This easy French bread pepperoni pizza recipe is loaded with fresh mozzarella cheese, two types of pepperonis, and seasoned roasted garlic butter, An easy and delicious weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy.
I’ve always loved making pizza bread variations for dinners, snacks, or parties. There’s just something about that soft bread topped with all our favorite pizza toppings that’s perfect for any occasion. One of my favorite pizza bread variations is French bread pizza. The soft French bread makes the perfect canvas for all those flavors of cheese, pepperoni, and sauce. I love to make this recipe for parties, movie nights, or as a special treat when my kids and grandkids come to visit. There’s never really a wrong time to serve this delicious pizza bread, and I know you’ll agree when you try it.
French Bread Pepperoni Pizza
This pizza bread starts with a loaf of soft French bread that I cut in half lengthwise. I spread homemade garlic herb compound butter all over it and bake the bread until it’s nice and toasty. After that, I cover both halves in pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and two types of pepperoni. Then, I bake it again until bubbly. When it’s all done, I have delicious pizza bread that’s crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and topped with everything we love about classic pizza. It’s absolutely delicious, and although it takes a little time to make, it’s super easy, too!
Why You’ll Love This French Bread Pepperoni Pizza Recipe
- The flavors are amazing with the combination of fresh mozzarella cheese, two types of pepperonis, and roasted garlic butter.
- The cheese adds richness and creaminess to the pizza bread, the pepperonis add a savory, salty flavor, and the roasted garlic butter adds a touch of sweetness and complexity.
- It’s super easy to make, it only takes a few simple ingredients, and it makes a quick and easy weeknight meal.
- It’s versatile and can be customized to your liking by adding all your favorite pizza toppings, such as mushrooms, onions, and peppers, or changing up the type of cheese.
French Bread Pepperoni Pizza Ingredients
The ingredients for this pizza bread are incredibly simple, and you’ll find most of them in your pantry right now. The only things you might have to buy are the pepperoni and fresh mozzarella cheese.
- French bread
- Head of garlic, roasted
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Butter
- Oregano
- Basil
- Pizza sauce
- Fresh mozzarella
- Thick pepperoni slices
- Mini pepperonis
- Boar’s Head pepperoni
How to Make French Bread Pepperoni Pizza
Making this delicious pizza bread takes a bit of time, but most of that time is actually just oven time. From the homemade roasted garlic to the finished product, every step in this recipe is very easy.
Step 1: Roast the Garlic
Slice off ¼ of the top of the garlic bulb and place it on a 5×5 piece of foil. Then, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold the foil up tightly over the garlic bulb. At this point you can air fry it for 20 minutes at 390 degrees or bake it for 45 minutes to an hour at 400 degrees.
Step 2: Make the Garlic Herb Butter
When the garlic is cool enough to handle, remove the foil and squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulbs into a small bowl. Then, add softened butter, oregano, and basil. Mix with a fork.
Step 3: Butter and Bake the Bread
Spread the garlic herb butter over both halves of the French bread and bake on a prepared baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 4: Top and Bake Again
Remove the bread from the oven and spread the pizza sauce over both halves. Then, add the fresh mozzarella and shredded mozzarella cheese followed by both types of pepperoni. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
How to Roast Garlic
Roasting garlic is easy. Just cut the top of the garlic clove off and drizzle with olive oil. Then, add a bit of salt, wrap the entire thing up in foil, and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. You can also air fry garlic for 20 minutes at 390 degrees to roast it.
Recipe Tips
- When cutting your bread in half, use a sharp, serrated knife and let the knife do the work. Don’t apply much pressure. This prevents the bread from squishing.
- Squeeze out the garlic and make the butter while the garlic is still warm. This makes it easy to blend it with the butter and herbs. It’s also easier to spread it over the bread.
- The French bread is ready for the pizza toppings when the top is golden brown.
Variations
- You can use any of your favorite pizza toppings for this recipe, such as, ham, pineapple, spinach, chicken, jalapenos, and other veggies.
- If using a topping like sausage, ground beef, or bacon, cook the meat first. This ensures that it’s fully cooked when the pizza bread is finished and that the pizza bread isn’t greasy.
- For a kick of classic heat to your pizza, add red pepper flakes to your compound butter.
What to Serve with Homemade French Bread Pizza
This delicious pizza bread has all the flavors we love in our pizza, so it only makes sense to serve it with our favorite pizza sides. Salads, garlic breadsticks, and cheesy breadsticks are all great serving options.
Recipe FAQ
French bread pizza is a variation of pizza bread that uses a loaf of French bread that’s sliced in half lengthwise, loaded with pizza toppings, and then baked.
If you don’t bake your French bread before adding the toppings to get a crusty layer on top, then it will be soggy. Baking the bread first helps keep the sauce from soaking deep into the bread and creating a soggy pizza bread.
One of the best ways to make your pizza crust crispy is by using a perforated pizza pin. It has holes all over the bottom that allows air and heat to hit the crust directly, making it crispier than a solid pizza pan. Making your crust thin will also help keep it crispy.
Be sure you crust is an even thickness – a little on the thin side is better. Bake the pizza at 425 degrees using either a pizza stone or a perforated pizza pan. Finally, you can try adding a little cheese to the crust before adding the sauce. This helps keep the sauce from soaking into the crust.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover French Bread Pepperoni Pizza
Refrigerate this pizza bread for up to 3 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, you can freeze it wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil for up to a month.
To reheat the leftover pizza bread, set the slices out at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to take the chill off. Then, place the pieces on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Try This Easy and Delicious French Bread Pizza Recipe Today
It doesn’t get better than this French bread pepperoni pizza, you guys! The French bread is crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, like the thickest pizza crust ever. With the garlic herb butter and classic pizza toppings, it’s pure pizza heaven in every bite. And even with roasting your own garlic, it’s so easy to make! Give this one a try, and you’ll soon be looking for reasons to make it again and again.
More Delicious Pizza Recipes You’ll Enjoy
This delicious Pepperoni Pizza Crescent Rolls are made in a Bundt pan. The dough is rolled out, covered with sauce, cheese and pepperonis, then rolled up and placed in the pan, and repeated two more times. Then baked to golden perfection.
French Bread Pepperoni Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf French bread, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 head of garlic, roasted
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- â…› teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
- 14 ounce pizza sauce
- 8 ounce fresh mozzarella
- 6 ounce thick pepperoni slices
- 5 ounce mini pepperonis
- ½ cup Boar’s Head pepperoni, cut into small chunks
Instructions
Roast Garlic in the Air Fryer or Oven
- Slice ¼ off the top of the garlic bulb and place it in a 5×5 piece of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt.
- Fold up the foil tightly, and place in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 20 minutes at 390°. Carefully remove and let cool.
- To cook the garlic in the oven, cook at 400° for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
Making the Pizza Bread
- When garlic is cool enough to handle, remove foil and squeeze the garlic out into a small bowl. Add softened butter, oregano, and basil, and mix together with a fork.
- Spread garlic butter mixture over both halves of French bread.
- Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place both bread halves on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spread pizza sauce over each half, followed by fresh mozzarella.
- Top with all three types of pepperonis and bake for 12-16 minutes or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
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