I bought a package of plain bagels and planned to top all of them with this filling. I used one block of cream cheese as called for but added a lot spinach and artichoke hearts to bulk it up. I also eliminated a lot of the cheese because I really didn't think it was necessary with the cream cheese base. Everyone loved these open faced sandwiches and we didn't miss the extra cheese at all. They were delicious even with considerably cutting back the cheese.
These sandwiches could easily be served as an appetizer using mini bagels. They are so easy to make and would be an easy bite size appetizer to serve that adults and kids alike would enjoy.
You could make the filling ahead of time and leave a container in the fridge. When kids are hungry or ready for lunch, they spread on top of a bagel half and pop into the air fryer for 6 minutes. Lunch is served in no time at all!
Substitutions/Additions made by Cooking After Class for Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bagels:
- used entire package of bagels
- chopped up an entire jar of artichoke hearts
- added 2/3 of a bag of frozen spinach
- only used 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- only used 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- used 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Tips from Cooking After Class for making Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bagels:
- heat the bagels in an air fryer at 350 for 6 minutes instead of warming up your oven
RECIPE: Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bagels
Effort: Quick and Easy
Time: 20 minutes
Kids Comments: Love it! Really cheesy!
Make it Again: Yes, easy enough for the kids to make as a summer lunch when off school.
