French Bread Pizza Recipe
Make this delicious homemade French bread pizza recipe for an easy weeknight dinner or weekend lunch. These pizzas go together quickly and taste is so fresh. Customize your pizza by using your family’s favorite toppings!
There are certain things from our childhoods that stay with us always. Family vacations, the annual school shopping trip, staying up late, and meals that tasted wonderful. During the summer, lunch at our house was usually whatever we could find. As we got older, my brothers and I were on our own, and could make what we wanted. A favorite option was pizza made from bread, sauce, and cheese. That’s it! Nothing fancy, but it was so good.
We had a gas oven that you had to light with a match, and I was never very good at it. I usually asked one of my brothers or my mom to do it! We laid the bread out on a cookie sheet, and toasted it the oven for just a minute. We then added sauce and cheese. A few more minutes in the oven and lunch was ready.
The French bread pizza recipe I’m sharing today isn’t exactly the bread pizza from my childhood, but it took me back there for a little while. As I was working in the kitchen, I enjoyed spreading the sauce, and sprinkling the cheese. This is an easy meal to prepare, but it’s filling and so good.
French Bread Pizza Ingredients
- French bread: use any kind of soft crust French bread. The sub bun size also works and is perfect for two people. Avoid baguettes because the crust is very hard.
- Butter: softened or melted butter helps toast the bread so the sauce doesn’t sink into the French bread pizza and become mushy. Olive oil is also a good choice.
- Oregano: sprinkle on the butter before toasting for that classic homemade pizza taste.
- Red pepper flakes: to spice your pizza up a bit, but this is totally optional.
- Pizza sauce: my favorite brand is Contadina, but use what you like best.
- Small tomatoes: I love Campari tomatoes. They come on the vine, and are the perfect size for topping. They are also delicious in salads. Roma tomatoes are also very good.
- Pepperoni: adds amazing flavor. The thinly sliced variety works best.
- Mozzarella cheese: fresh hand-shredded cheese is always delicious, but feel free to use what’s in the bag.
- Parmesan cheese: adds a salty taste to this French bread pizza and more texture on top.
- Fresh basil leaves: fresh herbs are always great!
About the ingredients:
This French bread pizza recipe is meant to be used as a guideline. What you choose and how much is up to you. Vary your ingredients according to your family’s taste, and have fun with it!
French Bread Pizza Topping Ideas
Simply use your family’s favorite pizza toppings, veggies, and cheeses. Here are some suggestions:
- Bacon
- Ham
- Italian sausage
- Ground beef
- Shredded chicken
- Bacon
- Sweet onion
- Red onion
- Mushrooms
- Green, yellow, or red peppers
- Artichokes
- Spinach
- Pineapple
- Fresh basil
- Fresh parsley
French Bread Pizza Tips + Variations
- Line the baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. This is a step that I highly recommend!
- Every oven is different…so place the baking sheet where your oven cooks evenly. In my convection gas oven, I move the middle rack up one notch.
- Using one or two large loaves of French bread works great. As I mentioned above, another option is to use smaller sub buns. The bakery at my local Kroger sometimes has them, and they are very good. The brand Schwebel’s makes Italian sub buns, as well as Nickles and Aunt Millie’s. Sometimes they are called hoagie buns. Pepperidge Farms makes them with sesame seeds and they are amazing!
- Loaves of French bread vary in size, so adjust the ingredients accordingly. The loaves at my local Kroger bakery measure about 14 inches x 5 inches.
Semi-Homemade Pizza Sauce
If you can’t find a pizza sauce that you love, try making this semi-homemade version. Mix together 1 cup of tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Use your favorite brand of tomato sauce, or if you have a garden and can your own, that works beautifully too. Our favorite brand of tomato paste and tomato sauce is Contadina.
I plan to make these French bread pizzas with my grandchildren in a few weeks. The two older kids aren’t the biggest pizza fans, but maybe if they help me put them together, they will like them! These are very easy for kids to eat, and they make such a fun and casual meal.
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French Bread Pizza Making Supplies
- large baking sheet
- pizza cutter
- large wood cutting board
- Pyrex measuring cup
- Cheese grater (over 20,000 reviews and it comes in 10 fun colors!)
French Bread Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf unsliced soft French bread
- 4 tablespoons butter (melted)
- dried oregano
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- pepperoni slices
- other toppings of your choice (See list of topping suggestions.)
- 4 Campari or Roma tomatoes
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice the loaf of French bread in half, lengthwise. Place on baking sheet that has been lined with foil.
- Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with dried oregano.
- Bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top with pizza sauce.
- Add half the mozzarella.
- Distribute your favorite toppings evenly over the two halves.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Add sliced tomatoes if desired.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are toasted and cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil.
- Wait 5 minutes, slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this French bread pizza recipe, and love it, I would like to ask you to come back and leave a comment, along with a 5-star review. It would help me very much, and I would really appreciate it!
