Easy French Bread Pizzas
French Bread Pizzas are an easy lunch that’s perfect for busy days. They’re family-friendly, so everyone can add their favorite toppings and enjoy a tasty meal together. With crispy bread, gooey cheese, and delicious sauce, this simple recipe is a fun way to make pizza at home!
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Summer lunches are always a challenge when my kids are home from school. I really try to keep them from getting boring, but it can be hard. This year, when they were home for summer break, I took a page from my Mom’s playbook.
After I graduated from college and moved out, my parents retired to North Carolina. On one visit, my Mom made pizza from French bread. It was crispy and delicious. So I thought my kids would love them (I was right). Plus (bonus), they are easy enough for them to make on their own.
Why you’ll love French Bread Pizzas
- An easy lunch or quick dinner idea. Serve with a salad to complete the meal.
- Use store-bought or homemade pizza sauce.
- No pizza dough to roll or let rise.
- Minimal clean-up.
- Great use of leftovers. Add leftover roasted veggies, marinara sauce, or cooked meats.
- Budget-friendly, especially if you use up leftovers.
There are only a few steps and ingredients to making this easy French bread pizza recipe. If you’re like me and keep diced or sliced onions prepped in the fridge, it’s even easier to make them.
I used hoagie rolls from my supermarket deli, but a longer loaf of French bread will also work. Slice the loaf in half, or after it’s baked, cut into about 1 or 2-inch pieces for easy eating. This works well for a party or group of teenagers.
Ingredients
You don’t need many recipe ingredients to make easy French bread pizzas.
- Hoagie rolls or a loaf of French bread. I’ve used both, and either is fine. If you want to make homemade French bread, even better.
- Pizza or marinara sauce.
- Toppings of your choice – see suggestions below. I used onions and pepperoni.
- Shredded Mozzarella cheese.
What topping can I use on French bread pizzas?
These French bread pizzas are nothing like the frozen variety of your childhood. You’ll love how easy they are to customize. They are certainly nostalgic, but much more flavorful and fresh.
Anything you enjoy putting on a traditional pizza dough, you can put on hoagie roll pizzas. Of course, you want the cheese and marinara sauce, but other toppings could be:
- Cooked Bacon
- Mushrooms – raw or sautéed
- Sweet Onions or Red Onions – raw or sautéed
- Bell Peppers
- Olives
- Ham
- Pineapple
- Parmesan Cheese – I like a healthy sprinkle of Parm.
- Canadian Bacon
- Cooked Italian Sausage
- Pesto
- Spinach
- Red Pepper Flakes
To mix things up a bit, you could do barbecue French bread pizzas and use bbq sauce in place of the pizza sauce. Brush some garlic butter on the bread before adding toppings for additional flavor.
How do you serve hoagie roll pizzas?
Host a family and friends pizza night. Set up a topping bar with some of the ingredients mentioned above and let everyone make their own French bread pizzas.
Make an assortment of pizzas and cut the French bread into strips or bite-sized pieces for an appetizer tray or table.
Serve French bread pizzas with dipping sauces such as blue cheese, ranch, or hot honey for a game day snack.
Share your favorite way to make and serve French bread pizzas in the comments.
How long does French bread pizza take to bake in the oven?
Cook the pizzas for a total of 15 minutes at two different temperatures to melt the cheese and crisp up the bread.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a comment and 5-star review on the recipe card below. If you really love this recipe, please share it on your social media!
Easy French Bread Pizzas
Ingredients
- 4 hoagie rolls spilt in half lengthwise
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce from a jar or homemade
- 64 slices of pepperoni
- 1/2 an onion sliced, optional
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place sliced hoagie rolls on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce on each roll. Top with pepperoni and onions, if using.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F, then up the temperature to 425 degrees F for 5 more minutes.
- Remove from oven, cool slightly and enjoy.
I remember when we did French Bread pizza all the time–why did I ever give it up!
This is a great idea for the next time I see rolls on the discount bakery rack. We love pizza of all kinds!
Such a great pizza idea. I have to make this soon!
Yum, so simple and so tasty!
One of my favorite “go-to” quick lunches! I keep a jar of pizza sauce in the fridge just for this purpose! Love the idea of the hoagie rolls!
These look delicious. I love how easy these are and that you used hoagie rolls….I always have extra hoagie rolls.
Perfect after school or late night snack too.