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This easy French bread pizza recipe is a classic dinner idea, topped with garlicky butter, savory pizza sauce, melty mozzarella, and any toppings you’d like!
If you love making pizza at home, you might also like this crescent roll pizza and these quick (and kid-friendly!) air fryer pizza rolls. But this is a throw back to the French bread pizza you knew and loved as a kid, only better!
When I had pepperoni left over from my pizza dip and pizza monkey bread the other day, I knew this family-favorite French bread pizza was next on the menu. Pizza baked on a toasty loaf of French bread makes the perfect easy dinner, and a delicious appetizer, too. Just cut it into more slices!
Ingredients You’ll Need
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- French Bread
- Butter
- Seasonings – I top the butter with garlic powder and Italian seasoning to make a quick “garlic butter” that adds flavor to the bread base.
- Pizza Sauce
- Mozzarella
Pepperoni
This French bread pizza recipe is a riff on garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread, and just as easy to make, with a few bonus ingredients to turn it into a homemade pizza.
French Bread Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread, or Italian bread
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450º F.
- Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Open and spread butter evenly over the bread. Sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning over the bread. Bake for 7-8 minutes until butter is melted and bread is lightly golden.1 loaf French bread, ¼ cup butter, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Remove from the oven and spread pizza sauce evenly over the top. Add cheese and slices of pepperoni or desired toppings.1 cup pizza sauce, 1 ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, Pepperoni
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Remove and slice to serve.
Notes
- Slice each piece in half (to make 4 pieces) to serve as a main dish. Or slice into small pieces to serve as an appetizer.
- Use any pizza toppings you like (vegetables, sausage, cheese, etc.)
- You can use regular or mini pepperoni slices. I had mini slices left over from my Pizza Dip and Pizza Monkey Bread!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make French Bread Pizza
Follow the steps here to make a fresh-from-the-oven homemade pizza with soft French bread. The trick is to bake twice: Once to crisp up the top of the bread, and a second time once the toppings are added. Let’s get this pizza party started:
- Prepare the bread. Slice your French bread loaf in half lengthwise and spread each half generously with butter. Sprinkle on garlic powder and Italian seasoning, and then bake the bread at 450ºF for 7-8 minutes to melt the butter and lightly toast the tops.
- Assemble the pizzas. Take the bread out and top each half with pizza sauce. Add the cheese and pepperoni (or any toppings you’re using).
- Bake. Return the pizzas to the oven for 10-12 minutes until the cheesy is bubbly and browned. Then, slice and serve! If I’m serving this French bread pizza as a main, I’ll slice each pizza in half to make 4 portions. Simply slice it into smaller pieces to serve it as an appetizer.
Use the Air Fryer!
To make this French bread pizza in the air fryer, you’ll need to cut the bread loaf in half, and in half again (to make 4 pieces). This way they’ll fit inside the basket. Afterward, prepare the garlic bread as directed and follow the directions for cooking garlic bread in the air fryer. Add your cheese and toppings, and return the pizza slices to the fryer to cook for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the garlic butter topping. Baking the bread with garlic butter makes it extra crispy, and it also keeps the bread from becoming soggy under the sauce. If you aren’t using butter, you can brush the bread with olive oil instead.
- To save time, you can use pre-shredded cheese. It won’t have the same flavor and perfectly melty texture, but we’ve all been in a rush on one night or another!
- Use the broiler. If you’re in a hurry, or if you’re looking to get the cheese and pepperoni extra browned, switch the oven to broil after you add the cheese and toppings. Keep a close eye on the pizzas while they’re under the broiler, though, as they’ll burn easily!
Pizza Variations
I’ve included some easy homemade pizza variations below. Remember to pre-cook meats (like bacon and chicken) and veggies (like mushrooms) before adding them to your French bread pizza, to remove excess moisture. These are just a few ideas:
- Protein. Swap pepperoni for sausage, sliced ham, chorizo, bacon, or ground meat. Use ground beef to make a French bread cheeseburger pizza, or top your loaves with leftover chicken to make a Buffalo chicken pizza. Or, borrow the toppings from this chicken bacon ranch pizza.
- Veggies. Add sliced bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and greens like spinach. You can also try a French bread version of this roasted veggie pizza.
- Hawaiian. For the pineapple on pizza lovers, you can’t go wrong with a French bread Hawaiian pizza topped with salty ham and sweet pineapple. If you use canned pineapple, remember to drain it well first.
- Greek. Top your pizza with olives, red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and crumbled feta. I also like to drizzle the finished slices with pesto!
- Mexican. Use a Mexican cheese blend, and add leftover taco meat, diced tomatoes, green chilies, and more taco pizza toppings.
- Breakfast. Make a French bread breakfast pizza topped with white gravy, eggs, and breakfast sausage (or bacon).
Serving Suggestions
A hot and cheesy pepperoni French bread pizza goes great with a Caesar salad, tomato cucumber salad, or grinder salad on the side. And no pizza night is complete at our house without a bowl of fluffy breadsticks or copycat Little Caesar’s Crazy Bread. Make the meal kid-friendly with veggies dipped in ranch dressing and a plate of fudgy banana brownies for dessert.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Nothing beats a slice of cold pizza the next day! Store any leftover pizza slices airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. If you prefer to reheat your leftovers, pop the pizza slices into the oven at 350ºF until they’re heated through and the cheese is melty again. You can also use the microwave.
- Freeze. To freeze French bread pizza, wait until the slices are cool and then wrap them in a double layer of plastic wrap. Freeze the pizza for up to 2 months and thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
