French Bread Pizza is an easy and delicious dinner option that the family loves, but it also doubles as a quick snack for a football party, or get together! It comes together in about 2 minutes and bakes up in 10. The fun part? It’s totally customizable!
The best type of bread to use is a store bought loaf of French bread from the bakery at your local grocer.
If you purchase French Bread in an open paper bag, I recommend using it right away- it can get stale pretty fast. You can actually use any bread you like for this pizza- focaccia bread would also be great.
Start by preheating the oven, then slicing the French bread in half. Next, add marinara sauce (our favorite brand is Rao’s and it can be found at most Costco locations). Next step is to add cheese. I used shredded whole mozzarella but fresh mozzarella would be great as well. Add a little parmesan if you like, French Bread Pizza is really more of a method than a recipe!
I made 2 types of pizzas using each half of the bread- one with pepperoni, one with just cheese and fresh basil. If you use fresh basil, remember to top it only at the end and not to bake it otherwise it will wilt.
Other French Bread Pizza Topping Ideas:
- Cowboy Pizza: Cheese, sausage, pepperoni and olives.
- Hawaiian: Controversial, I know…but a favorite in our house. Mozzarella, canadian bacon and canned pineapple.
- Veggie: Cheese, sliced bell peppers, sliced onions, mushrooms & olives.
- French Onion: Drizzle olive oil in place of red sauce. Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and more gruyere on top.
- Caprese: Drizzle olive oil and balsamic in place of red sauce. Add sliced Roma tomatoes and fresh whole mozzarella. Top with fresh basil.
Bake the French bread pizza to your liking- I enjoy a little bit of crust on the edges so I bake mine closer to 15 minutes but I you prefer it softer, bake it closer to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it as it makes so it is cooked to your liking.
Slice it up, serve it on a nice pretty wooden cutting board, and there you go!
We like this served with pizza- you could try a nice Italian Chopped Salad or a Spinach Chickpea salad. If you still have a hankering for pizza, you could try this Cast Iron Pizza made with our Homemade Pizza Dough!
Hope you enjoy this delicious pizza as much as we did! – Kathi and Rachel
French Bread Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread (about 16 inches long, 4-5 inches wide)
- 1 cup marinara sauce (about 1/2 cup for each side)
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella (about 3/4 cup for each side)
- toppings of choice: Basil, pepperoni, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut loaf in half horizontally, creating two long half loafs.
- Spread 1/2 cup marinara on each half, and top with 3/4 cup cheese on each half. Add toppings as desired.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until pizza is cooked as desired.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
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