French Bread Pizza Recipe

prep the oven and bread

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Slice the French baguette in half lengthwise to create two long halves. If the baguette is very long, cut into 3–4 pieces for easier handling and serving.

In a small bowl, mince the garlic clove and mix with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Brush the cut sides of the bread evenly with the garlic-olive oil mixture.

Place the bread, cut-side up, on the prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven 5–7 minutes just until the edges begin to turn golden and the bread is slightly crisp—this prevents sogginess once sauce is added.

While the bread toasts, combine 1 cup pizza sauce with 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

After the bread is lightly toasted, remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the sauce mixture evenly over each cut side, leaving a 1/4 inch border at the edges.

Evenly sprinkle 2 cups shredded mozzarella over the sauce-covered bread pieces. Reserve about 2–3 tbs of mozzarella for a finishing sprinkle if you like extra melt.

Scatter pepperoni slices evenly across the cheese, followed by sliced green pepper, red onion, and black olives so toppings are distributed for each serving.

Finish with a light dusting of 1/4 cup grated Parmesan over the toppings.

Place the assembled French bread pizzas back on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 8–12 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly and edges of the bread are golden brown. If you prefer browned cheese spots, switch the oven to broil for the final 1–2 minutes—watch closely to avoid burning.

Remove from oven. Drizzle the 1 tsp olive oil over the hot pizzas and sprinkle 1/2 tsp dried oregano evenly. Add torn fresh basil leaves on top if using.

Let the pizzas rest 2–3 minutes, then slice into individual portions (usually 6–8 pieces depending on how you cut the bread). Serve hot.