French Bread Pizza Recipe

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Who said healthy can’t be delicious? So ditch the packaged pizzas and learn how to make this homemade French pizza bread at home!

This recipe has become my favorite pizza recipe because as a kid, I loved forming the layer of pizza sauce, then a layer of toppings, and finally the cheese. But my love for this recipe has only grown over the years.

What makes this French pizza bread better, apart from its finger-licking taste, is that the toppings can be easily customized. Moreover, you can find French bread in the market easily.

Therefore, I can tell you, out of experience, that this is the easiest version of pizza you can make at home.

What's In The Post

Equipments Required

Spatula: To brush the French bread with butter, I prefer using a spatula.
Bowl: A medium sized bowl comes handy to mix the desired ingredients well.
Knife: I use a sharp knife to cut the veggies for pizza toppings.
Chopping Board: To keep everything hygienic, I always rely on my chopping board while cutting any ingredients.
Baking Sheet
Baking Tray
Cheese Grater: I am going to use lots of cheese for this recipe so a cheese grater is a must to keep it all cheesy.

French Bread Pizza Ingredients & Substitution

Note: The ingredients in this dish can serve up to 4 people. You can make adjustments as necessary.

1 Loaf French Bread: I use store-bought French bread for crunch time but you can also use homemade loaf.
4 Tbsp. Butter, Melted
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced: When I don’t have cloves of garlic with me I use garlic powder and it works fine.
1 Cup Marinara or Pizza Sauce: I usually prefer to make my pizza sauce at home but you can also use store-bought one.
1 ½ Cup Shredded Mozzarella: You can also use other varieties of cheese for this recipe like cheddar or parmesan.
Pepperoni Slices
2 Tbsp. Freshly Grated Parmesan
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Freshly Chopped Basil, for topping

Preparation & Cooking Time

Preparation Time	Cooking Time	Total Time
15 mins	30 mins	45 mins

How To Make French Bread Pizza At Home

Step 1

Start by mixing butter and garlic in a bowl and creating a nice mix with it.

Step 2

Cut French bread into even slices. Then, spread the mix on the bread.

Step 3

Once this is done, spread the pizza sauce on top of the French bread.

Step 4

Then add finely diced cheese on top of the bread.

Step 5

After this is done, add thinly sliced pepperoni on top of it.

Step 6

Follow it up with even more cheese on the top.

Step 7

Finally, layer it with oregano and chili flakes to recreate the same pizza flavors at home.

Step 8

Then place the thinly sliced bread on the baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees until the cheese is fully melted, about 10- 13 minutes. If you’d like it more browned, broil during the last 1 minute or so (keep a close eye on it!)

Step 9

Your homemade French bread pizza is ready.

Expert Tips That I Recommend

My biggest tip, which I follow, is to lightly coat the French bread with butter and pre-bake it beforehand. This prevents it from getting soggy and provides a nice crust on the pizza.
Another tip to prevent the bread from getting soggy is to avoid adding too much sauce. I like to use only ¼ of the sauce on each slice of bread because, as good as it may sound, I don’t want my bread to be drenched in the pizza sauce.
To get it more browned and charred, I let it broil for the last minute or so. However, I strictly keep a close eye on it.
One of the things I like about this French pizza bread is that it leaves so much room for customization. I like experimenting with different uses like buffalo sauce, pesto, and even marinara sauce to enjoy new flavors at home.
I like to apply my customization theory to toppings as well. I like to top off my pizza crust with various topping slices: pepperoni, meat, mushrooms, bacon, and pineapple.

FAQs about French Pizza Bread

Why is my French bread pizza not crispy?

If your French bread pizza is not crispy, it is likely not fully baked. So, make sure to bake it at the right temperature for the right amount of time.

Why is my French bread pizza soggy?

If you use too much pizza sauce, your French bread pizza can become soggy. So, use only the amount of sauce called for in the recipe.

Why is my French pizza bread undercooked?

Adding too many layers of toppings to the French pizza bread can leave it undercooked in the center. Therefore, if you plan to add more meat or veggies, then precook them to reduce the cooking time.

Why is the base of my French pizza bread hard?

Overcooking the French pizza bread at too high temperatures can lead to a hard bottom. It is always best to follow the recommended time and temperature settings to get a nice crust with gooey cheese melting off the finch pizza bread.

Can I prepare the French pizza bread in advance?

French pizza tastes best when served hot. However, if you want to make it ahead of time, you can easily refrigerate and reheat it later to serve it. However, do ensure that you add cheese on top of the pizza bread in the end because this makes it more melty and gives that stretch we enjoy in pizza.

How can I make this pizza more flavorful?

To make this pizza more flavourful, experiment with several toppings, such as roasted bell peppers, broccoli, sausage, bacon, olives, and extra cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

This French pizza tastes great but this cannot be called healthy at all. With all the cheese and bread content it has, it turns out to be rich in calories and fat. Therefore, it should be enjoyed in moderation.

Calories	690 Kcal
carbohydrates	58 g
Protein	34 g
Fat	35 g
Saturated Fat	21 g
Polyunsaturated fat	2 g
Monounsaturated Fat	10 g
Trans Fat	0.5 g
Cholesterol	107 mg
Sodium	1652 mg
Potassium	376 mg
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	8 g
Vitamin A	1283 IU
Vitamin C	5 g
Calcium	602 mg
Iron	5 mg

Recipe Variations For Different Diets

Keto Friendly: I replace French bread with keto-friendly bread and sauce with keto-friendly pizza sauce, which is low in carbs.
Diary-Free: I skip regular cheese and use dairy-free cheese instead.
Gluten-Free: I use a gluten-free pizza crust and pizza sauce. I either buy them from the store or make them from scratch at home. Since most processed cheeses also have gluten, I use plain or full cheeses for gluten-free French pizza bread.
Vegan: All the ingredients used in this recipe are naturally vegan except the cheese. So, I swapped the cheese for vegan cheese while making this French loaf bread and followed the rest of the steps.

Storing and Reheating This Recipe

Storing

Refrigerate: I love having pizza leftovers the next day. Therefore, I store it in the fridge, wrapped in a foil or an airtight container, and place it in the refrigerator. This way, my leftovers stay fresh for about 2-3 days and still taste delectable.

Reheating

Microwave: I place my French pizza bread on a microwave-friendly plate and place a mug of water side by side. Then, I let it heat for 30 seconds until the cheese melts, after which I pop it out. The mug helps retain moisture and prevents the crust from getting burnt.
Oven: I toasted my French pizza bread in the oven, which was more convenient than I could ever imagine. I start by taking a baking sheet, putting my sliced pizzas on it, and heating it at 375 F for a few minutes. This depends on the slices of pizza you have left, but 2-3 minutes should be enough.
Air fryer: Pop in your pizza bread and set the air fryer at 350 F for 2-4 minutes. However, beware that the temperature may vary depending on the brand of the air fryer you have.
Stovetop: I arrange the slices of pizza bread on a nonstick pan, cover it with a lid, and let it cook for about 5 minutes at medium heat. After five minutes, I have a gooey, cheesy French bread pizza ready. However, I would highly recommend checking your pizza bread in between.

What To Serve With This Recipe

I know that delicious and warm French pizza bread is good on its own, but how about trying it out with other food suggestions? Whenever I have this French pizza bread, I like to have a big bowl of Salad on the side so that I do not feel all guilty about having loads of cheese melting in my mouth.

Another healthy recommendation for this is Chicken Soup. I also like to have a tasty Creamy Garlic Sauce on the side, which makes a perfect dip for this recipe when having it as a snack.

Printable Version

More Lunch or Dinner Recipes That You Can Try

Broccoli Salad From Paula Deen Recipe — Paula Deen Broccoli Salad

Homemade Jamie Oliver Pesto Chicken Pasta — Paula Deen Broccoli Salad

Conclusion

This French bread pizza recipe is an unmistakable classic Undoubtedly, this is the perfect recipe to mop up all the bread you have been storing in your pantry for so long in a fruitful way.

Give this quick and easy French pizza bread a try, and you’ll save yourself time from standing in a queue for a flat crust that you can easily recreate at home!