French Bread Pizza
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
6 Servings
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
French Bread Pizza
Description
Making French Bread Pizza involves slicing a loaf of French bread in half lengthwise and pressing it gently to create a flatter surface approximately half an inch thick. Both halves are brushed with olive oil and lightly sprinkled with garlic powder. A layer of freshly grated Parmesan cheese is added before briefly baking the loaves at 425 degrees F just until the cheese begins to golden and harden, creating a crust that adds a subtle nutty flavor and structural support for the toppings.
After this initial bake, a layer of pizza sauce is spread over each half, followed by your choice of pizza toppings. The bread is then baked again to meld the flavors and warm the toppings through. The result is a satisfying pizza with a crisp exterior and tender, chewy interior, highlighting the Parmesan crust and fresh bread texture.
French Bread Pizza is flexible and allows for endless topping variations, adapting to personal preference. Using a good quality pizza sauce—homemade or store-bought—plus freshly grated cheese improves the overall flavor. This dish makes an approachable alternative to traditional pizza and is great for a casual meal or family dinner.
The recipe notes suggest doubling the sauce batch for more sauce-heavy pizzas or dipping leftover slices. Homemade French bread has a sturdier crumb that compresses better but store-bought loaves work well too.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread (about 12-inches) storebought or homemade (see note)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- garlic powder for sprinkling
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese more or less, grated
- 1-2 cups pizza sauce see note
- Pizza toppings of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice the french bread in half the long way, forming two long halves (like a hot dog bun but don't keep them attached). Lightly press on the bread with the palms of your hands or with the bottom of a flat baking sheet until the bread is compressed to about half of what it was (generally about 1/2-inch or so thick, but like I mentioned in my post, homemade french bread doesn't flatten quite as well in my experience).
- Drizzle the olive oil on both halves, about 1/2 tablespoon for each half, and brush lightly into the dough. Sprinkle with just a touch of garlic powder.
- Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese across each loaf. Place the loaves of bread on an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes, until the Parmesan cheese is just barely starting to turn golden and has hardened a bit to the touch. Take care not to burn the Parmesan!
- Spread pizza sauce on top of the Parmesan-crusted loaves and top with pizza toppings of your choice. I usually go with about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese for each half and throw on some pepperoni and olives but the sky is definitely the limit here!
- Bake the pizzas for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the bread are starting to crisp up and turn golden.
- Using a serrated knife, cut into pieces and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese rather than pre-shredded or canned cheese for better texture and flavor.
- Double the pizza sauce quantity if making a larger batch or if you prefer your pizza more saucy; leftover sauce is great for dipping.
- Choose any pizza toppings you like to customize the flavor and texture of your French Bread Pizza.
- Both store-bought and homemade French bread work, but homemade may be slightly less compressible.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Serving | |
| Calories | 259kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 7mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 683mg | 28% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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