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A favorite easy-dinner classic – this simple, delicious French Bread Pizza is quick to prepare, customizable, and loaded with flavor the whole family loves!
We’ve been making this recipe at home since I was a little kid – it is my favorite simple dinner and packed with family-friendly flavor!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Table of contents
French Bread Pizza
We’re starting off easy pizzas with store-bought French bread, your favorite pizza or pasta sauce, and tons of cheese – this recipe is super simple, and a great way to use up leftovers!
When I have a jar of pasta sauce I haven’t used up and some leftover cheese, I love making these pizzas with my kids – I’ll cut a loaf of bread in half, prep the base of the pizzas, and let them top them. It’s simple and easy, takes only a few minutes, they get their favorite dinner – and I’m not stuck in the kitchen all night.
This recipe is one that is super simple on it’s own and one you might not need a recipe for – but I’m sharing a secret tip to take it over the top, by removing a bit of the bread and adding some extra cheese.
Trust me when I say you’re going to LOVE this delicious, amazing baked French bread pizza!
French Bread Pizza Recipe Ingredients
To make these easy and delicious pizzas, we’re going to gather the following ingredients:
- French bread – we’re going to use one large loaf of French bread for these pizzas, cut in half, lengthwise. Pick a french bread that is soft and fluffy – not stale – and is wide, not thin like a baguette. If you want to make your own homemade bread, you can try our no knead bread recipe, shape it more into an oval than a circle, and bake in an oblong dutch oven.
- Cream cheese – cream cheese is our secret ingredient in this pizza – it helps to provide extra tangy, cheesy, delicious flavor, additional fat content, and helps garlic powder stick to the bread. Use softened cream cheese so it is easy to spread against a fluffy, soft bread. You can also use Neufchatel Cheese.
- Garlic powder – garlic powder brings a rustic, earthy, and pungent flavor to baked bread pizza that helps to cut through the acidic pizza sauce and creamy cheese flavors.
- Pizza or pasta sauce – use any sauce you love – tomato sauce, pizza sauce, or even spaghetti sauce – my kids prefer pizza sauce since it is slightly sweet and generally a bit less acidic, but I prefer spicier spaghetti sauce for the additional flavor!
- Mozzarella cheese – mozzarella cheese gives the classic perfect pizza flavor and salty taste! You can buy block mozzarella cheese and shred it, use sliced mozzarella, or pre-shredded mozzarella – whatever is easiest.
- Toppings – you can eat french bread pizza with just cheese, add sliced bell peppers, pepperonis, olives, cooked sausage crumbles – whatever you love on pizza!
How to make French Bread Pizza
After you’ve gathered your ingredients, use the following method:
- Cut bread in half. Using a serrated knife, cut french bread in half, lengthwise. Try to cut it so it is even on both sides so each side bakes at the same time.
- Scoop some bread out. French bread has a lot of bread inside, which will make your pizza a bit bland. I find pizza is the most flavorful – and easier to eat – when removing a bit of bread from the middle. Simply scoop out a bit of bread with your hands. My kids love to eat the bread from the middle!
- Add cheese & garlic. Spread softened cream cheese, sprinkle garlic powder over each side of bread.
- Add sauce & mozzarella. Layer sauce over cream cheese that has been seasoned with garlic powder, then top with mozzarella.
- Add toppings. Take pizza to the next level with your favorite toppings! Add whatever you like, and load it up!
- Bake. Bake pizza until cheese is bubbly, hot, and lightly browned.
French Bread Pizza Recipe Tips
Use soft bread. Soft, pillowy bread is easier to eat instead of a stale, crusty bread like you’d use for a bruschetta – so opt for breads that have a bit of give when you squeeze them.
Scoop out some bread from the middle. The top secret to delicious french bread pizza is scooping some of the bread out of the middle – so that your pizzas aren’t too bread-y. This allows for more intense sauce and cheese flavors that aren’t bland and boring – and prevents your pizzas from just being soggy bready mush.
Bake to lightly brown. Bake pizza until the cheese is hot, bubbly, and browned on top and the sides are crispy and crunchy – it will be easier to eat, and the browning adds tons of delicious, irresistible flavor!
Try different sauces. If you’re feeling adventurous, try an alfredo or a pesto sauce – they are delicious on French bread pizza!
Storing Homemade French Bread Pizza
Leftover french bread pizza can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat fully when eating leftovers.
French Bread Pizza in Oven FAQs
French bread pizzas bake best at high heat, so the sides can crisp up and cheese can melt, as well as brown and get bubbly. Bake pizzas at 400 degrees.
Any type of loaf bread will work for this recipe – it should be long, but not thin like a baguette, so it can hold cheese, sauce, and toppings.
To keep your french bread pizza from becoming too soggy, I’ve found the following hacks work best:
Choose a crusty bread. Use a sturdy loaf of French bread with a firm crust to provide a solid base for the toppings.
Pre-bake. Slice the French bread in half lengthwise and place it on a baking sheet. Pre-bake the bread in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 5-7 minutes to dry out the surface and create a crispy base.
Use a Light Sauce Layer: Apply a thin layer of pizza sauce to prevent the bread from becoming too moist. Too much sauce can lead to sogginess.
Brush with oil: Consider brushing the bread with olive oil or melted butter before adding the sauce to create a barrier against moisture.
What to Serve With French Bread Pizza
French bread pizza goes with almost anything – it’s a simple family favorite that is delicious and easy!
We love to serve it alongside a simple creamy cucumber salad, classic garlicky texas toast, simple and easy garlic knots, or a simple and delicious Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad!
You can find more of our favorite recent easy side dish recipes here:
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French Bread Pizza in Oven
Ingredients
- 1 loaf french bread, cut in half, lengthwise
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- ½ cup marinara, pizza sauce, or pasta sauce, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- toppings, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Using a serrated knife, cut french bread in half, lengthwise. Try to cut it so it is even on both sides so each side bakes at the same time.
- French bread has a lot of bread inside, which will make your pizza a bit bland. I find pizza is the most flavorful – and easier to eat – when removing a bit of bread from the middle. Simply scoop out a bit of bread with your hands. My kids love to eat the bread from the middle!
- Spread softened cream cheese, and sprinkle garlic powder over each side of bread.
- Layer sauce over cream cheese that has been seasoned with garlic powder, then top with mozzarella.
- Take pizza to the next level with your favorite toppings! Add whatever you like, and load it up!
- Bake pizza until cheese is bubbly, hot, and lightly browned about 10 minutes.
- Let cool slightly before cutting each pizza into two slices.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
