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Home » Recipes » Entrees

French Bread Pizza

Published: Jul 8, 2023 · Modified: Sep 8, 2023 by Debra Clark · 18 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Leftover garlic bread is transformed into tomorrow's dinner when you make this easy French Bread Pizza! Top with your favorite toppings; this is perfect for pizza night!

French Bread Pizza on a plate.
Classic French Bread Pizza

Next time try this recipe for CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza!

Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions 
  • Equipment
  • FAQ's
  • Test kitchen tips
  • Variations
  • Storage
  • Related recipes
  • Serve with
  • French Bread Pizza Recipe
  • Recipe backstory

Why you'll love this recipe

✔️ This is a great opportunity to repurpose leftovers - big win!

✔️ This is the easiest way to make fresh pizza at home!

✔️ No more soggy crusts either, it's the perfect recipe!

✔️ This is a great option for an easy dinner recipe. It makes the best pizza and is a ton tastier than frozen pizza!

Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make this recipe. With print overlay.

For the exact measurements for this delicious french bread pizza, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

  • Large loaf of crusty French bread or a loaf garlic bread - bottom half only
  • spaghetti or pizza sauce
  • assorted topping of choice - pepperoni slices, cooked Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms, olives, bell peppers.
  • Mozzarella cheese

Instructions 

Step by step instructions to make this recipe. With print overlay.
Instructions to make homemade French bread pizza recipe.

This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  2. Lay the bread out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. Spread with spaghetti or pizza sauce.
  4. Add toppings - sliced green peppers, mushrooms and olives. Top with pepperoni and sprinkle with cheese.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes until the bread is crunchy and the cheese is ooey, gooey, melted!

Equipment

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  • rimmed baking sheet

FAQ's

What types of bread can be used for a pizza base?

You can use French bread, Italian bread, sourdough bread, Naan or garlic bread.

Should the meat be cooked?

Absolutely, sausage or ground beef should be cooked first before adding it to the pizza bread.

What kind of toppings can you use?

You aren't limited! You can use any toppings that you enjoy on traditional pizza.

Cheesy French bread pizza on plate.

Test kitchen tips

  • A slather of garlic butter will add an extra layer of flavor to the pizza!
  • If you prefer a classic pepperoni pizza, pile those toppings high on the hearty french bread pizza. Enjoy!
  • I've used deli rolls in a pinch and made this in the air fryer too.
  • If you don't have marinara sauce, I've used tomato sauce topped with a pinch of Italian seasoning.

Variations

Add your favorite pizza toppings!

  • Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
  • caramelized onions
  • fresh basil
  • sausage
  • No leftover garlic bread? Use naan and make mini naan pizza bread instead!
  • Canadian bacon and fresh pineapple
  • Use this shredded chicken recipe for bbq chicken pizza. Add a few tablespoons of buffalo sauce and turn it into a buffalo chicken pizza.
  • Substitute Monterey Jack cheese for the mozzarella - yum!
  • Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese - delish!

Use this recipe to make your own homemade pizza sauce, it's actually a marinara sauce, but it totally does double-duty. It's the most flavorful sauce!

This is my favorite homemade pizza crust recipe if you'd prefer to make the pizza dough.

Storage

Refrigerate - Leftover should be refrigerated. Cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to three days.

Reheat - Reheat leftover pizza by placing in the oven at 400 degrees until cheese is melted or by reheating in the air fryer for 4-6 minutes at 400 degrees.

Since of pizza on a plate.

Related recipes

  • Vegetarian Pizza Bombs - use marinara a dunker for these little gems!
  • Quick, Easy Homemade Pizza - this one uses frozen bread dough and it's delicious!
  • Short on time? Try this easy recipe for Air Fryer Pizza!
  • Supreme Pizza Soup - all your favorites in a bowl of soup!
  • Prefer to make your own French bread? Give this French Bread Recipe a try, it's delicious and super easy to. make.

Serve with

Keep it simple and serve your French bread pizza with a caesar salad. Grab a bagged one and dinner will be done!

For dessert this make-ahead Butterscotch Pudding Recipe is amazing, enjoy!

Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite products! 🛍️

If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! 

A slice of pizza bread on plate.
5 from 3 votes

French Bread Pizza Recipe

This simple recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. Top leftover garlic bread with your favorite sauce and toppings.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
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Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Pizza
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 slices
Calories: 113kcal
Author: Deb Clark

Ingredients

  • One loaf garlic bread - bottom half only
  • 2 cups spaghetti or pizza sauce
  • assorted topping of choice - pepperoni sausage, onions, mushrooms, olives, bell peppers - whatever toppings your family prefers.
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  • Lay the bread out on a cookie sheet, spread with spaghetti or pizza sauce. Spread toppings on liberally and top with cheese. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes until the bread is crunchy and the cheese is ooey, gooey, melted!

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    Nutrition

    Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 817mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 8.6mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 1.4mg

    Recipe backstory

    Ok....I hesitate calling this a recipe, so it's more of a "what to do you when have leftover bread & spaghetti sauce" kinda thing.

    You know....when you're too busy, too tired, don't feel like cooking or sick with a cold (yes, still fighting it!) day. I'm sure you can relate to at least one of these right? It's been almost two weeks, and I'm finally coming up for air!

    Anyway this is a great meal when you want to be lazy or it's just the two of you. We enjoy having a slice of bread with dinner, but rarely eat the whole loaf.

    And I don't know about you, but with the price of food, I hate throwing away food.

    When I do purchase a loaf of bread, we'll eat the top half and save the bottom for pizza bread - a little leftover sauce - about two cups will do it, and then just pile on the fixings.

    What are your favorite toppings? Here we used onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, red peppers and some cheese. Into the oven it went at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

    The key is to get the bread super crunchy, because it's so thick.

    My Mom used to make this for us when we were kids. You can make loaded pizzas or keep it veggie - whatever your family prefers. Plus you don't have to go thru the hassle of making dough.

    This is a super easy 30 minute meal!

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    About Debra Clark

    Hey I'm Deb Clark, and I'm the owner of Bowl Me Over! We live in the sleepy little town of Scappoose, Oregon. And I admit it... I love food! Join me in this foodie journey (even if you've never cooked before!) I will help you learn to be confident in the kitchen! Want to learn more? Let's stay connected, you can email me at debra@bowl-me-over.com and find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lois says

      March 23, 2018 at 12:43 pm

      5 stars
      I love this. So good.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 25, 2018 at 8:24 pm

        We’ve been making it for years haven’t we?!! Delicious!

        Reply
    2. Lois says

      March 02, 2018 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      This is soooo good. A fun dinner to make and very easy. Give it a try

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 02, 2018 at 8:56 pm

        Thank you Lois, I’m so glad you love it as much as we do1

        Reply
    3. Healing Tomato says

      October 29, 2017 at 2:53 pm

      5 stars
      Pizza and bread! That is the perfect comfort food recipe. Looks really good.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        October 29, 2017 at 8:52 pm

        A great combination, right? Thank you so much Rini!

        Reply
    4. Prairie Gal Cookin says

      March 15, 2016 at 10:29 am

      Oh this looks so yummy.. Thanks so much for linking up on Sunday's Simple Homemaker!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 15, 2016 at 1:23 pm

        Love that pizza bread - thanks for stopping by Ashleigh!

        Reply
    5. Sabrina says

      March 07, 2016 at 10:33 pm

      This looks like a great easy dinner to put together! Thanks for the idea!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 08, 2016 at 9:44 am

        You are very welcome Sabrina, have a great day!

        Reply
    6. Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says

      March 07, 2016 at 3:47 pm

      I feel the same way about wasting food. Do you remember what brand of mozzarella cheese you used? It looks really good.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 07, 2016 at 7:37 pm

        Yes I do because I was using up that too - I had some little BelGioioso snacking cheese, I had three bundles left and I cut them in half and just dotted them here and there, I couldn't believe how well that melted, great cheese!

        Reply
    7. Christie says

      March 07, 2016 at 4:45 am

      What a great idea. We had spaghetti and meatballs last night and of course garlic bread. This will be a fun way to change up the leftovers.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 08, 2016 at 9:47 am

        There you go! I hope you give it a try Christie!!

        Reply
    8. Citra Kale @Citra's Home Diary says

      March 07, 2016 at 1:17 am

      this is absolutely my choice when I run out time to prepare dinner...simple but looks delicious

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 08, 2016 at 9:49 am

        Thank you Citra!

        Reply
    9. Lois says

      March 04, 2016 at 8:14 am

      Great idea. I forgot that we used to do that. So good. So easy.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 04, 2016 at 10:07 am

        Nice little shortcut for when you don't want to cook!

        Reply
    Blogger Deb Clark smiling at camera holding a plate filled with a casserole.
    Welcome to Bowl Me Over!

    Hey I'm Deb Clark! I'm the owner of Bowl Me Over. We live in a sleepy little town just north of Portland in the beautiful Pacific Northwest... (read more)

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