Ingredients
- Mushrooms: 16-20 medium-sized white button or cremini mushrooms (larger caps work best!)
- Olive oil: 1-2 tablespoons
- Pizza sauce: About 1/2 cup of your favorite
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: 1 cup
- Toppings of choice: Mini pepperoni slices, sliced black olives, diced bell peppers, crumbled Italian sausage (pre-cooked), etc.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper
Instructions
1. Prep the mushrooms
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Gently wash and dry the mushrooms. Carefully remove the stems (save these if you like).
- With a small spoon, gently scoop out a bit of the gills (the dark underside) of each mushroom cap to create more room for toppings.
2. Initial bake
- Drizzle mushrooms with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the caps upside down on the baking sheet. Bake for about 6-8 minutes to release moisture.
- Remove and carefully drain any liquid from the caps.
3. Build the pizza bites
- Flip the mushroom caps over.
- Spoon 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of pizza sauce into each cap.
- Add your favorite toppings. Be mindful of the size of the mushroom caps, you don’t want to overload them.
- Top with a generous sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake to perfection
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and slightly golden brown.
- For extra crispiness, switch to the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye to prevent burning.
- Let the pizza bites cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs like basil or parsley if desired.
Tips
Stuffing alternative: Combine the chopped mushroom stems with breadcrumbs, a little ricotta cheese, and Parmesan for an extra savory stuffing before filling the caps.
Get creative: Experiment with different cheeses, sauces, and toppings!
Leftovers: Store in the refrigerator for a couple of days and reheat gently.
