Dinner / Sandwiches, burgers & pizza
French Bread Pizza with Garlic Butter
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Toast the bread with garlic butter first, and the bottom stays crisp under all that bubbling mozzarella. Set out the toppings, let everyone build their own half, and hand out napkins.
The short version
Split a loaf of French bread, spread the cut sides with garlic butter and toast at 425°F for 5 minutes. Top with a thin layer of sauce, mozzarella and toppings and bake 8 to 10 minutes more, then broil for a minute. Don't skip the first toast.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Toast the bread with garlic butter first. Bread soaks up sauce like a sponge. Butter and a few minutes in the oven seal the surface, so the crust stays crisp and tastes like garlic bread.
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Go light on the sauce. A thin layer of thick sauce is plenty. Too much runs off and softens the center.
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Mix Parmesan into the mozzarella. The mozzarella gives you the melt and the Parmesan gives it a salty, toasty edge that low-moisture cheese alone doesn't have.
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Finish under the broiler. One minute of top heat blisters the cheese like a pizzeria oven would.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Unsalted butter4 tablespoons
- Garlic2 cloves
- Soft-crusted French bread or ciabatta loaf1 pound
- Low-moisture mozzarella8 ounces
- Grated Parmesan¼ cup
Garlic butter
Pizzas
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle.
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Make the garlic butter
Mash the butter with the garlic, parsley and salt in a small bowl until smooth.
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Split and spread
Cut the loaf in half crosswise, then split each piece in half lengthwise to make 4 pieces. Set them cut side up on a sheet pan and press down lightly so they sit flat. Spread the garlic butter evenly over each cut side, all the way to the edges.
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Toast the bread
Bake until the edges are golden and the surface looks dry and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes.
This is the step that keeps the pizza from going soggy. Don't skip it.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Sauce and top
Spread about ¼ cup of sauce on each piece, stopping just short of the edge. Toss the mozzarella with the Parmesan and pile it on, then add the toppings.
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Bake the pizzas
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble, 6 to 8 minutes.
About 7 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Broil to finish
Switch the oven to broil and cook 1 minute, until the cheese has golden spots. Keep watching. Rest 2 minutes before eating.
The broiler goes from spotted to burnt in under a minute. Stay by the oven.
About 1 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Use a soft-crusted loaf. A hard, crackly baguette cuts the roof of your mouth and doesn't hold toppings.
- Heavy toppings like raw sausage or mushrooms release water, so cook them and drain them first.
- Two loaves feed a crowd on one big sheet pan if you stagger the pieces. Toast and top the same way.
- Storage. Best eaten right away. Fridge, wrapped, 3 days. Reheat at 375°F for 8 minutes. Freeze toasted, unsauced pieces for 2 months, then top and bake from frozen, adding a few minutes.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
How do I keep French bread pizza from getting soggy?
Toast the buttered bread first and use a thin layer of thick sauce. Cook and drain wet toppings before using them.
Can I make French bread pizza in an air fryer?
Yes. Toast the buttered bread at 375°F for 3 minutes, top it and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until the cheese is bubbling. Work in batches.
What bread is best for French bread pizza?
A soft-crusted French loaf, ciabatta or Italian loaf. Aim for one about 3 inches wide that you can split flat.
Can I use jarred sauce?
Yes. Pick a thick one, or simmer it for 5 minutes to reduce it. Our no-cook pizza sauce is thick enough as it comes.
How do I make it ahead?
Toast the bread and top it with sauce and cheese up to 4 hours ahead, keeping it covered in the fridge. Bake and broil when ready, adding a couple of minutes.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.