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Learn how to make perfect French Bread Pizza! This method creates cheesy pizzas with a crispy crust. It’s homemade pizza that’s fast enough for a quick lunch or casual dinner.
How To Make French Bread Pizza
If you love homemade pizza and Pepperoni Pizza Rolls but don’t have the time or energy to make then from scratch, French Bread Pizzas are the answer! More economical than delivery and so much tastier.
For years, I loved the idea of French Bread Pizza. All my favorite cheese pizza toppings on a loaf of crusty fresh bread? Yes, please.
The thing is too many pizza bread recipes turn into a soggy mess. Then I learned the secret to French Bread Pizza with a crispy crust: more cheese.
Isn’t it nice when the answer to a problem is “more cheese?”
Homemade French Bread Pizza
Want to know how to make French bread pizza not soggy? You’re going to use cheese to create a barrier between the bread and the sauce. Not only is there the added benefit of additional cheesiness, but this sandwiches the sauce in between the cheese layers effectively preventing any soggy bread from happening.
The French Bread stays sturdy enough to hold all the toppings and benefits from the extra cheese flavor! It’s a win-win.
How To Make Pizza Bread
For this recipe, I kept the toppings simple: cheese, sauce and seasonings.
You could add pepperoni or other toppings if desired, but be careful not to overload the bread. Too many toppings will weigh down the pizza bread so it’s harder to eat without everything falling off.
I make this with a full-sized loaf of bread. Any kind of crusty Italian or French bread will work. Just note that thicker bread slices will need to be pressed down a bit to create the “crust” for the pizzas.
Parsley adds a lovely freshness to the baked pizza bread, but feel free to leave it off if you prefer. I like a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top too!
This pizza bread recipe is an amazing way to use up day-old Italian bread but we typically keep a store-bought loaf on hand in the freezer to make these.
If you would like to do the same, just wrap it tightly and thaw it on the counter in the morning on the day you want to make your pizza.
This is a go-to for an easy lunch that all the kids like. Just serve the pizzas with some fresh veggies on the side and you have a balanced meal in no time.
French Bread Pizza Recipe
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- French or Italian bread
- olive oil
- Italian seasoning and kosher salt
- mozzarella cheese
- pasta sauce or pizza sauce
To make pizza bread at home, you’ll start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Slice the bread in half lengthwise and then cut each half into 3 pieces, as pictured. If the bread is thicker than about 1-inch, press down on each piece until it’s closer to that thickness.
Place the pieces on a large baking sheet. Combine the olive oil, Italian seasonings, and salt in a small bowl. Brush the sliced portion of each piece with the olive oil mixture.
Top the bread with half of the cheese and place in the oven. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the cheese melts.
How Long To Bake French Bread Pizza
While the cheese is melting, warm the sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop. Remove the bread from the oven and spread the sauce evenly over the bread.
Top with the remaining cheese and return to the oven until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 5-6 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley before serving. Serve immediately while the cheese is still warm!
If you can’t get enough meals with pizza flavors, this Cheesy Pizza Dip needs to be on your list too. And this Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese sandwich is a fantastic treat, loaded with savory slices of pepperoni, gooey mozzarella, and fresh basil.
Pizza Sliders are made with buttered garlic and parmesan Hawaiian rolls, marinara, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. No one can resist these.
For more pizza breads you’re going to love, try the BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza – it is a pizza lover’s dream come true! And this easy Air Fryer French Bread Pizza is fast enough for a quick lunch or casual dinner.
How To Make French Bread Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French or Italian bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12-16 ounces mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Homemade Pasta Sauce or your favorite brand
- OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- OPTIONAL: 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped small
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the bread in half lengthwise and then cut each half into 3 pieces, as pictured. If the bread is thicker than about 1-inch, press down on each piece until it’s closer to that thickness.
- Place the pieces on a large baking sheet. Combine the olive oil, Italian seasonings, and salt in a small bowl. Brush the sliced portion of each piece with the olive oil mixture.
- Top the bread with half of the cheese and place in the oven. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the cheese melts.
- While the cheese is melting, warm the sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop. Remove the bread from the oven and spread the sauce evenly over the bread.
- Top with the remaining cheese and return to the oven until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 2/15/21 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/28/24}
okay, I honestly didn’t think this would be all that amazing, but it was worth a shot, right? HOW HAVE I NEVER TRIED THIS BEFORE?! While it doesn’t taste exactly like “pizza” it’s truly close and we LOVED IT! The bread is chewy like a pizza crust, the flavors are all there, and it took me like 5 minutes effort. This is going to be a regular dinner over here. I have lots of ideas for different toppings now too!
I’m so glad you like it, Kristanne!