Description
This oven-baked French Bread Pizza recipe is simple and quick to prepare, featuring a secret buttery garlic herb spread and topped with melted mozzarella and pepperoni. The crust stays perfectly crispy and crunchy, making it a delicious and satisfying meal for pizza lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
French Bread and Toppings
- 1 loaf French Bread, about 1 lb, 20-21 inches long
- 1 ½ cups pizza sauce
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 25 slices pepperoni, or toppings of choice
Garlic Butter Spread
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425° F to prepare for baking the French bread pizzas.
- Prepare Bread: Cut the loaf of French bread in half lengthwise, then cut each half into two pieces. Arrange the bread pieces on a large, light-colored baking sheet for even cooking.
- Make Garlic Butter Spread: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine olive oil, butter, minced garlic, dried oregano, and salt. Heat for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously, then remove from heat.
- Brush Bread: Using a pastry brush, generously brush the garlic butter mixture onto all surfaces of each bread slice, including the edges. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the bread slices.
- Initial Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the bread slices for 6-7 minutes until lightly crisped and fragrant.
- Add Toppings: Remove the bread from the oven. Spread pizza sauce evenly over each slice, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni or your choice of toppings.
- Final Bake: Return the pizzas to the oven and bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the bread are golden brown and crisp. Optionally, broil at 450° F for about 1 minute to achieve a more browned top, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Serve: Slice the pizzas further if desired and serve warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Choose a large, light, and airy French bread loaf rather than a crusty one for better texture.
- Use low moisture, whole milk mozzarella shredded from a block for optimal melting; avoid fresh mozzarella or packaged shredded cheese.
- Store packaged or sliced pepperoni in the freezer to keep it fresh longer and simply take it out when preparing the pizza.
- Rao’s Pizza Sauce is a great choice; Ragu is a budget-friendly, tasty alternative.
- Leftovers should be cooled completely, wrapped in foil or stored in an airtight freezer bag, and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Reheat leftover pizzas on a baking sheet at 350° F for 5-8 minutes until cheese melts and warms through.
- Try variations such as Cast Iron Skillet Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Hawaiian Pizza, or Pizza Dip for different flavors.
