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Pizza night just got easier with this Pepperoni French Bread Pizza! It is ready in less than 20 minutes and will please everyone at the table!
Why You’ll🫶🏻This Pizza
Pizza is universally loved, and this Pepperoni French Bread Pizza will become your new favorite way to get a meal on the table in no time! It is quick to prepare and cheaper than takeout, making it the perfect solution for busy nights. I layer garlic-butter, sauce, cheese, and pepperoni on store-bought bread for an easy and satisfying meal! Enjoy! ~Nicole
Key Ingredients for French Bread Pizza
- French Bread – Soft, store-bought French bread serves as a substitute for traditional pizza dough. With a crusty exterior and easy slicing, it perfectly supports all the delicious cheese and toppings.
- Extra-virgin olive oil is brushed on the bottom and helps create a crispy crust. Since its use in this recipe is not the star ingredient, you can use a mild everyday EVOO that still boasts a fruity or peppery taste without breaking the bank.
- Garlic Butter– The simple mixture of melted butter and garlic powder is an easy way to elevate the flavor, and it will make your house smell amazing!
- Pizza Sauce– This pizza sauce is straightforward to make. Stir together a can of crushed tomatoes, a splash of olive oil, and a bit of Italian seasoning for a tasty and winning combination.
- Cheese– I use a mixture of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Mozzarella gives me that perfect stretchy pull, and the Parmesan adds a wonderful nutty flavor. I stay away from pre-shredded cheeses because they are packaged with stabilizers and do not melt as nicely.
- Pepperoni– You can use any pepperoni to satisfy your taste buds. I use a meaty all-beef pepperoni stick that I thinly slice. I love the spicy and savory flavor it adds to the pizza.
- Oregano– I like to finish the pizza with a sprinkling of fresh oregano. It has an earthy flavor that enhances the pizza. It is optional, but I highly recommend you try it.
- Crushed Red Chili Pepper Flakes – This popular pepper mixture adds a fiery kick to the finished pizza. You can use as much or as little as you like.
Tips for Making French Bread Pizza
When buying French bread, look for a long loaf that is approximately 24 inches long and 4 inches wide, wrapped in plastic. It has a soft and fine crumb that holds up well for the toppings.
Once the bread is sliced in half lengthwise, ensure that both slices lie flat; if not, slice off a small piece. That technique will help keep the cheese and toppings from sliding off while the pizza is baking (see image 1).
Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil to make for easy clean-up.
Substitutions
- You can substitute the Parmesan with Asiago or Pecorino cheese.
- If you can’t find soft French bread, you can use a long baguette, but the crust will be tougher.
- If you can’t find pepperoni sticks, you can use standard pre-sliced pepperoni.
Serving Suggestions
Green Leafy salads are an excellent choice to serve with this pizza.
Dressings that you might enjoy with your salad
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Creamy Parmesan-Peppercorn Dressing
Ranch Dressing
Thousand Island Dressing
You can substitute it with a healthier option, such as turkey pepperoni. Spanish chorizo, spicy salami, ham, and even spiced pastrami are also good substitutes, or you can omit the meat altogether. Just remember to keep the amount the same to avoid overloading the pizza.
Absolutely! Just remember to keep the amount the same to avoid overloading the pizza.
I cannot speak from experience about this particular recipe, but the general equivalent is as follows.
1 clove fresh garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cloves fresh garlic = 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cloves fresh garlic = 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
So, that would mean 12 cloves of garlic! That is a lot of garlic, but keep in mind that it’s a matter of personal preference. I would start with a smaller amount and experiment to see what works.
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Pepperoni French Bread Pizza
Ingredients
For the Pizza
- 1 (24 by 4-inch) loaf of soft French bread
- 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 12 ounces (3 cups) Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 ounce (½ cup) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni
For the Sauce
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespons chopped fresh oregano
Instructions
For the Pizza
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Cut the bread in half crosswise, then halve each piece to create four equal pieces. Arrange the pieces cut side down on prepared baking sheet and brush the crust with oil.
- Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl. Flip the bread cut side up and brush the cut sides evenly with the butter mixture. Bake cut side up, until browned around the edges, about 5 minutes.
For the Sauce
- Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.
- Spread the sauce evenly over toasted bread, then top with Mozzarella, followed by Parmesan, and pepperoni. Bake until the cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 12-15 minutes. Let the pizzas cool for 5 minutes, then slice and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the best weeknight pizza!
This looks like ATK’s recipe that was just published. I’ve always loved your content & you used to always credit the original recipe. I hope you continue to do so. Happy to see you back! xo
Hi Carolyn! So nice to hear from you. I am happy to be back! ๐ This recipe is very similar to one that Cook’s Country published over 5 years ago. It is hard to credit just one source for all the goodness that I share. If you would like specific information on a recipe source, feel free to inquire via email. Happy cooking!