French Bread Pizza
Updated Aug 19, 2026
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This French Bread Pizza recipe is a simple & delicious meal ready in 30 minutes that your whole family will love. Customize by using your favorite toppings, and of course homemade pizza sauce.
I am well-known for my homemade pizza dough which is quick and easy to make, however – sometimes you need the fastest and easiest dinner recipe that takes the least amount of energy to make – and that’s exactly what you get with french bread pizza recipe.
Seriously, French bread pizza is a gift to busy moms everywhere! All you need is a few simple ingredients and 5 minutes to make a meal your kids will not give you any grief about eating! (Also try this pizza grilled cheese and pizza chicken)!
We always have pizza fixings on hand, including our homemade pizza sauce, so all I have to do is remember to add a loaf of french bread to my grocery list and I have a guaranteed crowd-pleasing meal set to go for one night of the week.
Delicious and fun dinner idea for kids to help with. Tasted amazing with your homemade pizza sauce. Will definitely be on the dinner meal rotation. Thank you!
– Amanda
French Bread Pizza: Ingredients & Substitutions
- French bread. Obviously french bread is what’s recommended for this recipe. But a hearty loaf of sourdough, Italian bread, or even ciabatta all work well too.
- Olive oil. avocado oil works in place of olive oil.
- Pizza Sauce. this is the best homemade pizza sauce! You can use store-bought, if desired.
- Mozzarella cheese. I suggest a shredded, organic mozzarella for best results. Or, you can use a “pizza blend” which you can find at most grocery stores.
- Toppings. choose your favorite. We usually make one half cheese, one half pepperoni.
How to Make French Bread Pizza
Begin my Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). Then cut the loaf of French bread in half lengthwise and set it on a bake sheet, inside facing up.
Then, brush olive oil on the inside of both halves of the French bread.
Next, sprinkle the garlic powder and Italian seasoning over the olive oil.
Then, bake the oiled and seasoned french bread in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Toasting it slightly before adding the sauce prevents soggy breat.
After 5 minutes, remove the bread from the oven and spread the pizza sauce over bread.
Then, sprinkle the mozzarella & parmesan cheeses on top of the sauce and add toppings, if desired.
Return the french bread pizzas to the oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Let the french bread pizza cool slightly (about 10 minutes) before serving.
Serve
Cut the slightly cooled french bread pizza with pizza scissors or transfer to a large cutting board and use a pizza cutter, and serve warm.
I suggest serving it with a salad like burrata salad or panzanella salad, or even roasted broccoli.
Store/Freeze
Store leftovers in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Reheat in the oven set to warm or in the microwave.
More Delicious Pizza Recipes
I grew up in Chicago, got my first job at 14 at a local pizza restaurant, and take my pizza seriously! So here are some of my favorite recipes:
- The best homemade pizza dough is so easy only 5 minutes and no need to rise.
- My 5 minute pizza sauce is the best.
- Full tutorial on how to make homemade pizza.
- Pizza grilled cheese is another super easy recipe.
- Pizza chicken is the perfect high-protein way to enjoy pizza flavors!
French Bread Recipe FAQS
Yes, you can assemble the french bread pizzas and then flash-freeze them. Once they’re frozen, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. If baking from frozen, cook at 400°F (204°C) (instead of 425°F (218°C)) for 15 to 20 minutes.
This recipe does not yield a soggy pizza, but if you find yourself having that trouble – you can always pop the bread into the preheated oven for 2-3 minutes before adding the sauce. This toasts the bread and keeps it from getting soggy.
Yes, you can easily scale this recipe to feed a crowd.
Bake French bread pizza at 425°F (218°C). This is the perfect temperature to both crisp the bread and melt the cheese without it becoming overbaked.
A classic loaf of French bread is the best choice because it has a crisp crust and soft interior that holds up well to sauce and toppings. You can also use slices of sourdough, a loaf of Italian bread, I have even made pizza on naan and pita bread with the same method!
For the best texture and to re-crisp the edges, reheat French bread pizza in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for 5 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also use an air fryer for a few minutes.
You can use almost any of your favorite pizza toppings. Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, olives and bacon are all delicious choices. Just be careful not to overload the bread with toppings, which can make the pizza soggy!
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
French Bread Pizza Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread (14 ounces)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
- toppings pepperoni, veggies, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius).
- Cut the loaf of French bread in half lengthwise and set it on a bake sheet, inside facing up.
- Then, brush the olive oil on the inside of both halves of the French bread.
- Sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning over the olive oil.
- Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spread the pizza sauce over bread.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce and then add toppings, if desired.
- Return to oven and bake additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- French bread. Obviously french bread is what’s recommended for this recipe. But a hearty loaf of sourdough, Italian bread, or even ciabatta all work well too.
- Olive oil. avocado oil works in place of olive oil.
- Pizza Sauce. this is the best homemade pizza sauce! You can use store-bought, if desired.
- Mozzarella cheese. I suggest a shredded, organic mozzarella for best results. Or, you can use a “pizza blend” which you can find at most grocery stores.
- Toppings. choose your favorite. We usually make one half cheese, one half pepperoni.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious and fun dinner idea for kids to help with. Tasted amazing with your homemade pizza sauce. Will definitely be on the dinner meal rotation. Thank you!
Thank you so much Amanda! I’m so glad your kids loved helping you make this! It’s such a great easy meal!