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French bread pizza

French bread pizza: AKA the world’s fastest dinner. And the best part is that you can keep the ingredients on hand anytime for dinner on the fly–no crusts to roll, no fiddling and no topping fighting. Just peaceful eating.

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A pan of baked French bread pizzas with vegetables and fresh herbs surrounding them.

Are you exhausted by dinner?

Sick of thinking about it, fretting over it and feeling like a failure at it?

Even I have moments when I wish I didn’t have to do it and then I turn to my arsenal of no brainer recipes like this french bread pizza.

The real key is not fussing with a crust. There’s no dough to roll! Plus you don’t have to listen to anyone complain that they don’t like bell peppers, or olives, or… anything. It’s the most peaceful dinner you’ll have all week. 

Tips for the fastest french bread pizza crust

Instead of waiting for dough, you can pre-make and freeze your own french bread (for those who care about the junk in your food) or you can buy a few loaves in the deli, pre slice them for pizza, then wrap them well and freeze for up to 6 weeks.

You can top them frozen and they will thaw as they bake.

If you want a less bready crust, don’t be afraid to dig out a bit of the center before you top it.

The options for the toppin’

  • Fresh herbs add lots of bright flavor so use them if you can. If you don’t, feel free to sprinkle on some dried ones.
  • I highly recommend fresh mozzarella. It just melts so much better and isn’t covered in powdered cellulose. You can find it in your cheese section wrapped in plastic. It looks like a white baseball. Just don’t get the ones in water you find in your specialty cheese area. They’re too soft.
  • You can use any vegetables or none, just pepperoni, just cheese, whatever you want.

How to assemble french bread pizza step by step

Step 1: Everything goes easier when you pre slice your ingredients. I love fresh herbs here, but you can use dried ones instead, And your favorite toppings.  

ingredients for French bread pizzas sliced or grated and laid out on a cutting board.

Step 2: I think you know how this goes, but spread on your favorite sauce. If you put on a heavy layer, it will soak down into the bread and make it soft so keep that in mind. 

French bread slices being spread with pasta sauce.

Step 3: Add a little bit of cheese, your toppings, and a little more cheese on top before baking. 

Cheese and vegetables being layered on slices of cut French bread

Want more super fast meals? Try these!

Broiled Skirt Steak

Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

Chicken Nachos

A picture of the pizza up close.
A pan of baked French bread pizzas with vegetables and fresh herbs surrounding them.

French bread pizza

French bread pizza couldn't be simpler and makes a great fast dinner when you're in a pinch. Add your favorite toppings and use a loaf of store bought french bread for ultimate convenience. 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Rachel Ballard

Ingredients
  

  • 1 loaf french bread I used garlic french bread
  • 3/4 cup jarred or homemade marinara sauce divided in half
  • 2 cups shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
  • toppings of your choice (I used bell pepper onion, mushrooms, and pepperoni)
  • Fresh basil oregano and parsley (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Cut the french bread in half lengthwise and place on a cookie sheet side by side. You can remove a little bit of the soft center if you think it's too thick. I leave mine as it is.
  • Spread the sauce on each half.
  • Sprinkle on 1/2 cup of cheese on each half.
  • Add your toppings and then add the remaining cheese.
  • Sprinkle with fresh herbs if you are using them.
  • Bake until the edges start to get crisp and the cheese melts, about 15-18 minutes or so. Just keep an eye on it. You can also broil the top a bit if you want your toppings a little crisper.
  • This recipe feeds four big adults or two children and two adults well.

Nutrition

Calories: 468kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 25gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 1105mgPotassium: 323mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 577IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 333mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Tag us on Instagram @feastandfarm and hashtag it #feastandfarm
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

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3 Comments

  1. Going to make these tomorrow for dinner. My grandkids will be here and we’ll have our version of a pizza party. Before I retired, I bought the stouffers French bread pizzas for my lunches. If I would of had this recipe, I would have saved a ton of money!!

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About the Author

Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.