Italian Sausage Crust Mini Pizzas

How to Make

• Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or oil.

• Step 2: Take the Italian sausage out of its casing and divide it into 12 equal portions.

• Step 3: Press each portion of sausage into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup, forming a mini pizza crust. Make sure the crust is even and covers the entire base of each cup.

• Step 4: Bake the sausage crusts in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until they are fully cooked and slightly browned. If there's excess grease in the cups after baking, carefully drain it off.

• Step 5: Once the sausage crusts are ready, remove them from the oven. Use a paper towel to blot any remaining grease.

• Step 6: Preheat your oven's broiler to high.

• Step 7: Spoon a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto each sausage crust, spreading it out evenly.

• Step 8: Layer the shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce in each cup.

• Step 9: Add your toppings, such as sliced bell peppers, black olives, and pepperoni (if using).

• Step 10: Sprinkle dried oregano over the top of each mini pizza (optional).

• Step 11: Place the muffin tin under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the toppings are lightly browned.

• Step 12: Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the mini pizzas cool for a minute or two.

• Step 13: Carefully use a spoon or fork to lift the mini pizzas out of the muffin tin, transferring them to a serving platter.

• Step 14: Garnish each mini pizza with fresh basil leaves, if desired, before serving.