French Bread Pizza

Name: French Bread Pizza
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (15 ounce) loaf French bread; ¼ cup butter, softened; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 1 ½ cups pizza sauce or marinara sauce; ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning; 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded; ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated; pizza toppings (pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, olives, etc.); fresh basil (optional, for serving)

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This quick and easy French Bread Pizza is a game-changer for busy weeknights or casual gatherings. It's loaded with a delicious garlic butter flavor, customizable toppings, and the perfect balance of crispy crust and gooey cheese. Best of all, it's ready in just 20 minutes! Dinner doesn't get much easier or more satisfying than this.

Quick and easy French Bread Pizza is loaded with garlic butter, customizable toppings, and a balance of crispy crust and gooey cheese. Ready in 20 minutes! | aheadofthyme.com

We love meals that come together almost instantly, and of course, anything pizza-related is always a good choice! Pizza is one of those universally loved meals, and this French Bread Pizza takes all the work out of it. No need for dough-making or pizza stones - just grab a loaf of French bread, your favorite sauce, and toppings, and you're good to go. We love how versatile it is! You can go classic with pepperoni and mozzarella, pile on veggies for a healthier twist, or even create a barbecue chicken version. Whether you're feeding picky eaters or adventurous foodies, this recipe is guaranteed to please everyone at the table.

Why You'll Love This French Bread Pizza

Quick and easy to make. French Bread Pizza is the easiest way to get dinner on the table quickly since it starts with a base of store-bought French bread instead of using homemade pizza dough. Just brush on a layer of garlic-butter and pizza sauce, sprinkle some herbs, and add your toppings. They're so good on those stressful, busy weeknights when there's no time to wait (and they're way better than hitting the drive-thru)!
So flavorful. The buttery garlic spread takes a minute to mix together, but it's worth it for the garlic bread flavor that soaks into the hearty French bread. You can taste it in every bite!
Customizable. Every part of this recipe is customizable. Use whole wheat bread instead of a regular loaf of French bread, grab either pizza sauce or marinara sauce from the pantry, and, of course, add any toppings you'd like. It's a great recipe that can be made to suit any preferences.
Family friendly. Even the pickiest eaters tend to rally for pizza. This is one of those no-complaint recipes that the whole crew will love, and the kids can even help make them! Plus, it's just as easy to make one as it is to make a bunch, so you can easily make a separate pizza for each person in the family or cut it into slices to share.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious French bread pizza, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

French bread - use a full-sized 15 ounce French loaf from the store (or make one from scratch!). See our Homemade No Knead French Baguettes recipe.
butter - use softened butter as the base of the garlic sauce.
olive oil - this will seep into the thicker sections of the bread for extra flavor.
garlic - finely chop a little fresh garlic for a garlic bread flavor. Garlic powder can work in a pinch.
pizza sauce - use your favorite pizza sauce (homemade pizza sauce or storebought sauce) or even marinara sauce.
Italian seasoning - this will give every bite that classic pizza sauce flavor.
mozzarella cheese - mozzarella is perfect for that melted cheese pull.
Parmesan cheese - add a little grated Parmesan for a salty, umami flavor.
toppings - use your favorite pizza toppings, like pepperoni slices, mushrooms, green peppers, olives, etc.
fresh parsley - this is an optional garnish for serving. The green adds a nice color!

You will also need a half sheet baking pan, parchment paper or a silicone mat, a serrated knife, a small mixing bowl, and a spoon.

How to Make the Best French Bread Pizza

Prep. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Slice the French bread in half, lengthwise. Place the bread, cut side up, on the lined baking sheet.
Spread sauce. In a small mixing bowl, add butter, olive oil, and garlic, and stir to combine until smooth. Spread the garlic mixture evenly over the halved bread. Top with pizza sauce. Sprinkle Italian seasoning on top.

Add cheese. Add mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese on top.
Add toppings. Add your favorite pizza toppings such as pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, and/or olives.

Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Turn on the broiler and broil on HI for another 1-2 minutes until the cheese becomes golden brown and the edges of the bread become crispy.
Serve. Sprinkle with basil (if using), slice, and serve.

Recipe Variations

Gluten-free pizza bread. Check your local grocery store for gluten-free French bread.
Barbecue chicken French bread pizza. Just like regular pizza, you can adjust the sauce and toppings however you'd like. Try making a BBQ chicken pizza with homemade BBQ sauce, shredded chicken, sliced red onions, mozzarella, and crumbled blue cheese.
Air fryer French bread pizza. Pop this easy French bread pizza in the air fryer to keep from heating your whole oven. You might not be able to get the golden brown color, but the crust will still have a crunchy bite on the outside, and the cheese will become nice and melty.
Margherita French bread pizza. Lay slices of fresh mozzarella over the thin layer of sauce and garnish with fresh basil after baking. Such a nice, light meal!
Adjust the toppings. There are so many delicious toppings you can add to take your pizza to the next level. Try adding Italian sausage, caramelized onions, red pepper flakes, roasted veggies, or more to take your pizza over the top.

How to Serve

This French bread pizza is delicious served on its own, or paired with some of my favorite sides for a delicious meal you'll want every Friday night:

For more recipes, see our 35 Best Italian Side Dishes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use day-old bread. If the fresh bread is too soft on the inside, it can absorb too much liquid while baking and become soggy. For best results, use day-old bread and consider toasting the sliced loaf in the oven for 10-15 minutes to dry it out just a little bit before adding your toppings.
Slice safely. The best knives for slicing a thick, crusty loaf like this are long serrated knives or carving knives. These will keep you from crushing the bread as you cut it and help it cut much more smoothly. Always remember to slice away from yourself as well.
Work ahead. Simplify your pizza night tradition by gathering your ingredients ahead of time. You can even make the garlic butter in the morning and refrigerate it during the day. Take it out when you preheat the oven to let it soften up. It'll be so much easier to have everything you need on hand!

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

How to Reheat

To warm your leftovers, it's best to bake them in the oven or air fryer to remelt the cheese and warm the bread all the way through. Try baking the slices at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes.

How to Freeze

You can actually freeze French bread pizza at home to make later! You'll want to fully assemble the pizzas, then freeze them for several hours on a baking tray until they are solid. Wrap each one in foil or plastic wrap, then tuck the frozen French bread pizzas into a freezer-safe bag. You can bake the frozen pizzas directly in the oven, but you might want to bump the heat up to 400 or 425 degrees F to cut through the chill.

FAQ

Why is my French bread pizza soggy?

If your pizza turned out soggy, it's possible that your bread was too soft. The liquid from the sauce can wick down into the bread and give it a soggy, spongy texture. This can also happen if you use a watery pasta sauce instead of a thicker pizza sauce. To prevent this, consider toasting the bread halves in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 F to dry it out a little bit before adding the sauce and toppings.

Can you use spaghetti sauce for pizza?

Absolutely! Although it's not exactly traditional, marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce are great substitutes in a pinch. You can also make homemade pizza sauce with just a few pantry staples, so you might be able to make the sauce yourself!

How do you make French bread pizza more flavorful?

If your last batch of French bread pizza was lackluster, this most likely happened due to either a lack of seasoning or biting through a big, dry piece of bread. French bread is pretty thick, and if you don't add something to soak into the bread, it can become a little dry.

That's why this homemade French bread pizza recipe calls for adding a layer of garlic butter. As it bakes, those flavors melt into the bread to make sure every bite is full of flavor They actually end up tasting like garlic bread pizzas! You can also try adding a little sprinkle of salt on top to make sure the flavors of your toppings really pop.

More Pizza Recipes

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