Toasty, crisp French bread pizza is crazy customizable and really easy to make. All you’ll need is a hearty loaf of French bread, pizza sauce, and your favorite toppings.
Why this recipe works
Now, don’t get me wrong. Homemade pizza is one of this household’s favorite dinners to make. But French bread pizza… well, it’s a heck of a lot easier. No dough prep, measuring out ingredients, and cleaning up a bunch of dishes.
You quite literally slap some pizza sauce on bread halves and load them up with toppings and mounds of cheese. The best part is that everyone can make their own personal pizzas with their favorite toppings. Sausage, peppers, and onions for me, please.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
BREAD – Of course, a loaf of French bread is a must. That’s what this recipe is all about! I personally prefer the softer variety of French bread you find in the bakery of the grocery store as opposed to the harder, chewier baguettes. Something similar to loaves of Italian bread that are soft and not as difficult to bite through is ideal for pizza.
SAUCE – Brushing your bread with a bit of garlic butter before adding the sauce really transforms your pizza. I highly recommend! I’m partial to homemade pizza sauce, but store-bought is perfectly good as well. Switch it up with some alfredo sauce, pesto, or BBQ sauce as the base. There are no rules here.
CHEESE – Mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan are all great options.
MEAT – All meat added as toppings should be precooked. Pepperoni, Italian pizza sausage, chicken, mini meatballs, ham, bacon, ground beef, prosciutto… You name it, I’m sure it’ll be good.
VEGETABLES – Mushrooms, olives, jalapenos, basil leaves, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, spinach, artichoke hearts, roasted garlic, and dare I say it? Pineapple. There are endless options!
Tips for the Best French Bread Pizza
- If you like your crust extra toasty rather than soft, pop it in the oven while you gather your pizza toppings.
- Like it a little well done? Give it a quick minute or two under the broiler after baking to crisp the edges further and brown the cheese well.
- You can use a large loaf of French bread, Italian bread, or a long baguette. It’s up to you.
- Add a dash of Italian seasoning or a blend of oregano, basil, garlic powder, and dried parsley for more flavor. Red pepper flakes and grated parmesan are excellent as garnish.
- Lastly, ditch the frozen pizza. French bread pizza is much, much better.
How to Make French Bread Pizza
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy clean up. Slice bread in half lengthwise.
- In a small bowl, mix together butter and garlic powder. Spread on inside of bread.
- Top each half with pizza sauce, cheese and desired toppings. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until hot and cheese is completely melted.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Allow your pizza to fully cool before wrapping individual slices in plastic wrap or foil (or place them in an airtight container). Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To revive it, reheat in a 375F oven or 350F air fryer until warm and crisp.
No, it isn’t necessary, but you absolutely can if you’d like. This helps give the bread a little more structure and crunch, and is also good if you plan on adding a lot of sauce that can cause the bread to become soggy.
If you slice your veggies thin or chop them up fairly small, it shouldn’t be a problem to add them raw. If you like your vegetables on the thicker side, I would recommend giving them a quick saute in a skillet so they have more of a chance to cook through in the 8-12 minute bake window.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your French bread pizza as an appetizer sliced into dipper sticks, or preslice the bread (like you would with garlic bread) and add the toppings individually for mini handheld pizzas. It’s, of course, amazing as a meal itself, especially with lotsa goodies on top. Serve warm while the bread is crusty and the cheese is melty.
We’ve made this recipe for sleepovers, game nights, football parties, and as an everyday meal. You really can’t go wrong. If you’re making them for a party, it would be fun to display all the ingredients for people to compile their own pizzas with. Then pop them in the oven or toaster oven for your guests and serve them fresh.
More Pizza Recipes
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French Bread Pizza
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 2 Tablespoons butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup pizza sauce divided
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- Your favorite pizza toppings
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You can use a large loaf of French bread or Italian bread or a long baguette.
- If you don’t have any pizza sauce, a jarred marinara will work as well!
- If you slice your veggies thin or chop them up fairly small, it shouldn’t be a problem to add them raw. If you like your vegetables on the thicker side, I would recommend giving them a quick saute in a skillet so they have more of a chance to cook through in the 8-12 minute bake window.
- Mozzarella cheese is the most melty, but feel free to play around with your favorite varieties.
- To make it absolutely amazing, I like to brush my bread with garlic butter first.
- If you like your crust extra toasty rather than soft, pop it in the oven while you gather your pizza toppings.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy clean up. Slice bread in half lengthwise.
- In a small bowl, mix together butter and garlic powder. Spread on inside of bread.2 Tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 loaf French bread
- Top each half with pizza sauce, cheese and desired toppings. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until hot and cheese is completely melted.1/2 cup pizza sauce, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Storage – Allow your pizza to fully cool before wrapping individual slices in plastic wrap or foil (or place them in an airtight container). Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To revive it, reheat in a 375F oven or 350F air fryer until warm and crisp.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This post was originally published on this blog on Feb 7, 2018 and has since been updated with new photos and tips.
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