Description
This oven-baked French Bread Pizza recipe is a quick and easy way to enjoy a crispy, crunchy pizza with a buttery garlic herb spread. Perfect for customizing with your favorite toppings and ideal for a delicious weeknight meal or casual gathering.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Bread and Toppings
- 1 loaf French Bread, about 1 lb, 20-21 inches long
- 25 pepperoni slices, or toppings of choice
- 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic Butter Spread
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425° F to get it ready for baking the French bread pizza.
- Prepare Bread: Cut the loaf of French bread in half lengthwise, then cut each half into smaller slices. Arrange the slices on a large, light-colored baking sheet to ensure even cooking.
- Make Garlic Butter Mixture: In a small saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil, butter, minced garlic, dried oregano, and salt. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and heated through; lower the heat if needed to avoid burning. Remove from heat when done.
- Brush Bread: Use a pastry brush to evenly spread the garlic butter mixture over the top and edges of each bread slice. Then sprinkle each slice evenly with grated Parmesan cheese to add a burst of flavor.
- Bake Bread Base: Place the prepared bread slices in the oven and bake for 6-7 minutes to crisp up the bread and melt the Parmesan slightly.
- Add Toppings: Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Spread pizza sauce over each slice, then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese, and arrange pepperoni slices or your preferred toppings on top.
- Final Bake: Return the topped bread slices to the oven and bake for 10-13 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the bread turn golden brown and crisp. Optionally, broil at 450° F for about 1 minute to achieve a lightly browned cheese top; watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Serve: Slice the pizzas if needed and serve warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Bread: Choose a large, light, and airy loaf that is round rather than a dense crusty loaf to get the best texture.
- Mozzarella: Use low moisture, whole milk mozzarella shredded from a block for optimal melting – avoid fresh mozzarella or pre-shredded varieties.
- Pepperoni: Keep packaged/sliced pepperoni frozen to maintain freshness and easily grab slices when needed.
- Sauce: Rao’s Pizza Sauce is a great premium choice; Ragu is a budget-friendly alternative that tastes great.
- Storage: Let leftovers cool completely, wrap tightly in foil or airtight containers, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 350° F for 5-8 minutes until cheese is melty again.
- Try variations such as Cast Iron Skillet Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Hawaiian Pizza, or Pizza Dip to mix things up.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pizza
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
