Description
French Bread Pizza is a quick, flavorful, and satisfying meal combining crispy French bread, tangy pizza sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and customizable toppings. Ready in under 20 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute cravings, offering a comforting bite with minimal ingredients and easy assembly.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 1 French bread loaf
- Olive oil (for brushing)
Sauce
- Pizza sauce (amount as needed for spreading)
Cheese
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 to 1½ cups)
Toppings
- Your choice of toppings such as pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, jalapeños, spinach, tomatoes, artichokes, or any favorites
Optional
- Italian herbs (oregano or basil) for sprinkling
Instructions
- Prepare and Slice the Bread: Slice the French bread loaf in half lengthwise. Lay the halves flat on a baking sheet and lightly brush the cut sides with olive oil to help achieve a crispy crust as they bake.
- Add the Sauce: Spread an even layer of your favorite pizza sauce over the oiled bread halves. Be generous but avoid soaking the bread, keeping it firm and crunchy.
- Top with Cheese and Toppings: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce, then pile on your chosen toppings to your liking.
- Bake Until Perfect: Place the loaded bread halves in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden, and the edges of the bread are crisp.
- Slice and Serve: Remove from the oven, let it cool for a couple of minutes, then slice into smaller pieces and serve warm for maximum enjoyment.
Notes
- Use slightly stale bread to hold up better under toppings and crisp more nicely.
- Don’t overload with sauce to avoid soggy bread; keep a thin, even spread.
- Pre-toast the bread for extra crunch before adding toppings.
- Shred your own mozzarella cheese for better melting compared to pre-shredded.
- Experiment with fresh or dried herbs like basil or oregano after baking for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of a loaf slice)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: French Bread Pizza, quick pizza, easy dinner, homemade pizza, customizable pizza, weeknight meal, family-friendly
