Description
This oven-baked French Bread Pizza recipe is flavorful and easy to prepare, featuring a secret buttery garlic herb spread that makes the bread perfectly crispy and crunchy. Topped with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and your choice of toppings, it's a quick and delicious meal ideal for any pizza lover.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Bread and Spread
- 1 loaf French Bread, about 1 lb, 20-21 inches long
- 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
Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (low moisture, whole milk recommended)
- 25 pepperoni slices, or toppings of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 425° F to get it ready for baking.
- Prepare the Bread: Cut the loaf of French bread in half lengthwise, then cut each half into two slices to form 4 large pieces. Place them cut-side up on a large, light-colored baking sheet.
- Make the Garlic Herb Spread: Add olive oil, butter, minced garlic, dried oregano, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously and heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, reducing the heat if needed. Remove from heat.
- Brush the Bread: Use a pastry brush to generously brush the garlic herb butter mixture over each bread slice, making sure to cover the edges. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese evenly on top.
- Initial Bake: Place the bread slices in the oven and bake for 6-7 minutes to toast the garlic butter layer and Parmesan.
- Add Toppings: Remove the bread from the oven. Spread pizza sauce evenly over each slice, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices or your preferred toppings.
- Bake the Pizza: Return the topped bread to the oven and bake for 10-13 minutes, until the cheese melts and the edges turn brown and crispy.
- Optional Broil: For extra browning, broil the pizza at 450° F for about 1 minute, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve: Slice and enjoy warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Bread: Choose a large, airy loaf with a soft crust rather than a hard, crusty loaf for the best texture.
- Mozzarella: Use low moisture whole milk mozzarella shredded from a block to ensure good melting. Avoid fresh mozzarella.
- Pepperoni: Frozen pre-sliced pepperoni can be kept handy and goes directly onto the pizza from the freezer.
- Pizza Sauce: Quality store-bought pizza sauces like Rao's or Ragu work well; choose based on preference and budget.
- Storage: Cool leftovers completely, then wrap tightly in foil or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers on a baking sheet at 350° F for 5-8 minutes until cheese is melted and warm.
- Variations: Try different toppings or cheeses like provolone or add fresh basil after baking for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pizza
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
