Description
This oven-baked French Bread Pizza recipe is easy to make with your favorite toppings! Featuring a secret buttery garlic herb spread, it delivers a perfectly crispy and crunchy texture with melted mozzarella and savory pepperoni topping.
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
Buttery Garlic Herb 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 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s hot enough for a crispy crust.
- Prepare the 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 for even baking.
- Make Garlic Herb Spread. Combine olive oil, butter, minced garlic, dried oregano, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously for 2 to 3 minutes until aromatic and well blended, then remove from heat.
- Brush and Add Parmesan. Use a pastry brush to evenly apply the garlic herb mixture over the top of each bread slice, making sure to cover the edges well. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the slices.
- Bake Initial Layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the bread slices for 6 to 7 minutes to toast the base and melt the Parmesan slightly.
- Add Toppings. Remove the baking sheet and spread pizza sauce over each slice, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni or your preferred toppings.
- Final Bake. Return the bread pizzas to the oven and bake for 10 to 13 minutes until the cheese is melted and edges are golden and crisp.
- Optional Broil. For extra browning, broil at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 minute, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve. Slice and serve the French Bread Pizzas warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Choose a large, light, and airy French bread loaf that’s round rather than crusty for the best base texture.
- Use low moisture, whole milk mozzarella shredded from a block to get perfect melt and gooeyness instead of fresh mozzarella.
- Keep sliced pepperoni frozen to extend shelf life and take it out right as you start preparing your pizzas.
- For pizza sauce, Rao’s Pizza Sauce is excellent, but budget-friendly options like Ragu work great too.
- Store leftovers wrapped in foil or airtight bags in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat by baking on a baking sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 8 minutes until cheese is melted and hot.
- Try other pizza favorites like Cast Iron Skillet Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Hawaiian Pizza, and Pizza Dip.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pizza
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
