If you like deep-dish pizza, try making The Best French Bread Pizza at home. This recipe uses soft supermarket French bread and cooks up in half the time compared to any regular pizza. A stir-together mix of crushed tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, and garlic makes a bold and bright pizza sauce. I like to use both mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in this recipe to get the perfect balance of melty creaminess and nutty depth.
The pizza bread recipe starts with supermarket bread, which is often labeled as French bread and Italian bread. Cut the loaf in half crosswise and then cut those halves lengthwise. Flatten the bread halves and give them a butter-garlic-herb treatment. Then top with mozzarella and bake until the cheese is barely melted. Spread the tomato sauce over the cheese layer and bake until the cheese is melty and perfect. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, top it with fresh basil or parsley, Parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.
To make The Best French Bread Pizza, you will need the following ingredients:
Adjust the oven rack to the top position and preheat the oven to 425 °F.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat 4 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil until the butter is melted. Add 4 minced cloves garlic, a pinch of pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes or until the garlic is softened but not browned.
Stir in half of the minced parsley or basil and a big pinch of salt and remove from heat.
Place the bread cut-side up on a clean working surface. Use a rimmed baking sheet to press down on bread evenly until flattened to about ⅔ of its original height.
Place on the rimmed baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush half of the butter garlic mixture evenly over the bread. Make sure to add plenty of garlic and herbs and set aside.
Add 1 can of crushed tomatoes to the remaining butter garlic mixture in the pan and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Once at a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until reduced. Add salt to taste.
While the sauce cooks, spread 2 ounces of mozzarella evenly over the bread and place in the preheated oven. Cook until the cheese is slightly melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until the sauce is ready.
Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the bread, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.
Place in the oven and bake for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted and just starts to brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, the remaining parsley or basil, and the remaining tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
Let cool slightly and serve.
You can’t go wrong with The Best French Bread Pizza! Our recipe uses soft supermarket French bread, intensely flavored tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, and nutty Parmesan. Give this recipe a go, and tag #cookmerecipes in your pizza posts to be featured on our page.
Awesome pizza bread!
