I’ve been doing the best I can to keep our meals simple these days. These quick fix French bread pizzas have been a regular staple in our house. Specially since we’ve been keeping at home as much as possible. Once you have the bread, pizza sauce and cheese the rest is pretty much a blank canvas for whatever flavors you want to add. Usually for us that means Italian sausage (I like to brown it, then pulse it a few times in a food processor to get a finer texture… but not too fine!). And pepperoni. Oh and olives and mushrooms and maybe red onion. Nothing too crazy, but might good and darned comforting!
Keep It Crunchy
I like my quick fix French bread pizza to have a crunchy crust. To make sure the bread stays crunchy I shy away from wet toppings. If I do have to use something with a lot of moisture, like canned olives or mushrooms, I always dab them dry with a paper towel first.
Less Is More
I also believe that less pizza sauce is actually better on a pizza. I didn’t always think that way, but I do now. First, the crust stays crunchy. And second, the sauce doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the ingredients.
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
Also try my Sloppy Joe French bread pizza.
Quick Fix French Bread Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread cut lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Marinara sauce grab your favorite
- Mozzarella cheese shredded
- Your favorite pizza toppings
- Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 F.
- Place the bread cut-side up on a large baking sheet.
- Stir together the butter and garlic and brush onto the bread. Bake for 5 minutes.
- Brush the top of the bread with marinara sauce. Less is more, so don't over-sauce.
- Add your favorite toppings. Drier toppings (such as pepperoni slices and cooked, drained Italian sausage) are best. Pat your vegetables dry before adding.
- Add cheese and sprinkle with a little Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bread starts to get golden brown and crunchy.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 2-3 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.