next batch?”
“Obviously!”
So we did, indeed, stand there like those Costco people until the next piping hot batch of bagel bites came out of the sampler woman’s tiny portable oven all hot and cheesy 2 minutes later.
These are even better than I remember!” I reminisced, burning the roof of my mouth.
“We should probably get a bag, don’t you think?”
“Are you crazy?! I’ll eat all 1800 bites in one sitting, then where would we be? No, I’m going to recreate these at home…and make ’em healthy!”
“Yaaaay…”
Thus, Mushroom Cap Pizza Bites were born! Hollowed out cremini mushroom caps are stuffed with any combination of pizza toppings, sprinkled with shredded cheese, then baked ’til golden brown. The perfect, healthy pizza bite!
First things first, if there’s one thing you gotta know about me, it’s that I hate mushrooms. The only thing worse than their cholorine-like smell when cooking, is their rubbery, squeaky texture. I’d rather eat cooked carrots, which is really saying something.
Something about the idea of stuffing mushroom caps with pizza toppings sounded oddly appealing to me though. Perhaps it was the idea of baking the mushrooms instead of sauteing them? Stuffing the caps instead of slicing them up? The promise of melted cheese?
I couldn’t pin point it, but Ben adores mushrooms so, I said to heck with it and decided to give them a go.
Start the Mushroom Cap Pizza Bites by snapping the stems off a carton of cremini mushrooms that have been washed and patted dry. You could use white button mushrooms, or even big shitakes it you want, but I thought baby steps and went with the medium-sized creminis.
Scrape out the insides of the caps with a small measuring spoon. I’m not a huge fan of saving stems for other uses, but I would definitely freeze the scooped out part to add to soups, stews or anything made with ground meat, as mushrooms pump up the volume for virtually no calories, and are high in Vitamins B and D.
Be careful not to crack the caps, and don’t scoop too much out or else your mushrooms will collapse. You’ll know how much is enough when you’re doing it.
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees, then bake the hollowed out mushroom caps for 6 minutes.
Afterwards they’ll be a little shriveled, and filled with liquid. Pour the liquid out, then place the caps back on the baking sheet, and turn the oven to broil.
Spoon 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pizza sauce into each cap, then fill the rest of the way with your favorite pizza toppings. Mine is black olives. Just black olives. I love black olives.
Top the caps with finely shredded mozzarella cheese, then pop under the broiler for a minute or two, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
I ate a mushroom, and I liked it!
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Mushroom Cap Pizza Bites
Description
Mushroom Cap Pizza Bites are the perfect healthy pizza bite. Decadent yet better for you!
Ingredients
- 8oz medium-sized cremini mushrooms
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pizza toppings of your choice
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, then pat dry the mushrooms and snap the stems off. Using a 1/4 teaspoon, gently scrape out some of the insides of the mushroom caps, being careful not to crack the cap. Don't scrape out too much or your mushroom pizza bites will be flimsy and collapse. Bake the mushrooms on a non-stick sprayed, foil-lined baking sheet for 6 minutes. Pour out any liquid that's pooled in the caps, then set the oven to broil.
- Spoon 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pizza sauce into each cup, then fill with desired pizza toppings and top with shredded cheese. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I devoured 6 cheesy, delicious bites before I started getting a little gaggy. The flavor of the cremini mushrooms actually reminded me of pizza crust a little, but it was still a mushroom ya know? Totally a texture thing!
Mushroom lovers: you will rejoice, much like Ben did, at these hot, stuffed Mushroom Cap Pizza Bites! Healthy, customizable, easy (seriously, ready from start to finish in 15 minutes) and just fun, ya’ know? Make a double batch to serve as a light supper with a side salad, or even as an appetizer that will go quickly at your next get together.
PS can I please show you the hilarious appetizer plates my friend Lindsey got me from Crate & Barrel? It’s a set of 4 and each plate has this little man interacting with images of food, including riding a biscotti like a sled, and burning his tongue on jalapeno slices. So cute! ;)
~~~~~
Mushrooms: Yay, or nay?
veggieatlas 10.05.2012
I’m a bit slow to find you but oh lord, I’m in love! Wonderful, witty post and even though this Melbourne girl knows nothing about Bagel Bites, I’m glad they inspired this recipe. I know what I’m snacking on tonight – thanks.
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Barbara Ovittore 04.22.2012
I Love mushrooms.. I stuff them with cream cheese, herbs, chopped stems, minced onions & garlic.. Yummy!
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Cathie 03.22.2012
these look great. quick question, do you think the caps would be ok or collapse if you turned them upside for the first 6 mins? Then the juice would drain out on its own.
Iowa Girl Eats 03.23.2012
Probably!
Haley 03.22.2012
haha, the way you described your hate for mushrooms, and then comparing it to cooked carrots, is me exactly! i hate cooked carrots and really don’t like mushrooms… however i have had mushroom pizzas like this and they’re pretty delicious! i think i’ll make them soon :)
Angie 03.22.2012
romantic date at Costco…you crack me up. Last week my hubs took me on a romantic date night at an auto show.
We lurve mushrooms howevs, so I will definitely be trying this recipe! Hubs hates olives so probably other toppings. Italian turkey sausage?
love the blog!
Erin 03.22.2012
I’m more of a tostinos pizza roll girl. (Hangs head in shame) Seriously used to devour them with a bottle of ranch EVERY SINGLE night after coming home from a night out in college. However, I’m more of a raw mushroom fan and would love to try these as a gateway into enjoying cooked mushrooms. Thanks so much!
Iowa Girl Eats 03.22.2012
Guuuuurrrl, me too! Check it out: https://iowagirleats.com/2011/06/16/homemade-pizza-rolls/
Elizabeth 03.22.2012
Oooh I have been making pizzas with portabella mushrooms.. Bigger for more pizza and theyre soooo good and healthy! I ads chicken sausage to eat and spinach and its delishous!!
Lori 03.22.2012
I love mushrooms but only when cooked. I just cannot eat raw mushrooms on my salads which is a bummer. I like how you can customize these mushroom pizza bites. No black olives for me!
Carrie @ Season It Already! 03.22.2012
Yay mushrooms! Can’t wait to make these… Maybe our next poker party!
Sharla 03.22.2012
I’m learning to like mushrooms, and this appears to be a tasty way to make better friends with them. I’ve never had Bagel Bites, though.
Life's a Bowl 03.22.2012
YUM! I love mushrooms in all forms, raw or cooked, plain or jazzed up! And strangely enough, one of my fave ways is to pop the stem off and fill the [raw] cap with salsa, tomato sauce, or parm cheese :D I’ll have to try the same thing but with a cooked cap!
Michelle (Better with Berries) 03.22.2012
These look great!! I’m not sure if I could get my mushroom-hating boyfriend to eat them though… he really hates them. But I really love them so I’m sure I’d have no trouble polishing them off :-)
Lisa 03.22.2012
Clearly you dont HATE mushrooms as much as I cuz there’s NO WAY I could eat these!! I can’t believe YOU did!!!
YUUUUUK!!!
But, kudos to you for takin one for the team. LOL!
Elyse 03.22.2012
Thank you SO much for this!! My boyfriend loves mushrooms and I can’t bring myself to. Therefore he never gets them with my cooking. If you say you can eat this being a fellow mushroom hater, then it’s worth a try! If anything he will finish these off without my help ;-)
Kate @ ibrokemyumbrella 03.22.2012
Is it weird that when I read “I ate a mushroom, and I liked it!” I sort of sang it to the Katy Perry “I Kissed a Girl” tune? Probably. These look yummy!
Iowa Girl Eats 03.22.2012
Hahaha, as intended! ;)
Jenny 03.22.2012
Me too! Was worried I was the only one! ;-)
Rachel @Balance and Blueberries 03.22.2012
This is brilliant. I LOVE mushrooms!
Lindsey 03.21.2012
Oh yum! I have waited for the day you FINALLY post a recipe with mushrooms in it! :) I could put them in everything!